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[JojoSlug]

I don't really understand how this trade route thingy works. whats with all the mats and stuff can some1 explain it to me in nice detail? thanks!

[AJD]

Trade route kind of works the opposite of the way that City works. You know how City cares about whether supply piles are empty? Trade Route cares about whether supply piles are full—that is, about whether any cards have been gained out of them over the course of the game.

In particular, Trade Route is sensitive to the Victory card supply piles. When you play Trade Route, you get a certain amount of money and trash a card. The amount of money you get is equal to the number of Victory card piles that are not full—that is, the number of Victory piles that have been gained out of so far this game. For any type of Victory card in the supply, the first time someone gains a card out of that pile the value of Trade Route goes up, but gaining more cards out of the same pile doesn't have any further effect: all that matters is whether the pile is full or not.

The Trade Route mat is just for making it easier to keep track of how many Victory card piles aren't full.

Fine print: Yes, I know that Ambassador makes the definition of a "full" supply pile more ambiguous. For the purpose of this description, I'm just using "full" to mean "not having been gained out of"; Ambassador makes that a less satisfying definition, but notwithstanding that, I think thinking of Trade Route in terms of "full" piles the way City works in terms of empty piles is the easiest way to get an intuitive grasp of the way the card works.

[DStu]

So before the game, you put an empty Traderoute Mat somewhere and a Token on each Victory Pile (including kingdom cards and multiple-type cards like Garden, Nobles, Harem, ...). Whenever someone gains a Victorycard from one of the piles for the first time, you move the Token form the pile to the Mat.

When you play the Trade Route, you look how many tokens are on the Mat. You gain 1 Buy, as many +$ as are Tokens on the Mat and trash a card from your hand.

Example: Standard Provincegame.
You put a Token on Estates, Duchies, Provinces.
Player A buys a Duchy and a Estate in his first two turns
Player B buys a Trade Route and a Silver.
In the third turn, Player B gains a TraderRoute and gets $2, 1 Buy and may must trash a card from his hand.

edit: Thanks

[AJD]

and may trash a card.

Must trash a card.

[JojoSlug]

hmm then why are the 9 mats for?

[Arya Stark]

island,monument, native village, goons & pirate ship... did your box not come with instructions? 

[JojoSlug]

Ohhhh omgosh k I get it now! I was confused earlier on by the rule book. But I get it now haha thanks so much (:

[Reyk]

hmm then why are the 9 mats for?

You said you got it now - just to be sure:
These mats are from prosperity (so no Island etc.). I guess you have 8 mats for victory point tokens (is the number correct?) with a token symbol on them. There is no difference in functionality - just choose the one you like most when Monument/Bishop/Goons are present (every player chooses one).

The 9th mat is for Trade Route and used by all players simultaneously as others explained.

[DsnowMan]

The trade route mat has the same picture as the trade route card and a coin in the corner. The other 8 square mats from that box have a VP chip in the corner and random pretty pictures.

[spressi]

Trade Route cares about whether supply piles are full

This is not quite correct. Using ambassador (Seaside), you can refill a supply pile containing a victory card and the trade route won't be affected. The city, however, is affected by this.
(AJD makes clear that he means when a card is gained the first time from that pile. However, I wanted to emphasize that gaining a card the first time from a supply pile and the pile being full is not equivalent!)

One interesting question would be the usage of trader (Hinterlands): You have trader and 2 coins, announce to buy the first estate, reveal trader and get a silver instead. Is the coin token still on?
I think yes, because trader says: "If you would gain a card [...] gain a silver instead" and the Prosperty rules make clear that the coin tokens move from the supply piles to the trade route mat as soon as the first victory card is gained (which it isn't using trader).
Any different thoughts on this?

With watchtower (Seaside), however, you can buy the estate and immediately trash it causing the coin token to be placed onto the trade route mat.

[DStu]

Trade Route cares about whether supply piles are full

This is not quite correct.

First post ever: Necroing a 2 year old thread with an edge case.
Welcome to the forums, you will like it here...

[Dominionaer]

... usage of trader (Hinterlands): You have trader and 2 coins, announce to buy the first estate, reveal trader and get a silver instead. Is the coin token still on?

The coin remains on Estate pile. It get only moved, if one moves (=gains =take) the card under it.

[SirPeebles]

AJD mentions Ambassador in the fine print disclaimer.