← Back to General Guides

Alliance Train Guide

Alliance Events · 2026-03-11

What Is the Alliance Train?

The Alliance Train is a daily cooperative event where your alliance sends a trade train through various towns to collect rewards. One member drives the train while others ride as passengers in wagons. The driver can upgrade the train's rewards using trade contracts, and passengers choose which wagon's rewards they want.

Why the Train Matters

The Alliance Train is one of the most consistent sources of daily resources in the game. Unlike events that cycle weekly, the train runs every day. Missing it daily adds up to significant lost progress over weeks and months.

Requirements

Before your alliance can run a train, these conditions must be met:

RequirementDetails
Alliance sizeAt least 20 members
Server rankingAlliance must be in the top 20 on the server to receive the daily regular train
Member eligibilityMust have the station unlocked and been in the alliance for more than 24 hours

Train Types

Your alliance has access to two types of trains each day:

TypeHow It StartsLimit
Regular TrainAppears automatically at midnight (server time) for top 20 alliances. An R4 or R5 must designate a driver to begin preparation1 per day
Mega Express TrainCan be called by the commander when no other train is being prepared. The caller automatically becomes the driver2 per day

How the Train Works

Preparation Phase (4 Hours)

Once the driver is designated, the train enters a 4-hour preparation phase:

  1. The driver sets up guard teams — the driver uses their heroes to create 3 teams of guards who defend the train from attacks during its journey
  2. Passengers board — alliance members choose which wagon to ride in
  3. Trade contracts are used — the driver can refresh wagon rewards using trade contracts donated by passengers
  4. After 4 hours, the train departs automatically — no further action is needed

Wagons

The train has 4 wagons, each containing different rewards:

  • Each wagon can hold up to 5 passengers
  • There is no limit on total participants — if more than 5 players choose the same wagon, a random selection determines who rides and who stays on the platform
  • You can change wagons at any time during the preparation phase if the rewards no longer suit you or if your preferred wagon is overcrowded
  • Choose your wagon based on which rewards you need most

Trade Contracts

Trade contracts are the key to better train rewards:

  • Passengers can donate 0 to 3 trade contracts each to the driver
  • The driver uses these contracts to refresh the wagon rewards, improving what is on offer
  • Each refresh costs 5 contracts — after 5 refreshes (25 contracts total), the train upgrades to the Gold Express which offers significantly better rewards
  • Refreshing can improve or worsen rewards — the driver can save the current cargo before refreshing and restore it if the result is worse
  • Trade contracts are scarce for free-to-play players, so every donated contract matters
  • Even as a passenger, donating contracts benefits you because the rewards in all wagons improve
Gold Express

Always aim for the Gold Express. After 5 trade contract refreshes, the entire train upgrades to gold tier with substantially better rewards for all passengers. Coordinate with your alliance to ensure enough contracts are donated every day.

The Driver Role

The driver has the most responsibility:

Selecting Guard Teams

Train defence works as a 3v3 battle — attackers fight all 3 guard teams in sequence:

  • The driver creates 3 teams of heroes to defend the train
  • Distribute hero strength evenly across all 3 teams — one stacked team and two weak ones means attackers easily beat the weak teams and loot cargo
  • Use your strongest heroes for guard duty — failed defences mean lost rewards
  • Each train can be plundered a maximum of 3 times, with each successful attack looting 3 random cargo compartments

Using Trade Contracts

  • Use the free refreshes first
  • Then use donated trade contracts to push toward Gold Express
  • Save good wagon configurations when they appear — you can restore them if a refresh makes things worse
  • Prioritise reaching 5 refreshes for the Gold Express upgrade

Who Should Drive

  • The driver should be a strong, active player who will properly set up guards and use contracts
  • The driver gets the best rewards — they receive cargo from the locomotive AND all wagon compartments, making it the most lucrative position
  • Rotate the driver role among your strongest players so everyone benefits from the driver bonus

VIP Passenger

The VIP passenger is a special seat that becomes available through Alliance Gift Level 20 or a Mega Express contract:

  • The VIP receives rewards from two selected wagons instead of one
  • The VIP does not take up a normal wagon seat
  • The conductor clicks "VIP" and chooses either Special Guest or Guardian Defender
  • Guardian Defender replaces the conductor's defence teams with the VIP's heroes — useful when the VIP has a stronger roster than the driver
  • VIP invitations must be accepted within 1 hour or they expire
  • This should go to an active member who will make good use of the double rewards

Alliance Gift Level Bonuses

As your alliance's gift level increases, the train gets better:

Gift LevelTrain Bonus
Level 8Train speed increases by 10%
Level 12Number of attacks on the train is reduced by 1
Level 16Ultimate train protection — maximum number of defeats from the same attacker limited to 3
Level 20Driver can take one member as a VIP passenger (double wagon rewards)

Tips for Maximising Train Rewards

  1. Start the train at the same time every day — make it routine so members know when to board
  2. Donate trade contracts — even if you are a passenger, donating contracts improves rewards for everyone
  3. Aim for Gold Express every day — coordinate contracts to ensure 5 refreshes
  4. Choose your wagon wisely — pick the rewards you actually need, not the most popular wagon
  5. Switch wagons if overcrowded — if your wagon has more than 5 passengers, you risk being left on the platform. Move to a less crowded wagon with acceptable rewards
  6. Set strong guard teams as driver — failed defences reduce rewards for everyone
  7. Do not forget about the train — it is easy to overlook daily, but consistent participation compounds into significant resource gains

Common Train Mistakes

  1. No one designates a driver — the regular train will not enter preparation without an R4/R5 assigning a driver
  2. Driver uses weak guard heroes — the train gets attacked more successfully and rewards suffer
  3. Not enough trade contracts donated — failing to reach Gold Express leaves rewards on the table
  4. Everyone picks the same wagon — overcrowding means random members get left behind. Spread out
  5. Forgetting about the train entirely — daily participation is where the value comes from. Missing it for a week is a week of lost resources
  6. New members cannot ride — remember the 24-hour alliance membership requirement. New recruits need to wait a day

Alliance Leadership Tips

  • Assign a daily driver rotation so no single player is always responsible
  • Remind members to board — a quick message in alliance chat goes a long way
  • Track contract donations — members who consistently donate should get priority for VIP seat
  • Schedule the train around peak activity times — the 4-hour preparation window should overlap with when most members are online

Related Guides