Build the Transport Endpoints First
Trade routes connect regions through the appropriate markets or raft ports. Upgrade a settlement to level 2 to access those buildings, then provide a compatible connection between the regions. Press T, select the goods, choose add trade route, and select the regions involved.
That is the setup described in the official County of Fortune demo FAQ. Opening the trade window is only one part of the process: goods still need suitable transport infrastructure.
Choose Land or River Transport
For land trade, the FAQ describes a market in each region with a road joining them. For river transport, raft ports connect the regions through a usable water route.
The demo has an important freight restriction: heavy products such as logs, stone, clay, and sand move between regions by river, and rafts travel downstream only. A land route that works for lighter goods is not a workaround for interregional stone transport.
A receiving raft port can also accept lighter goods over land when the sending region has a small market. This does not turn heavy river freight into a land shipment.
Add the Goods and Regions in the Trade Window
Once the endpoints are ready:
- Open trading with the top-left trade button or T.
- Select the goods you want to move.
- Choose add trade route.
- Select the source and destination regions for that trade.
Routes begin with auto-trade enabled. It adjusts the traded amount to regional demand, while the interface also allows a specified amount. Older FAQ wording uses an annual quantity; later October updates changed many time-based values to monthly calculations, so read the period shown by your current interface.
Keep Supply and Demand Working
Auto-trade does not create goods that the source region is failing to produce. Check actual stock and missing-input warnings, and make sure the destination has a reason to consume or use the shipment.
Also distinguish interregional trade from local distribution. Within a region, vendors distribute assigned food recipes and equipment across connected settlement market squares when enough stock is available. A goods problem may therefore begin with a local road or receiving need, before a regional route is relevant.
Before expanding a river-dependent supply chain, inspect river flow through the settlement-placement view. Planning the direction first is easier than discovering that your intended source lies downstream of its customer.
FAQ
What opens the trade interface?
Use the trade button in the top-left corner or the T keyboard shortcut.
Is auto-trade enabled when I add a route?
Yes. The official FAQ says new trade is automatically set to auto-trade.
Can I trade stone between regions using a road?
Not in the demo's stated freight rules. Stone is a heavy product that needs river transport.
Why does a raft route fail in one direction?
Demo rafts only travel downstream. Check river flow and both regional endpoints before assuming a route can return upstream.