Rail Rush Guide: Flip the Switches and Get Every Train Home
Rail Rush is a gentle train puzzle. Colourful trains come out of a tunnel, and you tap the switches so each one reaches the station of the same colour. On our first try we let the trains go wherever they liked and only 3 of 8 got home. On the second we tapped the switch before every train, and got a Perfect.
By Zaib · Updated 20 October 2026 · Free to play, no download
Rail Rush looks like a toy train set laid out on a picnic blanket of green grass, with fruit trees, a pond and little stations at the top of the screen. Each station has a colour and a symbol (a star, a square and so on), so players who find some colours hard to tell apart can match the symbols instead.
It is easy to learn in one tap, and it gets busy surprisingly fast. Great for children who like trains, and for anyone who likes a quick brain-teaser.
Our first level, twice
Level 1 in Meadow Valley has one tunnel, one switch and two stations: a blue star and an orange square. Eight trains will come out of the tunnel. A tip explains the rule: "Tap a switch to turn its arrow. Trains follow the glowing track to the station of their colour!"
Try one: we didn't tap anything, to see what would happen. Every train followed the switch's arrow to the same station, so only the trains of that colour were right. "So close!" 3 of 8 on time, 0 stars, +15 coins. The card's advice: "Watch the arrows: trains follow the glowing track, never the dark one!"
Try two: this time we watched each train as it came out of the tunnel and tapped the switch before the train reached it whenever the arrow pointed the wrong way. The blue train went left to the star station (+5), the next orange one went right, and so on. "Perfect!" 8 of 8 on time, 3 stars, +70 coins.
The lesson: look at the next train, not the one already past the switch. Once a train is past the switch, it is too late to change its route.
How Rail Rush works
- Trains come out of the tunnel one after another.
- Each switch has an arrow, and the track it points to glows. Tap the switch to change direction.
- A train takes the glowing track at every switch it meets.
- Reach the station of the right colour and you get +5 coins. The wrong station makes an "Oops!".
Later levels have more stations and more switches in a row, so a single train may pass through two or three switches. Set them all before it arrives, starting from the one nearest the train.
How stars are counted
Stars depend on how many trains went to the wrong station:
| Result | Stars |
|---|---|
| No mistakes | 3 stars |
| Up to about 15% of trains wrong | 2 stars |
| Up to about 35% wrong | 1 star |
| More than that | 0 stars (try again) |
You also get a bonus of 10 coins per star. That is why our Perfect paid 70: 8 trains × 5 = 40, plus 30 for three stars.
Rainbow trains
From level 5, some trains are rainbow coloured. A rainbow train is happy at any station and pays +15 coins. You don't need to switch anything for it, so use that moment to set up the switches for the trains behind it.
The Slow-Mo Whistle
The stopwatch button in the corner is the Slow-Mo Whistle. Tap it and everything slows down for a few seconds, which gives you time to sort out a crowded track. The little number shows how many charges you have left in the level. Save it for when three or four trains are on the board at once.
Worlds
| World | Levels | What it is like |
|---|---|---|
| Meadow Valley | 1 to 10 | Daylight, grass and fruit trees. 2 to 5 stations |
| Sunset Canyon | 11 to 20 | Sandy desert at sunset. 3 to 6 stations |
| Snowy Peaks | 21 to 30 | Snow at night. Up to 6 stations |
| Bonus Lines | 31 to 40 | Autumn, golden light, hand-made layouts |
Each level opens when you earn at least one star on the one before. Bonus Lines opens after level 30 and costs 500 coins. Its levels have names like Cascade, Twin Forks, Zig-Zag, Rush Hour and the Grand Finale, with up to 32 trains.
Engines and upgrades
Coins buy new engines, which change how your trains look:
| Engine | Cost |
|---|---|
| Red Puffer (classic steam) | Free |
| Bullet Star | 150 |
| Diesel Dan | 260 |
| Royal Gold | 450 |
| Neon Comet | 600 |
| Candy Choo | 900 |
| Frost Plough | 1,300 |
| Dragon Express (breathes ember sparks) | 2,000 |
There are also track themes: Neon Night (400), Candy Line (600) and Desert Gold (800).
Upgrades actually help you play:
- Slow-Mo Whistle: more charges per level (60, 140, 260).
- Coin Magnet: +20% coins per train, up to 5 levels (50 to 380).
- Steady Rails: trains roll 7% slower per level, up to 3 levels (80, 180, 320).
Our tip: buy Steady Rails first. Slower trains give you more time on every level. Then Coin Magnet, which pays for the engines.
Tips for parents
Rail Rush is calm and has no fail screen beyond "So close!" with a Try again button. It quietly practises attention, planning ahead and colour matching. Levels are short, so it fits into a few spare minutes.
FAQ
How many levels are there?
40: 30 in the three main worlds and 10 in Bonus Lines.
What happens if a train goes to the wrong station?
You see "Oops!" and it counts against your stars, but the level carries on.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, on your device.
