Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesTo establish a Trade Route in Civilization VII, acquire a Merchant, choose an eligible Settlement, send the Merchant there, then use its route-establishment action when it arrives. Sending it toward a destination does not, by itself, finish the route; GameSpot reports that the Merchant is consumed when the route is established.
How to establish a Trade Route
- Acquire a Merchant. Merchants can be produced or purchased in a City or Town, according to GameSpot. Exact current unlock requirements and costs are not established here, so check the unit’s production or purchase entry in your game.
- Find an eligible destination. Select the Merchant to view possible destinations, or open the Trade Route Lens to inspect route information. The March 25, 2025 official update added a Trade Lens that displays Trade Route information without a Merchant selected and lets you send Merchants to Settlements from the Trade Route panel. Official Civilization VII game updates.
- Send the Merchant. Choose a listed Settlement and issue the move or dispatch command. The December 2025 official update also fixed an issue in which selecting a Merchant did not properly display possible Trade Routes. Official Civilization VII game updates.
- Establish the route on arrival. Once the Merchant reaches the destination, select it and use the route action in its unit panel. This is the step that creates the connection; the Merchant is then consumed, as GameSpot describes.
- Review the connection. Use the Trade Route Lens and route panel to inspect the route and its information. What a route provides depends on the destination and game rules; it does not guarantee a universal fixed Gold amount.
How to choose a destination
Compare the listed destinations by what resources they offer, whether each is a City or Town, the route permissions and relationship information shown in the interface, and the possibility of disruption. GameSpot reports that resources returned from a Town may be allocated differently from those from a City; use the in-game information to confirm how the connection applies in your current game.
- Discovery: Destinations depend in part on Settlements discovered and leaders met.
- Range: A destination may be unavailable if it is beyond the Merchant’s range. The sources do not establish a universal baseline range.
- Bonuses: Some Economic City-State bonuses can add Gold to active routes or increase range. An official Modern bonus can allow a route to start at any distance; these are conditional mechanics, not baseline rules. Official Civilization VII game updates.
- Diplomacy: GameSpot reports that relationships can affect proposals and additional routes, but there is no established universal relationship threshold. Check the route panel and diplomatic information for the specific leaders involved.
What to check when a route will not work
The destination is missing
Check whether you have met the relevant leader, discovered the Settlement, and brought the Merchant within range. These factors affect availability, but a complete current eligibility list and baseline range are not established.
The route panel shows no possible destinations
Make sure you have selected the Merchant and inspect the Trade Route Lens. The official December 2025 notes list a fix for a problem that prevented possible routes from displaying when a Merchant was selected. Official Civilization VII game updates.
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A distant or Distant Lands connection fails
The December 2025 official notes say an issue preventing routes from some Distant Land Settlements to Homelands was fixed. Whether a particular connection is available still depends on the game state and version.
The Merchant does not follow the displayed path
For Meta Quest VR specifically, March 3, 2026 notes say Merchants should follow the route shown in the Trade Route Lens and queue movement after a command. This platform-specific fix should not be assumed to describe behavior on every platform.
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A Town connection or Food flow behaves unexpectedly
April 2025 official notes describe fixes for connecting a City to a Town that already has a Focus and for some Merchant settlement-connection failures. Official Civilization VII game updates.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can an established route be disrupted?
Yes. November 2025 official patch notes describe Privateers plundering routes between civilizations that are not Allied, even without a state of war. The notes also describe a slight relationship penalty for the civilization whose Trader is affected. Consider the route’s exposure when choosing between destinations. Official Civilization VII game updates.
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