How to Play Ride the Bus: A Step-by-Step Guide

Indulge in the nostalgic charm of the Ride the Bus card game, a delightful and highly entertaining activity that evokes fond memories of childhood. This game, perfect for players of all ages, invites you on a captivating journey where strategy and laughter intertwine. As you navigate the whims of the bus route, your goal is to be the first player to fill your bus with a diverse group of passengers while avoiding obstacles and unexpected detours.

Before embarking on this exhilarating adventure, it’s essential to gather your fellow players and familiarize yourself with the game components. Each player receives a sturdy cardboard bus, a vibrant collection of passenger cards, and a deck of action cards. The objective of the game is straightforward: be the first player to fill your bus with four passengers of different colors. However, the path to victory is paved with unexpected twists and turns. Action cards, filled with surprises and challenges, can alter the course of the game in an instant.

Strategize and anticipate your opponents’ moves as you progress through the game. Choose passengers wisely, considering their value and the potential obstacles they may encounter. Employ clever tactics to block your rivals and seize every opportunity to advance your bus towards the finish line. With each turn, the excitement builds, creating a lively and interactive experience that fosters laughter, friendly competition, and unforgettable moments.

Introduction to Ride the Bus Card Game

Ride the Bus is a fast-paced, fun card game where players try to get rid of all their cards before anyone else. It’s easy for young children to pick up and can be enjoyed by both kids and adults.

Gameplay

The game play involves a deck of cards with four different types: blue and green numbered cards (0-9), and red and orange action cards. Players draw a hand of seven cards. The goal is to be the first player to get rid of all of their cards by matching them to cards in the center of the table.

Matching Cars

There are a few different ways to match cards. You can play a card of the same number, a card of the same color but with a higher or lower number, or an action card that lets you manipulate the deck or other players’ hands. For example, if the center of the table has a blue 7, you could play a blue 6, a green 7, or a red or orange 8.

The game continues until one player gets rid of all of their cards. You can play Ride the Bus with 2-8 players, but it works best with 4-6 players.

Preparing the Deck

Begin by shuffling the standard 52-card deck. Then, remove the two jokers, leaving you with 50 cards.

2 Creating the “Bus” Deck

Now, separate the deck into two unequal piles: the “Bus” deck and the “Hands” deck. The Bus deck should consist of 26 cards – the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6 of all four suits (excluding the Hearts suit).

The Bus deck is the heart of the game, as it will determine the cards players can play from their Hands. Here’s a breakdown of the Bus deck card values:

Card	Value
Ace	1
King	13
Queen	12
Jack	11
10	10
9	9
8	8
7	7
6	6

Dealing the Cards

Setup

To begin the game, the dealer shuffles the deck thoroughly and deals each player 7 cards. The remaining cards form the draw pile, placed face down in the center of the table. An empty discard pile is also created next to the draw pile.

Starting the Game

The player to the left of the dealer begins the game by drawing a card from either the draw pile or the discard pile. The player then has the option to play a card from their hand that matches the rank or suit of the top card on the discard pile. If the player cannot or chooses not to play a card, they must draw another card from the draw pile.

Playing a Turn

On your turn, you have three options:

1. Play a card from your hand. You can play a card that matches the suit or number of the card on top of the discard pile.

2. Draw a card from the draw pile. If you cannot play a card from your hand, you must draw a card from the draw pile.

3. Call “Bus.” If you have a hand of all cards of the same suit or rank, you can call “Bus.” This ends the round and you win the trick.

Playing a Bus

To play a bus, you must have a hand of all cards of the same suit or rank. For example, you could have a hand of all hearts or a hand of all 7s. When you have a bus, you can call “Bus” on your turn. This ends the round and you win the trick.

There are two types of buses:

Bus Type	Description
Regular Bus	A hand of all cards of the same suit.
Wild Bus	A hand of all cards of the same rank.

Wild buses are more powerful than regular buses. If a player calls a wild bus, they automatically win the round, even if another player has a regular bus.

Moving Your Pawns

Ride the Bus is a simple, yet challenging game that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. The goal of the game is to be the first player to move all of your pawns around the board and back to your home base. To move your pawns, you will need to roll the die and then move the pawn the corresponding number of spaces. You can only move your pawns in a clockwise direction around the board.

There are a few things to keep in mind when moving your pawns:

You can only move your pawns one space at a time.

You can only move your pawns to an empty space.

If you land on a space that is occupied by another player’s pawn, you can “bump” their pawn back to their home base.

You cannot move your pawns backwards.

Here is a table summarizing the rules for moving your pawns:

Action	What happens
Roll the die	Move the pawn the corresponding number of spaces in a clockwise direction
Land on an empty space	Move the pawn to that space
Land on a space occupied by another player’s pawn	Bump the other player’s pawn back to their home base
Land on your own home base	Move the pawn off the board

Landing on a Space

Depending on the color of the space you land on, different things may happen. Each color may require you to draw cards, pay other players, or benefit from free items on the board.

6. Blue Spaces

Blue spaces are the most common type of space on the board. When a player lands on a blue space, they can choose to do one of the following:

Draw two cards from the deck: The player can either add the cards to their hand or discard them immediately.
Take a free ride: The player can move forward to any other space on the board, regardless of the color.
Pay rent: If the player lands on a blue space that is owned by another player, they must pay rent to that player. The amount of rent is determined by the number of houses and hotels on the property.

Number of Houses/Hotels	Rent
0	$10
1	$20
2	$30
3	$50
4	$100
Hotel	$200

Hopping and Skipping

Hopping and skipping are two of the most basic moves in Ride the Bus. Hopping is simply jumping on one foot, while skipping is jumping on both feet with a slight hop in between.

There are a few different ways to hop and skip in Ride the Bus:

Single hop: This is the most basic type of hop. To do a single hop, simply jump on one foot and land on the same foot.
Double hop: This is a variation on the single hop. To do a double hop, jump on one foot and then quickly jump on the other foot before landing.
Skip: To skip, jump on both feet at the same time. As you jump, bring your feet together and then apart again before landing.

Hopping and skipping are both great ways to add some variety to your Ride the Bus game. They can also be used to create different obstacles and challenges for your opponents.

Variations on Hopping and Skipping

There are a few different variations on hopping and skipping that you can use to make the game more challenging or more fun.

Variation	Description
Cross-hop: To do a cross-hop, jump on one foot and then cross your other foot over the first foot before landing.	Back-hop: To do a back-hop, jump on one foot and then bring your other foot behind the first foot before landing.	Side-hop: To do a side-hop, jump on one foot and then move your other foot to the side before landing.

Winning the Game

The game ends when one player has won a predetermined number of points or when all the cards have been played. The winner is the player with the highest total score at the end of the game.

Scoring

Each card is worth a certain number of points, as shown in the following table:

Card	Points
Ace	1
Number cards (2-9)	Face value
10	10
Jack, Queen, King	10

Playing the Bus

If a player cannot play a card from their hand, they must draw a card from the draw pile. If the card they draw is not playable, they must continue to draw cards until they find a playable card or until the draw pile is empty. If the draw pile is empty, the player does not have to play a card and their turn ends.

The game continues until one player has won a predetermined number of points or until all the cards have been played. The winner is the player with the highest total score at the end of the game.

Variations and House Rules

Players and Setup Variations

More Players: Allow up to 6-8 players to join the game, modifying the number of bus stops and cards accordingly.
Custom Bus Stops: Create a personalized bus route with specific bus stops that reflect the interests or locations of the players.
Shorter Game: Reduce the number of bus stops or cards to speed up the gameplay.
Target Distance: Set a target distance, such as 20 or 30 bus stops, and the players must reach it first to win.
Multiple Buses: Use two or more sets of bus cards and allow multiple players to play as buses simultaneously.

Gameplay Variations

No Limit on Bus Stops: Allow players to move as many bus stops as they want on their turn, regardless of the number shown on the card.
Wild Cards: Introduce special wild cards that can be played on any bus stop or used to perform additional actions.
Special Abilities: Assign unique abilities to different bus stops, such as "Change Direction," "Skip Turns," or "Draw Extra Cards."
Reverse Direction: Players can move their buses in reverse direction by playing a special "Reverse" card.
Obstacles: Create obstacles on the bus route, such as traffic jams or road closures, that hinder the players’ progress.

House Rules

Bus Capacity: Set a limit on the number of buses that can occupy a single bus stop simultaneously.
Penalties for Overcrowding: If a bus stop exceeds its capacity, the buses on that stop must pay a penalty.
Double-Decker Buses: Introduce double-decker buses that can carry twice as many passengers.
Fast Pass: Create a "Fast Pass" card that allows players to skip the next player’s turn.
Bus Upgrades: Allow players to upgrade their buses with special perks, such as increased speed or passenger capacity.

Tips and Strategies

1. Learn the rules

Take the time to read the rules and understand how the game is played. This will help you make better decisions and avoid making mistakes.

2. Pay attention to the cards

Keep track of the cards that are played and the cards that are discarded. This will give you a better idea of what cards are still in the deck and what cards are likely to be played next.

3. Bluff

Don’t be afraid to bluff. If you have a weak hand, you can try to bluff your opponents into thinking that you have a strong hand. However, be careful not to bluff too often, as your opponents will eventually catch on.

4. Be aggressive

Don’t be afraid to make aggressive moves. If you have a strong hand, don’t be afraid to bet it all. This will put pressure on your opponents and force them to make mistakes.

5. Be patient

Ride the Bus is a game of patience. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t win every hand. Just keep playing and you’ll eventually come out on top.

6. Have fun

Remember, Ride the Bus is just a game. Don’t take it too seriously and have fun.

7. Use math

You can use math to help you make better decisions. For example, you can calculate the probability of drawing a certain card or the odds of winning a hand.

8. Practice

The more you practice, the better you will become at Ride the Bus. Play with friends or family, or join an online game.

9. Manage your money

It’s important to manage your money wisely in Ride the Bus. Don’t bet more than you can afford to lose, and be careful not to go bankrupt.

10. Develop a strategy

Once you have a good understanding of the game, you can start to develop a strategy. This will help you make better decisions and increase your chances of winning.

How To Play Ride The Bus Card Game

Ride the Bus is a simple card game for 2-4 players. The goal of the game is to be the first player to get rid of all of their cards.

The game is played with a standard deck of 52 cards. To start the game, each player is dealt 7 cards. The remaining cards are placed in a pile in the center of the table.

The player to the left of the dealer starts the game by playing a card from their hand. The card played must match the rank or suit of the card on top of the discard pile.

If the player cannot play a card, they must draw a card from the draw pile. If the player can play the card they drew, they may do so. Otherwise, their turn is over.

The game continues until one player gets rid of all of their cards. That player wins the game.