Routes are one of Pokémon GO’s most underused features — and one of the most rewarding for players who walk regularly. Every Route you complete gives you Zygarde Cells, buddy hearts, XP, and a gift from Mateo at the endpoint. Stack enough Routes in one session and you can farm Zygarde’s Complete Forme faster than most players realise is possible.
This guide covers how Routes work, how to find and walk them, how to create your own, and everything about the Zygarde system. For the broader game overview, see the complete Pokémon GO guide.
What Are Routes in Pokémon GO?
Routes are pre-defined walking paths that connect two PokéStops or Gyms. Introduced in July 2023, they let you follow an on-screen trail from one endpoint to another, earning rewards along the way and at completion.
Routes are created by:
- Niantic and official partners (curated routes in popular locations)
- Players at Trainer Level 37 or above who submit and get routes approved
The minimum level to walk a Route is Level 7. Routes range from 0.1 km to 1 km in length.[1]
How to Find and Walk a Route
Routes appear on the map as a dark blue path overlaid on the streets. To find them:
- Tap a PokéStop — if routes originate from it, you’ll see a route icon on the stop detail screen
- Use the Nearby Tracker → Routes tab (if available in your region)
- Walk near areas with dense PokéStop coverage — parks, city centres, and tourist areas have the most approved routes
To walk a Route, tap it to preview the path and endpoints, then start it. The game tracks your progress using GPS as you walk from start to finish. You don’t need to follow the exact line precisely — the route completes when you reach the endpoint PokéStop within range, regardless of your specific path.
Wild Pokémon spawns increase along the Route while it’s active. If you have a Buddy Pokémon set, they’ll walk alongside you visually during Routes, and the walk counts toward buddy hearts.
Route Rewards
Completing a Route earns the following every time you finish one:[1]
- Zygarde Cells: 1–2 green glowing Cells appear near the endpoint — interact with them to collect
- Buddy Hearts: your Buddy earns 1 Heart per Route completion (2 Hearts if in Excited Mood)
- XP bonus: bonus XP on your first Route completion each day
- 7-day streak bonus: increased XP for completing at least one Route every day for 7 consecutive days
- Mateo’s gift: the character Mateo appears at the endpoint of your first Route each day and gives a gift — often a 7 km Egg containing Pokémon from a different pool than standard Gift Eggs
Beyond the fixed rewards, Routes also increase wild spawns along the path and contribute to your Routes Completed badge.
Creating Your Own Route
If you’re Level 37 or higher, you can submit Routes for approval:
- Tap a PokéStop and select the Route creation option
- Choose your starting PokéStop, then walk the path and select an ending PokéStop
- Keep the route between 0.1 km and 1 km — this is the approved range
- Add a name, description, and up to 5 tags (e.g., “Flat”, “Scenic”, “Raid Friendly”)
- Submit — routes go through AI moderation followed by human review, typically within 24 hours
Routes must not start, end, or pass through restricted areas (schools, private property, military installations). Routes that don’t connect two publicly accessible PokéStops will be rejected.
Once approved, your route becomes visible to all players in the area. High-quality routes in dense PokéStop zones tend to see consistent usage.
Zygarde Cells and the Zygarde Cube
Zygarde is a Legendary Pokémon unique to the Routes system. Unlike other Legendaries, you build toward Zygarde by collecting Cells from Route completions.[2]
Getting the Zygarde Cube
Before Cells can be stored and used, you need the Zygarde Cube. This is obtained by reaching 3 out of 8 stars in the “From A to Zygarde” Special Research task. The Cube holds up to 300 Cells.
Collecting Zygarde Cells
The primary method is completing Routes — 1–2 Cells appear at the endpoint of each Route you finish. You can also occasionally find Cells appearing at specific PokéStops during events, but Routes are the reliable, repeatable source.
Zygarde’s Three Forms
| Form | Cells Required | Appearance | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% Forme | 10 cells | Green dog-like creature | Obtainable from “From A to Zygarde” Special Research |
| 50% Forme | 50 cells total | Large green serpent | Standard base form; requires 50 cells total from the Cube |
| Complete Forme | 200 cells total | Humanoid warrior | Highest CP; requires 200 cells spent from the Cube to change from 50% |
Changing forms costs Cells from your Cube — they’re consumed. So to get Complete Forme, you need to have accumulated and spent 200 Cells. This is the most significant grind in the Routes system, but it’s very achievable with a systematic approach.
Zygarde cannot be traded, transferred, or sent to Pokémon HOME. Its buddy distance is 20 km. Its best moves include Dragon Tail, Earth Power, and Outrage.
Route Strategy: Maximising Cells Per Session
The fastest way to build toward Complete Forme is stacking short Routes in a session:
- Target 0.1–0.3 km routes — they complete in under 5 minutes each. In a dense city area, you can chain 10+ short routes in an hour
- Find areas with multiple connected routes — parks and city centres with many PokéStops often have routes that end near where another starts, allowing back-to-back completions without backtracking
- Activate Buddy Excited Mood before starting — Excited Buddy doubles the hearts earned per Route completion. Check off enough buddy activities (feeding, playing) to reach Excited state first
- Maintain the 7-day streak — complete at least one Route every day for the streak XP bonus on day 7
- Collect Mateo’s gift daily — the first Route each day triggers the Mateo encounter at the endpoint, giving a 7 km Egg with a distinct spawn pool
At roughly 1–2 Cells per Route, reaching 200 Cells for Complete Forme takes 100–200 Route completions. That sounds like a lot, but regular players covering 10 routes per week reach it in 2–4 months of consistent play.
Routes and Nearby Spawns
While walking an active Route, wild Pokémon spawn rates increase along the path. This synergises well with other bonuses — an active Incense or event spawn boost combined with Route walking gives noticeably more encounters than simply walking the same area without a Route active.
Routes also interact with the Nearby Tracker. The Nearby and Sightings screens show Pokémon near Route endpoints, which can help you decide which Route to walk when you’re targeting specific species. The how spawns work guide covers the full spawn mechanics, and the Nearby Tracker guide explains how to find specific Pokémon efficiently.
Conclusion
Routes reward consistent walkers more than almost any other feature in Pokémon GO. The combination of Zygarde Cells, daily Mateo gifts, buddy hearts, and streak XP adds up significantly over time — and it’s all tied to the same walking you’re likely already doing.
The key habit: prioritise short routes in sessions, collect Cells at every endpoint, and maintain the 7-day streak. Complete Forme Zygarde is the long-term payoff, but the daily rewards from Route walking are worth it even if you’re not grinding for the form change.
Walking Routes also contribute to your Adventure Sync distance — which means more eggs hatched per session. Our egg hatching guide covers the full strategy including incubator priority and the speed cap.
References
- Bulbapedia. “Route (GO).” Bulbapedia — The Community-driven Pokémon Encyclopedia.
- Bulbapedia. “Zygarde Cube.” Bulbapedia — The Community-driven Pokémon Encyclopedia.
I've been playing video games for over 20 years, spanning everything from early PC titles to modern open-world games. I started Switchblade Gaming to publish the kind of accurate, well-researched guides I always wanted to find — built on primary sources, tested in-game, and kept up to date after patches. I currently focus on Minecraft and Pokémon GO.