Travel Town Resource Guide: How to Maximize Wood and Coal Fast
If you’ve spent any real time in Travel Town, you already know that wood and coal are two of the most essential—and stubbornly scarce—resources in the game. Whether you’re a brand new traveler or a seasoned player looking to fine-tune your game, maximizing your wood and coal is absolutely key to keeping your progress steady. In this guide, I’ll share hands-on strategies, little-known tips, and some hard-earned lessons (including a few mistakes I’ve seen and made myself) to help you gather these resources quickly and avoid common pitfalls.
Understanding Wood and Coal in Travel Town
Let’s start with the basics. Wood and coal are unlocked pretty early in Travel Town, usually around level 5 or 6, and become vital for upgrading buildings, completing orders, and advancing the storyline. Coal is typically produced from Wood Producers, while wood comes from both the starter Beach Bucket and upgraded versions like Log Pile or Wood Stack. Coal often feels trickier to get and runs out even faster when you’re managing multiple tasks.
- Both resources are consumed steadily from level 6 onward.
- Coal is needed for upgrades, orders, and sometimes for higher-level producer creations.
- Long-term neglect of either resource easily creates a bottleneck that stalls progression.
I remember a week where I hoarded energy chasing high-level merges, only to realize I was utterly coal-blocked—and had to wait almost a full day for producers to recharge. That frustration taught me to be smarter about my resource priorities.
Optimize Your Producers: The Key to Fast Wood and Coal
Your main route to more wood and coal is through your producers. The earlier you master your producer strategy, the faster you’ll see your board overflowing with what you need. Here’s what’s worked for me and for countless other players:
- Keep multiple low-level Wood Producers (like Beach Buckets) on your board for frequent, cheap outputs.
- Resist the urge to merge every producer up to max. Having more sources at lower levels ensures you’re always generating wood and coal.
- Use producer cooldowns strategically; don’t collect until your board is ready or until you need a burst for a task.
One common mistake is to immediately merge all similar producers to their highest level, thinking bigger means better output. I learned the hard way—higher producers often have longer cooldowns and produce less frequently. I now always keep at least three low-level producers in rotation, and my coal droughts have become a thing of the past.
Best Practices for Harvesting Wood and Coal
Efficiency is the name of the game. Here’s what you need to know to maximize your daily haul of these resources:
- Map out collection sessions: Set specific times during the day to log in and collect from producers, so items don’t sit uncollected and cooldowns get wasted.
- Merge outputs efficiently: Instead of merging everything immediately, temporarily stockpile so you can quickly complete orders or quests with the right item levels.
- Use spare energy wisely: If you’re not actively playing, prioritize spawning wood and coal producers before spending energy elsewhere.
- Claim daily rewards: Watch for the occasional gift box or crate that contains extra wood or coal for a nice resource boost.
I used to absent-mindedly collect from my wood producers whenever I glanced at my phone, not thinking about the cooldown timers. After tracking my schedule, I started timing my collections and saw my daily yield jump up by nearly 30%—huge when you’re always just short on coal.
Prioritize Your Orders and Upgrades
Order boards and building upgrades are major wood and coal sinks. Not all tasks are equal, though. Prioritize:
- Essential upgrades that open up new producers or slots.
- Orders that reward you with gems or energy (not just coins).
- Timed events and daily quests for high-value outputs.
When my board is crowded and I’m tight on wood, I’ll occasionally pass on completing a low-value order. I’ve noticed that doing so often prompts the game to offer a more rewarding request within a few cycles. Patience pays off.
| Upgrade/Order Type | Resource Priority Level | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Building Unlocks | High | Spend wood/coal as soon as possible |
| Daily Quest Items | Medium | Time resource usage carefully |
| Coin-Only Orders | Low | Only fulfill if excess resources |
Advanced Tips: Squeeze Every Drop from Events and Bonuses
Special events, limited-time quests, and daily login rewards often hide extra opportunities for wood and coal. If you’re not taking advantage of these, you’re missing out. Here’s how I get the most out of every event:
- Pre-stock resources in the day leading up to events, so you’re not scrambling to finish orders when it counts.
- Complete event tasks that specifically reward coal or wood boxes as prizes first.
- Partner with active friends who can send you resource crates, especially during gifting events.
- Read community guides and event breakdowns for last-minute tips (one of the best I’ve found is this comprehensive master guide for Travel Town players on Reddit).
During last spring’s Maker’s Event, I prepped by hoarding low and mid-tier wood items, and—sure enough—the early tasks had me racing to fill wood orders. Because I’d prepared, I flew through the first waves and unlocked premium chests much faster than most players I chatted with on forums.
Common Mistakes Players Make (And How to Avoid Them)
It’s easy to fall into habits that slow your progress. Even seasoned travelers (like me) slip up sometimes! Here are the biggest mistakes I see in Travel Town resource management—and how to dodge them:
- Merging all your producers too soon. Keep a healthy mix of low- and mid-level producers at all times; don’t rush merges.
- Burning energy on non-essential spawns instead of focusing on wood and coal outputs first.
- Neglecting daily logins; missing even one day can set you back on bonus resources.
- Letting your board get cluttered with unfinished merges or unnecessary items, which wastes valuable producer slots.
For a more detailed breakdown of what to watch out for, check out these 5 common mistakes in Travel Town—it’s a lifesaver, especially when you’re juggling multiple upgrade paths!
Daily Routine: Sample Schedule for Maximum Returns
Consistency can easily double your resource income. Here’s a daily routine I use to maximize wood and coal without burning out or missing rewards:
- Morning: Log in and collect from all wood producers, check order board, and plan merges for the afternoon.
- Midday: Set a reminder for your next free energy bonus, and collect again from producers.
- Evening: Complete remaining high-priority orders, merge any stockpiles, and spend leftover energy before logging off.
If you follow this schedule (and stick to your resource prioritization), you’ll quickly notice a healthy surplus of wood and coal. I’ve found that just keeping to the schedule three or four days in a row is enough to break past most bottlenecks.
Final Thoughts: Merge Smart, Plan Ahead, and Enjoy the Ride
Travel Town is a marathon, not a sprint. If you build habits around smart resource use, strategic merging, and timely producer management, you’ll find yourself coasting past common hurdles and enjoying the game a lot more. Remember—don’t get frustrated if you still hit the occasional coal or wood wall; every player does.
- Keep your producers balanced
- Time your collections
- Prioritize essential upgrades
- And never underestimate the value of daily logins!
If you want to master more than just resource collection, be sure to browse my other guides—or dive deeper into managing your game energy with the Travel Town Free and Unlimited Energy guide. Happy merging—and may your coal piles never run dry!