How to play RailQ
RailQ is a free daily train guessing game spanning the world's railways. Each day a real train route is the answer, from US Amtrak lines to Japan's Shinkansen, the Eurostar, and beyond.
- Start with the travel time. A 2 to 3 hour hop is a high-speed line (TGV, Shinkansen, AVE). A multi-day run is one of the great transcontinentals (Indian Pacific, The Canadian).
- Make a guess. Autocomplete matches trains from around the world, like the Acela, the Eurostar, and the Shinkansen.
- Read each new clue. Every wrong guess unlocks the next: annual ridership, then the number of stops, then the operator (SNCF, JR, Amtrak), then a partial route map.
- Use the operator and map. The operator usually pins the country, and the map usually pins the exact route.
- Solve in five. Lock in the right train to keep your streak alive.
What is RailQ?
Each puzzle starts you with the route's total travel time, and you have five guesses to identify the train as more clues unlock.
Frequently asked questions
How does RailQ work?
Each day RailQ picks a real train route from somewhere in the world. You start with the route's total travel time and have five guesses to name it. Each wrong guess unlocks another clue: annual ridership, the number of stops, the operator, and finally a partial route map.
Which trains are in the pool?
A global mix. US routes like the Acela, Empire Builder, California Zephyr, and Coast Starlight sit alongside the world's great railways: Japan's Shinkansen, the Eurostar, Germany's ICE, Spain's AVE, Italy's Frecciarossa, Korea's KTX, China's high-speed lines, India's Gatimaan Express, and scenic runs like the Bernina Express and the Indian Pacific. Some days are flagship routes; some are deep cuts.
How many guesses do I get?
Five. After each wrong guess one more clue unlocks, building from travel time and ridership up to the operator and a partial route map.
Where does the route data come from?
Real-world rail data: schedules, route maps, and service stats from operators around the world, normalized into simple clue tiers so each hint stays readable.
Is RailQ free?
Yes. Daily puzzle, free, no account required. Premium is optional and only removes ads.
More daily games
- PlaneQGuess the aircraft from the airlines that fly it — the daily plane Wordle.
- AirportQFind the hidden airport from its nonstop destinations.
- AirlineQName the airport from the airlines that serve it.
- PassportQGuess the city from travel and geography clues.
- CityQFill a 3×3 geography grid with cities that fit each row and column.
- HeadcountCircle exactly the right number of people on a world map.
- GetawayHop the world on real airfares without going broke.
- ChainName cities that fit the category before the timer runs out.
- HigherQCompare cities by population, elevation, age, and temperature.
- Geography gamesBrowse the daily city, map, airport, route, and trivia puzzle set.
Missed a day? See yesterday's RailQ answer or browse past RailQ answers.