How to unlock fast travel in Red Dead Redemption 2

The Red Dead Redemption 2 fast travel system is your ticket to getting around the Old West quickly, without spending an extended period of time hitting the ol' dusty trail. While the vistas Rockstar have created as a setting for your adventures are nothing short of breathtaking at points, you will eventually reach a stage where you've seen enough of the sights along a familiar journey in Red Dead Redemption 2 and just want to get to your destination as soon as possible. With extensive distances separating the major towns and other points of interest, a method of transport that won't leave you saddle-sore by the time you arrive sounds pretty appealing.

Unfortunately, you can't just pick a destination on the map and jump there immediately, but with Red Dead Redemption 2 fast travel you can at least move at speed between certain locations. There are restrictions in place, and the whole mechanic is not very well explained in the game, which is why we're here to show you how to unlock fast travel in Red Dead Redemption 2.

To even get the opportunity to unlock fast travel, you’ll first need to complete Red Dead Redemption 2’s lengthy prologue, and reach the point where your gang has settled at camp and the open world has become available to explore in its entirety. This’ll allow you to upgrade your campsite with new features and progress markers, one of which is the option to unlock the travel map at Arthur’s lodge.

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This can be accessed in the Ledger, which is introduced to you upon completing the first tax collection mission for Leopold Strauss, and found next to the donation box by Dutch’s tent. However, you’ll first need to upgrade Dutch’s tent for $220 on page six in the ledger, under Lodging, before you can even see the option to purchase fast travel. Do that, and the travel map will become available to purchase for $325 underneath the header titled “Next in Line.”

Once you’ve purchased the Red Dead Redemption 2 fast travel system, you’ll be able to teleport to any major city or point of interest that you’ve previously discovered on your own, such as Valentine, Strawberry or, yes, the much talked about Blackwater, provided you’ve gained access to it on foot. The best part is that your horse will come with you whenever you fast travel into an area, carrying everything you’ve stowed in their saddle, but the system ain’t perfect.

While you can fast travel from your gang’s campsite to anywhere that allows it, you aren’t able to do the inverse. In other words, you can’t travel back to your campsite from anywhere else, so make sure you’re ready for a long trip back if Arthur fast travels to a location several miles away from his homestead.

You also can’t fast travel to a city that’s on lockdown, which is when you’ve committed enough crimes to have the entire local law enforcement ready to take Arthur out if he shows his face. Otherwise, there’s always the train or carriage, which similarly lets you quickly hop from place to place though, unlike fast travel, this comes at a price for every trip taken.