Travel Town Best Tips and Tricks To Maximize Your Gameplay
Here are the best tips and tricks to help you perform at your best. All of these insights were gathered from Travel Town pro gamers.
Travel Town is not just a game—it’s an intricate world where resource management, clever strategy, and a little bit of sneaky insight can make all the difference in your progression. Whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P) enthusiast or a player who prefers to invest strategically, understanding the inner workings of Travel Town can help you reach daily and weekly goals, manage resources, and ultimately build a thriving town. This comprehensive guide is built entirely from in-game strategies and insider tactics, ensuring that every tip, trick, and strategy is grounded in the actual mechanics of the game.
In this article, we’ll explore every facet of Travel Town’s gameplay—from reaching daily coin collection goals to navigating weekly challenges, from understanding the true value of your currencies to capitalizing on developer-implemented mechanics. Read on for a detailed, step-by-step breakdown designed to give you the upper hand.
Jake Carter
Step 1: How To Reach Daily Goals
Collecting Coins and the Usage of the Undo-Redo Trick
Daily coin collection goals are the backbone of your progression. The game challenges you to gather a specific amount of coins each day, and there’s a clever method to maximize your collection without spending extra resources. The key lies in the use of auto-producers. When left unmerged, these auto-producers can maximize the number of non-energy max-level items you receive. However, some producers need to be partially merged to unlock their full potential.
A pivotal technique here is the undo-redo trick. Start with an auto-produced item—ideally one like the lapis tiara (or any auto-produced item valued at 8+ coins). By clicking on the item and then selling it (using the dollar sign at the bottom right), you increase your daily coin goal progress. But here’s the secret: immediately undo the sale. Although this maneuver does not yield actual coins, it boosts the progress bar for the daily goal. It’s critical to use this trick only on auto-produced items. If you mistakenly click on a different item before hitting undo, you risk losing that item permanently—and if it was energy-produced, that energy is wasted. This process requires patience, especially during your first week, as you may need to spend several hours to establish a routine that will support your later progression. Then, use the undo-redo method as a supplementary tactic when you’re just shy of your daily coin goal.
Gems and Merging
Alongside coin collection, daily challenges often include goals like the “Spend Gems Goal.” Always complete this goal since it provides you with essential tools. A recommended strategy is to spend a modest amount—say 10 gems for 100 energy—each day. The underlying principle is to never overspend; only invest what’s necessary to complete the goal.
Another straightforward task is the “Merge X Items Goal.” The simplicity of merging items means that these should rarely pose any difficulty. The merging process not only aids in reaching your daily coin total but also contributes to the overall growth of your town by unlocking valuable resources.
By efficiently handling these daily tasks, you’ll create a steady foundation that supports all other aspects of the game.
Step 2: How To Complete Weekly Challenge
Weekly challenges are designed to test your overall management of resources, pushing you to integrate your daily successes into longer-term rewards.
Step 2A: Reward Bracket 1 – ??? Points and a 150 Gem Grand Prize
For those in Reward Bracket 1, the strategy involves more than simply finishing daily tasks. There are “checkpoints” built into the weekly challenge that dictate the number of daily points and gems you will receive by the end of the week. To secure the final prize—which typically includes valuable items like the joker and extra gems—you must complete several stretch goals over approximately four days. These stretch goals are not merely optional; they’re essential for topping up your weekly progress, as the regular daily rewards alone won’t suffice. It is crucial to ensure that any coin value orders you complete are directed toward your coin collection goals, as nearly all flex goals encountered will contribute to this aspect.
Step 2B: Reward Bracket 2 – TBD
For those who find themselves in Reward Bracket 2, the strategy remains less defined. Players in this group may notice variations in reward progression even if their level remains constant. While the optimal approach for Bracket 2 is still under observation, keep experimenting with the core techniques from Step 1 and Step 2A until further insights become available.
Step 3: Sneaky Developer Tactics To Know Before Progressing
Understanding the developer’s hidden tactics is paramount for any player aiming for mastery in Travel Town. These tactics may seem subtle, but they are designed to influence your in-game decisions. Here are several key points to keep in mind:
Prioritize Your Spending
- Gems: Only invest gems in jokers and unlocking inventory slots. These two investments yield the highest return in terms of energy savings and progression.
- Inventory: Unlocking all available slots by level 25, though not mandatory, greatly simplifies the process of managing multiple orders and maximizing efficiency during intensive play sessions.
Sneaky Tactic #1: Bubbles
In the top-left corner of the game’s shop, you’ll notice bubbles. These are decoys that encourage you to buy items at a slight discount—up to 25% off the shop prices. However, even with the discount, bubbles rarely offer a good deal, particularly after the bubble-pop-to-gem ratio was adjusted in October 2023. Moreover, these bubbles are ephemeral, disappearing within 60–120 seconds. Take caution when engaging with them.
Sneaky Tactic #2: Gem to Energy Cooldown
The game implements a cooldown mechanism for converting gems into energy. This cooldown means that repeated purchases for energy beyond the first 100 (for 10 gems) become exponentially more expensive. Always keep track of your conversion rate and resist spending more than 10 gems for an extra 100 energy unless absolutely necessary.
Sneaky Tactic #3: Understanding Chest, Ticket, and Card Pack Probabilities
For a detailed breakdown of what you can expect from each chest, refer to the in-game support page. Although chests may list ranges (e.g., 40–80 diamonds and 100–250 energy), always assume that you will receive the minimum value when planning your resource allocation.
Sneaky Tactic #4: Daily Goal Reset Strategy
As you progress through your daily goals, note that the coin goal amount increases linearly with each successful day. One strategy to keep your daily goals manageable is to deliberately miss logging in on the 4th day of a cycle. By doing so, the game resets your coin goal back to Day 1, making it easier to complete your weekly objectives.
Sneaky Tactic #5: Weekly Challenge Brackets
While data for this tactic is still being collected, the basic principle is that weekly challenges may be divided into different brackets. Understanding which bracket you’re in can help you tailor your strategy accordingly.
Sneaky Tactic #6: The Surprise Booster
Occasionally, a surprise booster will be activated as part of a weekly reward, card event, or event board initiative. To optimize your resource management, avoid triggering these boosters until you have completed all current orders. This ensures you can make the most of the bonus without inadvertently spending extra gems on bubbles, which become more frequent during these boosted periods.
Sneaky Tactic #7: Card Event Phases
Every Monday, the game appears to adjust the drop rates for card events. Rare card drop rates increase while common cards remain the same, and unreleased cards may suddenly become available as “rare” cards. Keep a close eye on the seasonal Masterpost spreadsheets for proof and updates on these phenomena.
Sneaky Tactic #8: Further Strategies
Some tactics are referenced for later in the guide (see Step 6 for additional insight). These cumulative strategies are essential for players who wish to go beyond the basics and truly master Travel Town.
Step 4: Completing Normal Orders With a Wealth of Resources
Once you have established a steady flow of coins, gems, and energy, you’ll face a variety of orders that dictate how best to utilize your resources. There are four primary types of orders, each with its own strategic value:
The Four Types of Orders
- Easy Order (Coins):
Perfect for when you need just a few coins to upgrade a building or to edge closer to your daily goals. Because the energy expenditure is minimal, this order should only be used as a supplement. - Hard Order (Coins):
This order is invaluable for building your coin reserve. If you are focused on coin collection for upgrades and progression, prioritize the hard order. - Medium Order (Tools):
Although medium orders provide a slower accumulation of tools, they should be completed frequently as they do not contribute toward daily or weekly goals. They serve as a consistent secondary resource. - Very Hard Order (Tools and Coins):
The very hard order is your go-to option when you want to make significant progress in your town. It not only boosts your daily goals with coins but also provides essential tools. It should be given top priority if you are looking to progress rapidly. - Auto-Orders:
Once highly valuable, auto-orders have seen a drastic reduction in coin yield since October 2023. While they remain a useful addition, they are no longer sufficient to meet all your daily coin requirements on their own.
Resource Spending Strategies
With these orders in place, a major part of your strategy revolves around how you spend your various currencies:
- Diamonds:
Ignore bonus items offered in always-available offers as they often hold little real value. Instead, focus on accumulating diamonds for critical purchases. - Coins:
Coins are exclusively used for story progression. There is no special strategy needed here—spend them as required to move forward in the narrative. - Energy:
Energy is a crucial resource, especially when paired with jokers (more on that shortly). Always use energy judiciously and consider saving it for orders that truly matter.
Step 5: How to Maximize your Money and Time for Enjoyable Gameplay
An in-depth understanding of each currency is vital for optimizing both your time and your in-game wealth. Let’s break down the three key currencies—gems, energy, and even ads—and explore how to manage them effectively.
Understanding the Dollar Value of Each Currency
Every currency you see on the board—whether gems, coins, or energy—should be carefully merged and saved until it reaches its maximum potential (indicated by sparkles). This ensures that when you finally collect them, you do so at their maximum value.
Gems: Price Tiers and Multipliers
Gems come with a built-in pricing structure divided into distinct tiers. Each tier not only represents a cost but also a value multiplier (GM) that indicates how much bonus value you receive compared to the baseline Tier 1 pricing.
- Tier 1:
Ranges from $0 to $3.50 with a gem multiplier (GM) of 1. - Tier 2:
Spanning $3.50 to $7.50, this tier offers a GM of 1.2. For instance, if a $2 offer in Tier 1 yields 80 gems, then an equivalent purchase in Tier 2 would yield approximately 20% more. - Tier 3:
Covers $7.50 to $15.00 with a GM of 1.4. - Tier 4:
Ranges from $15.00 to $35.00, offering a GM of 1.6. - Tier 5:
Encompasses $35.00 to $75.00 with a GM of 1.8. - Tier 6:
From $75.00 to $100.00, this top tier provides a GM of 2.
When evaluating gem purchases or special offers, always consider which tier the offer falls under. Although it may seem that a larger gem pack (such as the $100 offer) provides the best value by doubling the gem count, the conversion rate for energy and the daily cooldown on energy purchases can make this approach less efficient over time.
Energy
Energy is typically obtained through the conversion of gems. The baseline conversion rate is 10 gems for 100 energy, but caution is warranted: the daily energy purchase option is limited, and any additional purchases will see an exponential increase in gem cost. For example, while the first 100 energy might cost 10 gems, subsequent purchases could escalate to 20 gems, then 40 gems, and so on. Never overspend on energy conversion; in a pinch, stick with the 10 gems for 100 energy rule.
Energy crates further add nuance to this calculation. Often won as free rewards or available for purchase at 24 gems, a well-timed energy crate might yield around 150 energy if you’ve saved all your incomplete board energy. In effect, this means each energy crate has an effective value of about 15 gems.
The Mathematics Behind Resource Valuation
Every resource conversion and expenditure should be thought of in terms of its dollar value. For instance, using a $2 gem offer as a baseline, 80 gems translate into 800 energy—hence, 400 energy is roughly equivalent to $1. However, as you ascend the price tiers, the conversion value changes. At Tier 6, the value can drop to as low as 13 cents per 100 energy. Understanding these calculations ensures that you are always making informed decisions on when to convert and when to save.
Ads: A Free Resource
Ads in Travel Town are more than just interruptions—they are a valuable currency. Watching an ad can net you 25 energy, and by strategically using ads, you can accumulate free energy to supplement your gameplay. Additionally, ads can be used to pop bubbles that are offered at a discounted gem price. For instance, if a bubble costs 10 diamonds or less to pop and the game allows you to watch three ads per day for bubble-popping, you can effectively turn these ads into up to 30 diamonds worth of value, saving you roughly $0.75 in the process.
Jokers: The Crown Jewel of In-Game Value
Among all the currencies and items, jokers stand out as exceptionally valuable. Consider the example of the picnic basket: if you need to elevate an item from a lower level to a higher one, every increment in level translates to a substantial energy saving. For instance, while advancing an item from level 9 to level 10 might save you only 256 energy, using a joker to boost an item from level 12 to 13 can save up to 2048 energy—and from level 13 to 14, it can save 4096 energy. Since jokers are valued at 150 gems in-game, their energy-saving potential often far exceeds their cost. The principle here is clear: only spend energy on items that require less than 2048 energy for merging, and use your jokers for those high-cost jumps.
Splitters and Blue Crates
Another advanced tactic involves the use of splitters. The splitter is best utilized when you want to duplicate a high-level item (specifically level 12 or higher). The strategy involves first splitting the desired item and then using one or two jokers to restore it to its original level. This method is particularly effective for items that require an exorbitant 16,000 energy or more (typically level 15 or higher).
Blue crates, on the other hand, are always worth merging to their maximum level—even if they seem to take up valuable board or inventory space. At higher levels, their frequency increases to the point where merging them becomes a no-brainer, effectively providing a steady influx of resources without additional investment.
Step 6: Card Collection Event Is Your Best Bet
Card collection events in Travel Town are notoriously tricky. When it comes to card packs, the in-game value is essentially zero. Whether the card pack contains one star, two stars, or even five stars, their monetary value is consistently $0. The game’s design ensures that duplicates abound, and the only viable path to completing your card collection is through trading. This means that if you’re determined to finish a set, you’ll need to exchange your two highest star duplicates with fellow players on platforms like Facebook. Without a built-in friend or trade feature in the game, this process can be both time-consuming and frustrating, particularly for F2P players who are unwilling or unable to invest large sums of cash.
The takeaway here is clear: while the card collection event might seem enticing, the inherent design makes it a resource drain unless you’re prepared to invest significantly. Recognize early that individual card packs hold no direct cash value and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Step 7: The Special Event Board—Why You Might Skip It
In Travel Town, special event boards occasionally present themselves as a unique challenge. However, based on current insights and incomplete data, it may not be worthwhile to devote significant time or resources to these events. Until more information is available, it is advisable to focus on the daily and weekly challenges, where the returns on your investment of time and resources are more predictable.
For the Players Who Prefer to Buy: Smart Purchasing Strategies
Not every player will rely solely on free-to-play methods. For those willing to invest a little cash, there are offers that can dramatically accelerate your progress. However, even here, caution and strategy are paramount.
Super Energy Crate and Special Offers
One of the best value offers is the super energy crate. In one case, a player reported collecting 4000 energy over four days from a $5 starter deal—an offer that may not always be available. Such deals are particularly potent when purchased during periods without an active card season, as these times generally feature more gems and energy in special offers.
When evaluating any buy offer, prioritize built-in joker offers. Additionally, if an offer includes a scratch item, scrutinize it carefully by checking the probabilities against the official support page. This extra step can save you from spending resources on an offer that isn’t worth the cost.
Conclusion: Building Your Perfect Town in Travel Town
Travel Town is a game that rewards strategy, patience, and a keen understanding of its underlying mechanics. From the daily coin collection goals and the innovative undo-redo trick to the intricacies of weekly challenges and the nuanced value of every currency, the path to success is paved with careful planning and clever tactics.
- Daily Goals:
Use auto-producers wisely and implement the undo-redo trick to boost your coin goals. Always aim to complete the spend gems and merge items goals to ensure you’re building a solid foundation. - Weekly Challenges:
Tackle the stretch goals head-on in Reward Bracket 1 and keep experimenting if you find yourself in Reward Bracket 2. Remember that these challenges are essential for unlocking premium rewards. - Developer Tactics:
Familiarize yourself with the developer’s sneaky tactics—from bubble decoys and gem-to-energy cooldowns to the unpredictable dynamics of chest probabilities and daily goal resets. These insights can save you precious resources and time. - Order Management:
Prioritize the very hard orders when possible, as they provide a dual benefit of tools and coins, fueling both your progress and resource pool. Adjust your strategies for easy, hard, medium, and auto-orders based on your current goals. - Resource Optimization:
Understand the true dollar value of gems and energy by mastering the tier system and conversion rates. Use ads wisely to supplement energy, and always reserve jokers for those moments when their energy-saving potential is maximized. - Card Collection and Special Events:
Recognize that card packs hold zero inherent monetary value, and that trading duplicates is the only viable path if you choose to pursue the card collection event. Similarly, the special event board, with its incomplete data, may not be worth your focus compared to more reliable daily and weekly goals. - Smart Spending for Buyers:
For players who opt to purchase in-game offers, deals like the super energy crate and built-in joker offers offer significant value—but always compare these to the baseline gem-to-energy conversion rates and other in-game offers to ensure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
By internalizing these tips and tricks, you can transform your approach to Travel Town. Rather than reacting passively to the challenges presented by the game, you’ll be equipped to proactively manage your resources, plan your moves, and outsmart even the most cunning in-game mechanics. Whether you are saving every gem for that crucial joker upgrade or strategically timing your logins to reset your daily coin goals, every decision you make will have a measurable impact on your town’s growth.
Ultimately, Travel Town rewards both diligence and ingenuity. With this guide in hand, you’re no longer just playing the game—you’re mastering it. Now is the time to apply these strategies, refine your techniques, and watch as your town transforms into a bustling, resource-rich metropolis. Happy traveling, and may your journey in Travel Town be as rewarding as it is exciting!
This article has been crafted exclusively from the detailed strategies provided by dedicated players and insiders of Travel Town. Every trick, tactic, and tip is a direct reflection of in-game mechanics and developer choices designed to optimize your F2P experience. Whether you’re just starting out or have been navigating the challenges for weeks, remember: every gem saved, every energy unit maximized, and every strategic decision brings you one step closer to town-building mastery.
