Hand Cart is a technology in Age of Empires II that can be researched at the Town Center once the Castle Age is reached. Once researched, it allows Villagers to carry 50% more resources and move 10% faster.
Because it is researched faster than Wheelbarrow, it pays for itself with fewer Villagers than Wheelbarrow. However, its high cost means that Hand Cart should only be researched when the player's economy can handle the cost.
Carry capacity comparison table[]
Since civilization bonuses are applied before Hand Cart, Aztec Villagers benefit even more from this technology than a generic Villager.
| Unupgraded |  Wheelbarrow
|
 Hand Cart
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Villager (generic) | 10 | 13 | 20 |
| Villager (Aztecs) | 13 | 17 | 26 |
| Fisherman (Dravidians) | 25 | 32 | 48 |
| Hunter (generic) | 35 | 44 | 66 |
| Hunter (Aztecs) | 38 | 48 | 72 |
| Hunter (Goths) | 50 | 63 | 95 |
Civilization bonuses[]
Burgundians: Can research Hand Cart in the Feudal Age. Hand Cart costs -33% food.- Chinese: Hand Cart is 10%/15% cheaper in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Persians: Researching Hand Cart is 15%/20% faster in the Castle/Imperial Age.
- Spanish: Receive 20 gold after researching Hand Cart.
- Vietnamese: Researching Hand Cart is 100% faster and costs no wood.
- Vikings: Hand Cart is free.
Team bonuses[]
- Portuguese: Researching Hand Cart is 25% faster.
Changelog[]
Rise of the Rajas[]
- Vietnamese: Hand Cart costs the regular price.
Definitive Edition[]
- Vietnamese: With update 35584, Hand Cart costs no wood.
- Portuguese: With update 42848, Hand Cart is researched 30% faster as a civilization bonus.
Lords of the West[]
- Burgundians: With update 47820, Hand Cart costs -50% food.
Dynasties of India[]
- Burgundians: With update 66692, Hand Cart costs -40% food. With update 78174, Hand Cart costs -33% food.
- Portuguese: With update 73855, Hand Cart is researched 25% faster as a team bonus.
Return of Rome[]
- Vietnamese: With update 87863, Researching Hand Cart is 100% faster.
History[]
| “ | The hand cart or simple wagon pulled by a horse or other animal was an improvement in land transport and boosted productivity. A man with a cart could carry the load of many men and more cheaply. The demand for carts was a boost to the economy itself by creating jobs for horse breeders, harness makers, cart makers, and wheelwrights. | ” |
| —Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings game manual | ||
Trivia[]
- During development, Age of Mythology had a technology that was essentially a successor to its Age of Empires II counterpart, even being called Hand Cart and requiring the Wheelbarrow. However, the gathering capacity increase was given to Husbandry, Pickaxe, and Hand Axe instead.
Gallery[]
When to get wheelbarrow and hand cart
