Best beginner maps in Escape from Tarkov

Escape From Tarkov may not be the kindest game for beginners. The world of Tarkov can be quite ruthless with the AI and real players both constantly after your life.

Other than the omnipresent terror of death looming on the horizon, the game can also be a complicated and overwhelming experience for newbies. With every new update comes changes in the game’s available loot, weapons, ammo, the overall map structure, and more. And not a lot is done by the developers to make the game a more streamlined experience for newcomers who decide to set foot in the game.

That being said, there is a multitude of ways in which new players can get better at the game. The most common one is to pick a certain map and learn all the intricacies of it before moving on to the next one to repeat the process.

But doing that can be a bit of a daunting task since Escape From Tarkov does not feature the option for a mini-map during gameplay. Hence, we would recommend that you have the particular map layout opened on a second screen or your phone while you are playing.

Without further ado, we will be talking about the three best beginner maps that you should be playing in Escape From Tarkov.

Three best maps for beginners in Escape From Tarkov

3) Interchange

Interchange happens to be one of the two maps that sees the player spawn on one side of the map, with your extraction being on the side you didn’t spawn on.

While Interchange possesses a slightly higher level of difficulty than the other maps on this list because of the greater rate of heavily-geared PMCs, it is still one of the best maps for beginners in Escape From Tarkov due to the abundance of loot and its simple spawn-to-extract cycle. 

This map can be extremely advantageous for both PMC as well as Scav runs once you get better at it due to its larger size and significantly higher loot exchange. While the size and details of the map make it a little complex for newer players, focusing on the important areas with lower PMC traffic will do you wonders, letting you participate in doable and profitable raids.

Areas of importance

• OLI and IDEA: These two areas act as two ends of the mall present on opposite sides and are very similar in their uses. Beginners will want to access these areas as soon as they can since they contain a lot of valuable loose loot on their shelves. IDEA possesses a large number of cash registers to give you raw Roubles, while OLI is known for the wide variety of vital quests and hideout items it offers.

• Power Station: This is one of the best locations on the map to collect computer loot, hardware loot, and a total of five jackets. If you can watch out for PMCs and the occasional spawn of four Scavs, the Power Station is a handy area to loot if you happen to spawn nearby.

• GOSHAN: If you have the key to the GOSHAN cash register, you can loot all 27 cash registers present in this area for a bucket load of Roubles coming your way. The area also has an abundance of loose loot along with many crates that you can profit off of as well.

• Shopping Mall: Ultra Mall’s central area houses two floors containing a multitude of shops, some of the most valuable ones being Emercom for medical supplies, Kiba for weapons, and Techlight for tech items and tools. This is also where you may easily come across one of Escape from Tarkov’s Scav bosses, Killa. This reason alone makes the place a daunting area to tackle and is enough to make us recommend new players to stay away from this side of Interchange.

2) Customs

A common map for beginners to start their Tarkov journey, Customs has a no-nonsense, rectangular layout that sees PMCs spawning on both the east and west sides. Whichever side you happen to spawn on, the extracts will be on the opposite side.

That being said, this map possesses tough choke points for new players, and it’s dangerous for combat considering the huge number of early quests that exist here. Nevertheless, newbies would benefit from playing Customs since quests are integral to your PMC character level, which will lead to unlocking trader access and the flea market.

What makes Customs a great map, however, is the variety of ways that you can play it. Newer players can easily make their way around the place by creeping around the sides and occasionally stepping in to loot a box every now and then. Once you gain more confidence, you can engage toward the center of the map and take part in a couple of fights.

Before you can realize it, you will be participating in some Customs raids, making your way toward core quests, and building familiarity with the map in general.

Areas of importance

• Big Red: As a beginner, you’ll want to haul yourself out of here as quickly as possible since Big Red is a breeding ground for combat in between the early to mid-stages of a game, and especially during the initial phases of a raid since there’s a high number of spawn points and quests in this area.

• Construction: This place is filled with entry and exit points, as well as an abundance of Scavs, along with two deadly sniper Scavs. New players will want to safely move through this location by hugging the back wall and getting to an exit point as fast as they can.

• Sub Station: This is an excellent place to start your raid if you spawned on the east side of the map and if you are prepared for one. This area houses loose weapon mods, a toolbox, a medical box, and three cases. Sub Station is placed on a hilltop, which also means that you get a good view of the rest of the map.

• Old Gas Station: If you can work around the two to four Scavs that spawn in this area, this is quite the valuable place for you to check. Within the Gas Station, there is a loot spawn on a table that can reveal almost any item in the game, including items worth millions of Roubles, along with a duffel back behind the station and a crate in front of it, both containing useful loot.

• Customs Office: Once you acquire the Customs Office Key, this area becomes the most valuable location on the west side of the map, containing a duffel bag that holds a jacket, a safe, three PCs, as well as some loose loot.

1) Shoreline

Shoreline is going to be our pick for the most ideal map that you can choose to begin your Escape From Tarkov journey. This map is relatively safe and simple to learn, provided you avoid the more prominent buildings. We would advise you to stay away from the Swamp, the Resort, and the Gas Station unless you absolutely need to be around those areas.

Shoreline has clearly defined points of interest that will soften the learning curve of the map and also makes Scav spawns easier. Due to a handful of locations, especially the Resort, attracting a large majority of PMCs toward them, you are granted free rein to the other locations on the map.

These locations are packed with loot and a large number of hidden stashes that are well worth memorizing, spawning most of the valuable items that you can find in the game, among any of the maps.

Areas of importance

• Resort: This is perhaps the most important area on the map, dead in the middle. Players can either avoid it or head toward it. As we’ve mentioned, our advice would be for newer players to steer clear of this area, since experienced and highly-geared players will also be making their way toward the Resort for the abundance of loot it provides if you possess the right keys.

• Gas Station and Pier: Situated on top of some hills, the Gas Station and Pier is a great place to kill Scavs from a distance. It is also quite similar to the Power Station in terms of PMC traffic, loot quality, and Scav spawns.

• Power Station: This is another area where you can grab some easy loot, but only if you are careful. As a beginner, you won’t want to be found in the middle of a couple of Scavs. It also acts as a common crossing point between the sides of the Shoreline map, so get in, finish your business, and get out quickly.

• Village: This area provides low-risk money-making opportunities since there is a small chance of PMCs and Scavs spawning, along with a high volume of duffel bags and jackets for a great time farming keys and general loot.

• Weather Station: Even though you may find a Scav or two here, the Weather Station is incredibly valuable for the crates, technical spawns, and medical loot that it offers.