Printable Mexican Train Rules (PDF, One Page)
Quick answer
This Mexican Train rules PDF fits the whole game on one large-print page: setup, how many tiles each, your turn, markers, the double rule, ending a round and scoring. Press Print, or choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. Black ink, US Letter or A4.
Mexican Train — Rules on One Page
You need
A double-12 domino set (91 tiles), a marker for each player plus one for the Mexican Train (coins work), pencil and paper.
Setup
Round 1: put the 12-12 in the middle. It is the engine. Each round uses the next double down, to 0-0 in round 13. Shuffle the other 90 tiles face down. Each player draws:
| Players | Tiles each |
|---|---|
| 2–4 | 15 |
| 5–6 | 12 |
| 7–8 | 10 |
The rest is the boneyard.
Your turn: play one tile
Its end must match the open end of:
- your own train (starts at the engine),
- the Mexican Train (shared, anyone may play), or
- any train with a marker.
Example: 12-12, 12-5, 5-2. The open end is 2.
Nothing fits?
- Draw 1 tile. If it fits, play it.
- If not, pass and put your marker on your train.
- Boneyard empty? Just pass and put out your marker.
Markers
A marker opens your train to everyone. It comes off when you play on your own train.
Doubles
- Play a double, then play one more tile.
- An uncovered double must be covered first by the next player, on any train.
- Can’t cover it? Draw 1. Still can’t? Pass and put out your marker.
- Two open doubles: cover them in the order played.
End of the round
Someone plays their last tile (a double is fine), or nobody can play and the boneyard is empty.
Scoring: low wins
Count the spots left in your hand. Going out = 0. Lowest total after 13 rounds wins.
House rules (agree first)
Double blank = 50 ☐ · First turn: whole train at once ☐ · Doubles need no cover ☐
Free from cards51.com · Full rules: /mexican-train/rules/ · Score sheet: /mexican-train/score-sheet/
One page you can keep with the dominoes
The left column covers setup and a normal turn, with a small drawing of a train. The right column covers what people ask about most at the table: drawing, markers and the double rule, then scoring. It is the same game our Mexican Train rules page explains in full, only shorter.
The tick boxes at the bottom are for your house rules, so everyone agrees before the first round. Keeping score on paper? Print the Mexican Train score sheet too.
If you like Mexican Train, try
Yacht Dice
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Five dice, three rolls, thirteen boxes. The classic Yahtzee-style game.
Hand and Foot
2–6 players · 90 min · Learn in a game or two
Canasta’s big-family cousin: play your hand, then pick up your foot.
Phase 10 rules
2–6 players · 60 min · Easy to learn
Rules, the list of all 10 phases and free score sheets.
Questions people ask
Is there a Mexican Train rules PDF?
Yes. Press “Print the rules” on this page and choose “Save as PDF” in the print window. You get one page with the setup, a turn, markers, doubles and scoring in large print.
What size does the rules sheet print?
One US Letter page, portrait, in black ink. It also fits A4. The type is large so it can be read across the table.
Does the sheet include the double rule?
Yes, in full: play again after a double, cover an uncovered double before anything else, and what to do if you can’t cover it.
Where is the score sheet?
On our Mexican Train score sheet page: 13 rounds from 12-12 to 0-0, up to 8 players, ready to print.