86

Chicago Express is a stock-driven train corporation board game based on John Bohrer's Wabash Cannonball. Players invest in railroad companies, build routes across the map to increase company income, and compete to accumulate the most wealth.

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86

The Verdict

based on 11 reviews

Positive 0%
Tight, agonizing decisions every turn
Clever auction-driven stock mechanics
Plays quickly
Scales well across player counts
Dry and math-heavy
Brutal, players can get squeezed
Weak with two players
95
StatedThis reviewer gave their own score. We only converted it to our 0–100 scale.
Board Game Reviews by Josh, JoshArticle

“It is easily the best stock-based game that I have ever played, and it may also be the best train game I have ever played (I need to replay Steam: Rails to Riches before saying that definitively, but it is far and away better than Ticket to Ride).”

95
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Board Game QuestArticleTop List

An outstanding starting point for train games in general, Chicago Express tends to lead the charge on the cube rails side of things.

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95
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
The Opinionated Gamers, TomArticleTop List

Totally torn between Battlestar Galactica and Chicago Express for the last spot here. I’m sick of making tough decisions; I decline to decide this time around.

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90
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Victory ConditionsArticleTop List

Chicago Express is a great example of how it can be more than just a sum of its parts. It means anyone can easily learn Chicago Express, while also allowing deep strategies and mind games to develop.

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90
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Board Game Barrage, Board Game BarrageArticleTop List – #28

“Plays very quick quickly but very very tight full of excruciating decisions which is my favorite type of game it feels like every time your turn comes up in Chicago Express there are three things to choose from”

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85
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
The Dice Tower, Tom VaselVideo

The reviewer praises Chicago Express as a tightly designed, highly strategic train game with no luck, offering deep economic decisions and player interaction in a compact playing time.

85
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Gaming Rules!, Gaming Rules!Video

The reviewer presents an in-depth tutorial and playthrough of Chicago Express, highlighting its engaging economic strategy and clever stock-market mechanics via Tabletop Simulator.

80
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
calandale, calandaleVideo

The reviewer presents Chicago Express as a lightweight yet surprisingly fun and engaging train-themed economic board game, highlighting its strategic depth despite a few minor reservations about specific play perspectives.

80
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Erik Twice, ErikArticle

“There are so many positive qualities to Chicago Express that I'm always amazed at how simple and accessible it is. It has nothing to envy from larger, more involved train games and, yet, it plays in an hour.”

75
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
Drive Thru Games, Drive Thru GamesVideo

“I'm having a hard time saying, you know, thumbs up, thumbs down, um, I give it a thumbs up, but I can see the dryness and the sort of matin and the brutality putting people off because, you know, they don't want to, they don't want to get screwed. So anyway, it's a good game.”(19:29)

75
InferredThis reviewer didn't give a numbered score. We read the review and inferred a 0–100 score from what they said. Did we get it wrong? Please report it, we'll fix it.
JonGetsGames, Getting GamesVideo

“I was really impressed with my first play of this um the rules are pretty simple i know i've been a bit scatterbrained talking about it but i've been trying to uh sprinkle in my impressions as i'm talking about the mechanics and i just think that there's a reason why a lot of people call this a classic”(14:46)

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