Routes

Routes in Pokémon GO are pre-defined paths that Trainers can follow while exploring. These paths are created by Niantic, official partners, or other Trainers within the game. Routes start and end at PokéStops or Gyms. As Trainers follow a Route, they have the opportunity to discover Pokémon, Items, and Zygarde Cells. Completing Routes grants rewards, such as Stardust, XP, and a unique badge associated with that particular Route, which features a custom photo from either the starting or ending point of the Route.

Routes View
To find nearby Routes, Trainers can access the Nearby Screen 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 option, the map will expand showing the Routes View with the available Routes in the area. The Trainer can drag the map around to see the Routes.

The Routes View has the following options:
 * White Button Exit.png Exits from the Routes View and goes back to the Map View.
 * White Button Help.png Displays the Routes Tutorial.
 * White Button Target.png Centers the map around the Trainer.
 * Icon Compass.png The compass.

Trainer can expand the Routes view to see a full list of nearby routes available. 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. There are five categories of routes:


 * Button Routes All.png All routes.
 * Button Routes Known.png Known routes.
 * Button Routes Official.png Official routes created by Niantic.
 * Button Routes New.png New routes.
 * Button Routes Popular.png Popular routes.

Tapping on a specific Route allows the Trainer to preview it on the map, showing the start and  end points. By expanding the specific Route View the Trainer can check 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. Also, a description of the route is shown along with the elevation, tags and route creator. 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. Trainer can tap the button to start following the route.

Exploring a Route
After selecting a route and pressing the button, the trainer has to approach the  start point to start the route. If the Trainer is too far away, a message will appear on the Map View to indicate this. 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.

Trainers can view their active Route's details at any time by tapping the Route icon above the Nearby button. If a Trainer needs to pause the Route, they can do so by tapping the button and then resume it by returning to the paused location and tapping the  paused Route icon and the  button. To quit the Route, the Trainer can scroll to the bottom of the specific Route View and tap the button. Confirming the action will exit the Route.

Route-specific Pokémon spawns can occur while exploring a Route, typically appearing after traveling about 500 meters. These are denoted by a Route icon during the catch screen. Region-exclusive Pokémon have a high spawn rate from these specific encounters. Zygarde Cells can also take the place of a Route-specific spawn, typically appearing towards the end of a Route. These are denoted by a green glimmer of light. Once tapped on, they can award 1, 2, or 3 Zygarde Cells. Only 3 Zygarde Cells in total can be obtained on any given day. Zygarde Cells only have a chance of appearing from each individual Route the first time it is followed on any given day.

The following bonuses are activated while exploring Routes:

Finding Mateo
At the end point of the first Route the Trainer follow in the day, Mateo can appear. Interacting with him begins Gift Exchange. Gift Exchange allows Trainers to send and receive Gifts from another random player. The Gifts sent are not taken from the Trainer's Item Bag; they are instead generated from the surrounding PokéStops and Gyms once Gift Exchange begins. Once a Gift is offered through Gift Exchange, another one is instantly given from another player. Normal Gift operations can be performed on the recieved Gift, such as pinning the Postcard.

Completing a Route
When a Trainer reaches the end point of a Route, or the starting point if the Route is a loop, the route icon will turn orange. By tapping the icon, their active Route's details are shown with the button. By tapping this button, the Trainer 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.

The following bonuses are activated when completing Routes:

The following rewards can be granted when completing Routes:
 * 2x
 * 1x
 * 3x
 * 1x
 * 1x
 * 1x
 * 3x
 * 3x
 * 3x
 * 3x
 * 3x

Creating a Route
Trainers can create their own walking paths for others to follow in Pokémon GO. However, not everyone has immediate access to this feature, and Niantic advises users to keep an eye on their email to know when it becomes available for them. As of October 2023, the ability to create new Routes is restricted to Trainers Level 40 or higher. Niantic has revealed plans to broaden access to Route creation capability in the near future. Child accounts created via Pokémon Trainer Club or Niantic Kids cannot engage in Route creation.

Once the feature is accessible, Trainers can access the Nearby Screen in the game and tap on the Route tab. Trainers can also start creating Routes by tapping in the Created Routes section from the Trainer's profile page.

When creating a Route, a PokéStop or Gym in the game must be set as the start point. Next, the end point can be chosen immediately, or  can be chosen to select an end point later. The end point can be changed while mapping the Route. Then, tap to begin recording the Route. The Trainer has to walk from the start point to the end point to complete the route. The recording can be paused in the Routes Creation menu. When finished, additional information about the Route must be added before submitting it, which includes a Route name, description, image, and header color. The image chosen can be any available image from the start and end points.

After submission, the Route will undergo a review process to ensure it adheres to guidelines, such as avoiding inappropriate shapes or going through restricted areas. Once approved, the Route will be accessible to all players. Players can submit up to four Routes per week. To check the status of their Routes, users can go to the Trainer's profile page on the Created Routes section and check the Routes Badge collection.

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. 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 button.