A molded plastic base in the bottom half of the box holds wells for cardboard pieces that represent cargos of different shapes (circles, triangles, squares, etc.), different colors, and different numbers. These wells are covered by a cardboard piece with a spinner and also a train of boxcars of different colors with doors that can each be opened to reveal one well. The cargos are distributed around the wells at the start of the game.
Players choose a cardboard playing board printed with a train of empty cars pulled by a Chuggington character to collect cargos on. Then they are then dealt a card showing the pattern of cargos they are to collect on their board. Patterns call for matching by combinations of shape, color, and number of items.
Players take turns spinning the spinner. Spins allow players to open boxcars to look for a cargo piece that they need for their pattern or rotate the train disk by one or two spaces. The goal is to be the first player to collect his or her complete pattern.