Choosing a Mexican Train set.

The best Mexican train dominoes set for most tables is a double-12 set, the standard for the game. Small tables of 2 or 3 players can play on a double-9 set. Big groups of 9 to 12 players need a double-15 set. Prices checked on Oct 19, 2026: a basic double-12 set in a tin is $17.99, a double-12 set with wooden holders and a hub is $43.95, and a double-15 set in a tin is $26.99. The picks, and what separates them, are below.

Set sizes by group

Double-9, for small tables. A double-9 set has 55 tiles. It suits 2 to 3 players, dealing 8 each. It is also the set Chickenfoot is played with, so a double-9 covers both games for a small group. It runs out of room fast past 3 players: the boneyard drains, rounds block early, and the game feels cramped.

Double-12, the standard. A double-12 set has 91 tiles and runs a full 13-round Mexican Train game, from the double-12 down to the double blank. It handles 4 to 8 players comfortably. If you are buying one set for a regular table, buy this one. Deal counts by table size are on the how many dominoes page.

Double-15, for big groups. A double-15 set has 136 tiles. It covers 9 to 12 players at 11 each and adds three bigger doubles, so games run long. Big groups should budget the evening for it. Many 10-player groups honestly have a better night split across two double-12 tables.

What to look for

Tile size and weight. Tiles get stood on edge, slid, and stared at for hours. Larger, heavier tiles stand up better, tip over less, and are easier to read across the table. The pips should be painted or engraved deep enough to read in lamplight, with colors or clear black dots your table can tell apart at a glance.

A hub. A center hub, sometimes called a station, holds the engine and gives every train a clean starting spoke. Sets sold for Mexican Train often include one. A hub is not required, the engine tile alone works, but a hub keeps the middle of a busy table tidy.

Train markers. Each player needs a small marker to show their train is open: little trains, coins, or tokens. Check the set includes enough markers for its full player count, plus a spare. Markers walk away.

Racks or holders. A starting hand of 12 to 15 tiles is a lot to hold or stand on a table edge. Racks or holders keep a hand upright and private, and they are the accessory players thank you for. Sets in the middle price band usually include wooden or plastic holders. Buying them separately later costs more than getting them in the box.

A case. A tin or case that fits the tiles, hub, markers, and racks keeps the set together between game nights. Loose sets lose tiles, and a double-12 set missing its double-9 is a problem you only find mid round.

Gear for the real table

Four sets we would buy, priced today

Every price below was checked on the retailer's own page on Oct 19, 2026. Prices move, especially around the holidays, so treat these as today's numbers rather than promises. You will find these games at big box stores, at Queensell sold direct, and in game shops. One shopping note: the specialty domino shops lean toward luxury double-6 and double-9 sets, which are beautiful and do not run a Mexican Train game. For this game, read the tile count on the box before anything else: 91 tiles means double-12, 136 means double-15.

First set

University Games Double 12 Mexican Train Dominoes

Ninety-one tiles in a storage tin, rules in the box, for less than the cost of a pizza night. There are no racks and no hub, and the train markers are simple, but the tiles play a correct, complete game for up to eight people. This is the set to learn on.

$17.99 at Target

Price checked Oct 19, 2026. Prices change; the store page shows the current one.

Tiles with heft

WE Games Mexican Train Dominoes, Double Twelve

The step up is in the tiles: thick ivory pieces with color coded pips you can read at a glance, plus a center hub and nine train markers in a vinyl case. Two honest notes from owners: the hub is thin plastic, and there are no racks in the box. Buy this one for the tiles themselves.

$38.99 at Target

Price checked Oct 19, 2026. It was on sale from $44.99 when checked. Prices change; the store page shows the current one.

Holders and hub included

Queensell Mexican Train Domino Game Set with 4 Domino Holders

The complete table in one aluminum case: 91 double-12 tiles, four wooden holders so hands stay upright and private, a centerpiece hub, nine train markers, and a score pad to start the night. Four holders cover a four player table; bigger groups can share or add holders later.

$43.95 at Queensell

Price checked Oct 19, 2026. Prices change; the store page shows the current one.

For big tables

University Games Double 15 Party Dominoes

One hundred thirty-six tiles for the nights when nine, ten, or twelve players show up, in a storage tin. A double-15 game runs long, so think of it as the party set rather than the everyday one, and know that at this price holders are a separate purchase.

$26.99 at Target

Price checked Oct 19, 2026. Prices change; the store page shows the current one.

Match the set to your table with the guide above: double-12 for most groups, holders if hands keep toppling or showing, double-15 only when your table regularly runs past eight players.

Keeping score tonight?

New set or old set, the free score keeper runs the totals for the game, and the printable sheets cover the paper side of the table.

Open the free Score Keeper Get the printable score sheets

The free one-page score sheet prints a full 13-round game. The Printable Score Pad Pack, $7.99, adds large-print sheets, a Chickenfoot sheet, a season standings sheet, and a one-page house rules card.

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About the rules here

This section is part of Parlor and Play, published by Oasis Investing LLC. Mexican Train and Chickenfoot are folk games played many ways. These pages teach the way most published rules describe the games, in our own words. Tables vary, house rules are real, and the table you are sitting at has the final word. No game publisher endorses or is affiliated with this site. Corrections: hello@oasisinvestingllc.com.