Hello there!

First of all, please don’t apologize for asking questions! I actually love that you are diving deep into the rules—it shows you really care about the experience. It warms my heart to see someone paying such close attention to the mechanics we’ve built.

Let’s get these tracks aligned for you so you can enjoy your journey.

1. The Travel Discount Confusion

You have a very sharp eye, and I am going to be completely transparent with you: The example on page 44 is a ghost from an older version of the game. I am so sorry for that confusion!

You are absolutely correct to look at the Poker Table on page 32. Here is the correct rule: The “Credit” value listed on page 32 is the discount amount.

• The Example: If you get a Pair, you apply a 4 Credit discount (not 1).
• Better Hand: If you get a Full House, you apply a 9 Credit discount.

So, if your base travel cost was 14 credits and you drew a Pair, the final cost should be 10 credits (14 minus 4). We definitely want to reward you more for those lucky draws!

2. How Stops Work

This can be a little abstract since you are building the map as you go, so let me clarify:

“Each additional stop adds 2 credits”: Think of this as a distance tax. Usually, you travel from Point A to Point B (the immediate next settlement). However, if you decide narratively that you want to travel a long distance—skipping over the immediate next potential stop to get somewhere further away—you would add 2 credits to simulate that longer fuel burn.

“Missed Stops”: Since you create the world, “missing” a stop is usually a narrative consequence triggered by a specific event or a bad roll.

• Example: You might draw a “Between Stops” event (like the Time Zone Tangle on page 21) or a specific Failure Consequence that says the train didn’t stop where you intended.
• If the narrative dictates you slept through your stop or the train was diverted, you treat that location as “Missed.” You then generate a new, unexpected settlement where you actually landed.

3. Wanderlust Seeker: Hidden Gem (pg 27)

“Create 2 settlements with the same prompts.”

I love this ability because it highlights the interpretation aspect of the game. Imagine drawing cards that give you the prompts: [Ancient, Water, Magic].

• Settlement A could be an ancient underwater city protected by a bubble.
• Settlement B could be a floating village built on ancient magical fountains.

The purpose here is choice. By creating two different interpretations of the same prompts, you get to choose which “vibe” fits your current mood or story better. You pick the best one to visit, and discard the other. It represents locals giving you two different recommendations for the same area!

4. Wanderlust Seeker: Risk for Discovery (pg 27)

“Draw 2 cards… create another settlement you can travel to by foot.”

• Timing: You are spot on—treat this as a Between Stops ability. You do this while in transit or just before arriving.
• Which Tables?: Since you only have 2 cards, you aren’t building a full metropolis. You are building a “Side Quest” location. I recommend picking two columns from the Settlement Creation Table (pg 45) that interest you most (usually Geography and Atmosphere) to sketch out a rough idea of this small, off-the-grid location.
• Cost: Because you travel “by foot,” there is no credit cost. You are hiking!
• The “Risk”: The cost here is time and safety, not money. It’s a chance to see something rare without paying a train fare, but it’s a detour from the safety of the Express.

I hope this clears up the fog on your tracks! Please let me know if anything else pops up.