The Tour is the single most important questline for any new Escape from Tarkov player. It’s the main story task that, once completed, allows you to select which map you want to deploy to directly from the menu. Finishing it is your first major goal, transforming the game from a random series of spawns into a world you can navigate with purpose. This questline is your key to the city and everything that lies beyond.

This guide breaks down every step required to complete The Tour, from your first spawn in Ground Zero to your final, harrowing objectives in The Lab. Follow these steps, and you'll have full access to the war-torn world of Tarkov.

Your First Steps: Ground Zero and Streets of Tarkov

The quest begins the moment you create your character. You'll automatically spawn into Ground Zero for the tutorial. Once you finish that initial deployment (or simply disconnect), The Tour officially begins. Your first objective is to establish contact and pay your way into the city proper.

  1. Visit Therapist: Navigate to the 'Trading' menu and select Therapist. Click the 'Visit' button at the top of her screen.
  2. Pay the Fee: After a brief dialogue, she will request a payment of 250,000 Roubles. This isn't optional. Pay the fee to prove you're serious.

Once the transaction is complete, you will have unlocked your first map through the questline: Streets of Tarkov. This is the first of many dominoes to fall.

The Core Contracts: Interchange, Customs, and Factory

With initial access secured, you'll be directed to a series of traders who control access to Tarkov's industrial and commercial districts. Each one has a specific task you must complete to earn their trust and unlock the next area. This sequence involves Ragman, Skier, and Mechanic, and it forms the backbone of your early-game progression.

Unlocking Interchange via Ragman

Your next stop is Ragman, the city's premier fashionista and supplier of armor. Visit him through the trading menu. He won't ask for money or items, just a simple proof of competence.

  • Objective: Deploy into Interchange and successfully extract. That's it. You just need to survive one raid.
  • Strategy: When you spawn, double-tap the 'O' key to check your available extracts. For new players, the two most common and reliable options are Railway Exfil and Emercom Checkpoint. Head directly to your extraction point, avoid fights if you can, and get out. Paid extracts like the Power Station car (requires Roubles) or special extracts requiring flares are also options, but not necessary.

Completing this task will not only unlock Interchange but also grant you access to the next key trader: Skier.

Unlocking Customs via Skier

Skier is a pragmatist who deals in weapons and modifications. He requires more than just a successful raid; he needs resources. His task is twofold.

  • Objective 1: Survive Customs: Similar to Ragman's task, you must deploy into Customs and extract successfully. Your extracts will depend on your spawn. Boiler-side spawns often get Crossroads or Trailer Park, while the opposite side gets ZB-011 or Old Gas Station. Plan your route accordingly.
  • Objective 2: Hand Over Tools: Skier requires five items from the 'Building materials' or 'Tools' categories. These must all be handed over at the same time. Common items include Pliers, Wrench, Screwdriver, Nuts, Bolts, and Corrugated Hose. Loot toolboxes, caches, and industrial areas on maps like Interchange to find them.

Once you've extracted from Customs and turned in the five tools, Skier will grant you access to the next trader in the chain: Mechanic.

Escape from Tarkov in-game screenshot

Escape from Tarkov in-game screenshot

Unlocking Factory via Mechanic

Mechanic is the master gunsmith, and his request is simple: bring him guns. He wants to see that you can not only survive but also acquire hardware from the field.

  • Objective 1: Survive Factory: This is the smallest and most chaotic map in Tarkov. A successful extraction here is a test of close-quarters combat awareness. Learn the map, know your extracts, and move decisively.
  • Objective 2: Hand Over Weapons: You must turn in two 'found in raid' weapons. This means you must find them during a raid and extract with them (or get them from a Scav run). The easiest way to do this is to run your own Scav into Factory. Your Scav spawns with one found-in-raid weapon already, so you only need to find one more, often on a dead Scav or PMC. Extract, transfer the guns to your PMC stash, and hand them over to Mechanic.

Completing this task opens up the next phase of The Tour, moving you out of the urban sprawl and into the wilderness.

Into the Wilds: Woods and Shoreline

After proving your worth in the tight confines of Tarkov's industrial zones, the questline sends you to the sprawling, dangerous wilderness maps. These tasks test your ability to navigate open spaces and handle long-range engagements.

Unlocking Woods

The task to unlock Woods is a straightforward combat assignment. There's no fetch quest, just a body count.

  • Objective: Get three enemy kills on Woods. These can be PMCs, Scavs, or even bosses. The kills do not need to be in the same raid, giving you flexibility.
  • Requirement: After securing your three kills (across one or more raids), you must successfully extract from Woods one time to finalize the task.

This step proves you can operate effectively in a completely different environment and unlocks the path to the coast.

Unlocking Shoreline

Your next journey takes you to the massive Shoreline map. This task is not about combat but about reaching a specific, dangerous location.

  • Objective: Locate and interact with the 'intercom' at the base of the green watchtower. This is located on the eastern side of the map, near the Road to Customs extract.
  • Warning: This area is notoriously dangerous. The main road leading to the tower is often watched by sniper Scavs who are difficult to spot and will kill you instantly. Approach with extreme caution, using cover and avoiding the road itself until you are close to the tower.

Survive and extract after visiting the intercom, and you'll unlock the final set of tasks from Prapor and Mechanic, which gatekeep the endgame maps.

The Endgame Unlocks: Reserve, Lighthouse, and Labs

The final leg of The Tour involves significant financial investment and a venture into the most heavily fortified and lucrative areas in the game. These tasks are designed to be a capstone to your journey.

Unlocking Reserve via Prapor

With Shoreline cleared, Prapor has a task for you. He wants proof of your PMC kills.

  • Objective: Hand over five PMC dog tags. Crucially, these tags do not need to be found in raid. You can buy them from other players on the Flea Market if needed, though collecting them yourself is more satisfying. Any level will do.

Turning in the tags unlocks the high-tier military base: Reserve.

Escape from Tarkov in-game screenshot

Escape from Tarkov in-game screenshot

Unlocking Lighthouse via Mechanic

This is arguably the steepest gear check in the entire questline. Mechanic isn't interested in your skill this time, only your wallet.

  • Objective: Pay Mechanic 20,000 US Dollars.
  • Strategy: You can acquire USD by trading with Peacekeeper. The most efficient way to earn the required capital (which will be around 3-4 million Roubles) is to loot high-value items and sell them. If you have access to a Docs Case, running safes and filing cabinets on Reserve is an excellent method for finding items like Diaries, SSDs, and Flash Drives that sell for a premium.

Once the hefty fee is paid, you'll gain permanent access to Lighthouse.

Unlocking The Labs

The final map is the TerraGroup Labs, a place of immense reward and even greater risk. Unlocking it is a multi-stage process that requires you to enter the facility itself.

  1. Find an Access Card: First, you need a TerraGroup Labs access keycard. These can be found in raid, on Scavs, Raiders, or purchased from the Flea Market.
  2. Transit to Labs: You cannot enter Labs directly from the menu at first. You must use a special transit point on another map. You have two choices:
    • Factory (Recommended): In the sewer/water area of Factory, there is a doorway leading to a tunnel. This is the fastest and easiest transit point.
    • Streets of Tarkov: In the Expo checkpoint area, a basement door leads to the transit point.
  3. Visit Three Key Locations: Once inside Labs, you must visit three specific locations. The best part? You do not need to survive the raid to complete these objectives. If you die after visiting a location, your progress is saved.
    • The Sewer Conduit (in the basement)
    • The Server Room
    • The Management Office (top floor, center of the map)
Escape from Tarkov in-game screenshot

Escape from Tarkov in-game screenshot

  • Pro Tip for New Players: Labs is home to the most geared players in the game. To avoid them, try this strategy: upon entering, immediately head to the Sewer Conduit in the basement. Once that objective is ticked, find a safe, dark corner to hide in. Wait for 20-25 minutes. By this time, most of the hyper-aggressive players will have either died or extracted. You can then emerge and safely navigate to the Server Room and Management Office with much less resistance.

Once you have visited all three locations, The TerraGroup Labs will be permanently unlocked on your map selection screen. You have completed The Tour.

Your Ticket to Tarkov

Completing The Tour is a rite of passage. It forces you to learn the flow of different maps, engage with the trader system, and overcome varied challenges, from CQC chaos in Factory to the financial grind for the Lighthouse key. With every map now at your fingertips, the real game of Escape from Tarkov can begin. You are no longer a tourist; you are a resident.