Pokemon GO Along the Routes Event: Date and Time, Route Updates, Pokemon Encounters, and More

There’s a new face in Pokemon GO town and his name is Mateo. The latest event, Along the Routes, sees trainers encouraged to participate in Routes by the implementation of a worldwide Gift Exchange. Here’s everything that you need to know to participate.

Pokemon GO Along the Routes All Event Details

Pokemon GO is often updating and introducing new content to keep its player base engaged, and during the Along the Routes event, players will be able to trade gifts with people all over the world. An exciting first for the game, which will hopefully open the door for a different kind of long-distance trade in the future.

Event Date and Time

The Pokemon GO Along the Routes event will run from Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at 10:00 AM to Friday, December 8, 2023, at 8:00 PM local time.

Important Updates to Routes

Within this event, there are a plethora of updates to the Routes system. The biggest and most interesting change of all is the introduction of Mateo. A happy, and quite burly chap who will potentially meet you at the end of a Route to offer you participation in a Gift Exchange.

Here are the steps in which you need to follow to successfully participate.

1. Interact with Mateo when he spawns at the completion of a Route
2. You will have the option to choose a Gift from both the start and end points of the Route, as well as any nearby PokeStops.
3. As usual, you can add a sticker if you wish to do so.
4. Once you have chosen and sent your Gift, you will receive one from another trainer in return.

A secondary change to the Routes system is that trainers in a Party can now take on and complete a Route together.

Wild Pokemon Encounters

The following Pokemon will be encountered in the wild for the duration of the Along the Routes event.

Event Egg Pool

The following Pokemon can potentially be obtained through Eggs obtained during the event period.

Field Research Task Encounters

The following Pokemon can potentially be encountered as a reward for completing Field Research Tasks that were obtained via PokeStops during the event period.

Timed Research Rewards

To keep with the event theme, the Timed Research will be heavily focused on exchanging gifts with one another and exploring via Routes. Not only will trainers receive the usual items as a reward for the completion of the research, but will encounter the following Pokemon.

Event Bonuses

The following event bonuses will be active for the duration of the event.

• Trainers will receive 5X XP for spinning a new PokeStop.
• Trainers will receive 3X XP for spinning a PokeStop.
• When placing an Egg in an incubator during the event, the hatch distance will be halved.
• Trainers will receive 2X Stardust when opening Gifts.

Special Research

If you’re curious about who Mateo is, and why he is a Gift Exchange enthusiast, you’ve got to complete the Special Research Story titled ‘A Route to New Friendships’ to find out more. The Special Research is free, and it gives trainers additional insight into Mateo’s debut.

PokeStop Showcases

During the Along the Routes event, trainers will be able to enter both Sneasel and Hisuian Sneasel into PokeStop Showcases held around the area.

There’s always a lot going on in Pokemon GO, and it often feels like there’s event after event. The December Community Day is one that you do not want to miss, however, as it features every Pokemon from every Community Day in both 2022 and 2023.