Routes

A Route in Pokémon GO is a pre-defined path that Trainers can follow while exploring. These paths are created by Niantic, official partners, or other Trainers within the game. As Trainers follow a Route, they have the opportunity to discover Pokémon and Items, and completing Routes grants them rewards. Each completed Route also earns the Trainer a unique badge associated with that particular Route, which features a custom photo from either the starting or ending point of the Route.

Bonuses
There is an assortment of bonuses to enjoy while exploring Routes

Zygarde Cells
Trainers can find Zygarde cells while exploring routes. Zygarde Cells are the components that make up Zygarde, the Order Pokémon. Trainers can collect Zygarde Cells in their Zygarde Cube and use these cells to change Zygarde’s form.

Finding a Route
To find nearby Routes, Trainers can access the Binoculars menu in the game and tap on the Route tab. This will display a list of nearby locations that serve as starting points for various Routes. By tapping the "See Nearby Routes" option, the map will expand, showing available Routes in the area. Trainers can also use the flag button in the bottom right corner to sort the list by different options. By default, the list shows the Routes nearest to the Trainer's current location. Tapping on a specific Route allows the Trainer to preview it and view important details such as the number of Trainers who have followed the Route, the number of times the Trainer has followed it, the distance of the Route, and an approximate completion time.

Exploring a Route
Once a Trainer has selected a Route and is ready to begin, they can tap the "Follow" button. However, the Route will not start until the Trainer is close enough to the starting point. If the Trainer is too far away, a message will appear on the Map View to indicate this. The starting point of the Route is marked with a blue flag above the Poké Stop on the Map View. The Route will automatically start once the Trainer is in proximity to the starting point. If the Trainer is already close enough, the Route will begin immediately. As the Trainer follows the designated path on the Map View, the path color will change to show the progress towards completing the Route. Some Routes may only be followed in one direction, while others can be followed in reverse or as a loop, depending on the choices made by the Route's creator during the creation process. Trainers can view their active Route's details at any time by tapping the Route icon above the Binoculars menu. If a Trainer needs to pause the Route, they can do so by tapping the "Pause Route" button and then resume it by returning to the paused location and tapping the button again. To quit the Route, the Trainer can scroll to the bottom of the Route details screen and tap the "Quit Route" button. Confirming the action will exit the Route.

Completing a Route
When a Trainer reaches the end point of a Route, or the starting point if the Route is a loop, they will earn the Route Badge associated with that particular Route. Similar to Gym Badges, each Route has its own unique Badge, featuring an image from the starting or ending point of the Route. Completing the same Route multiple times allows Trainers to level up their Route Badge. All earned Route Badges are visible in the Trainer's Profile under the Routes section. Once the Route is completed, the Trainer will receive a confirmation, and details of any item rewards received for completing the Route will be shown. This information will also be recorded in the Trainer's Journal. The last step in completing the Route involves giving it a star rating. This rating helps assess the quality of the Route but is not shared publicly. If the Trainer has already rated that specific Route, they will not see this screen.

Reporting a Route
If a Trainer comes across a Route that violates the Niantic Terms of Service or Player Guidelines, they can report it directly to the Niantic team from within the Pokémon GO app. To do this, they need to access the Route details screen and scroll to the bottom, where they can tap on "Report Route." This action prompts a series of questions to gather sufficient information for Niantic to investigate the reported Route. Once the report is submitted, the Trainer may not receive direct feedback from Niantic about the status of the report or any actions taken in response. Additionally, a Route can also be reported from the rating screen by giving it a 1-star rating and then tapping the "Report Route" button.