Overview
Fast travel in Crimson Desert is handled through a network of Abyss Nexus teleporters and Abyss Cressets scattered across the continent of Pywel. Unlike many open-world games that let you teleport to any discovered location, Crimson Desert restricts fast travel to specific activation points that must be found and activated in the world. The game also features a unique Sky Map system that lets you teleport to floating islands above Pywel and skydive down to your destination.
Fast Travel Points
Abyss Nexus
Abyss Nexus nodes are the standard fast travel teleporters in Crimson Desert. They appear as stone platforms with a circular pressure disk in the center. To activate one, simply walk onto the disk and stand still for a few seconds. Once activated, the icon turns blue on your world map and becomes a permanent fast travel destination.
Abyss Nexus points are found throughout all major regions of Pywel, typically near cities, settlements, and important landmarks. They are the most common type of fast travel point and form the backbone of the fast travel network.
Abyss Cressets
Abyss Cressets are a more advanced type of fast travel point, typically found inside Ancient Ruins and other hidden locations. Unlike Abyss Nexus nodes, Cressets require you to solve an environmental puzzle before they can be activated. The upside is that activating a Cresset also rewards you with an Abyss Artifact, making them doubly valuable.
How to Use Fast Travel
To fast travel, open the world map and locate an activated Abyss Nexus (blue icon) or Abyss Cresset. Double-click on the icon, or hover over it and press Y on a controller, to teleport instantly to that location. Fast travel is free and has no cooldown.
Finding Fast Travel Points
Mysterious Energy Indicators
As you explore Pywel, your map may highlight a "Mysterious Energy" point of interest in the surrounding area. This indicator signals that either an Abyss Nexus or Abyss Cresset is nearby but has not yet been discovered. Investigate the area to find the hidden activation point.
Using Blinding Flash
The most reliable way to locate nearby fast travel points is through the Blinding Flash ability. Press and hold the Lantern and Normal Attack buttons simultaneously to send out a pulse of light. Any Abyss Nexus, Abyss Cresset, or Sealed Abyss Artifact in the area will glow blue, making them easy to spot even in dense terrain or underground chambers.
The Sky Map
What Is the Sky Map?
The Sky Map is a secondary layer of the world map that shows floating islands suspended high above Pywel. These islands are part of the Abyss and can be unlocked through completing Abyss Restoration challenges. To access the Sky Map, open your world map and switch to the sky view by pressing R3 on a controller or scrolling the mouse wheel on PC.
Skydiving
The Sky Map enables a unique form of traversal: skydiving. After teleporting to a floating island above your destination, you can jump off the edge and skydive down to the ground below. This is often faster than riding a horse across the surface, especially when your destination does not have a nearby ground-level fast travel point.
During the skydive, you can deploy your glider to control your descent. Manage your stamina carefully while gliding. If your stamina runs out mid-air, you will enter free fall and may take significant fall damage upon landing. The trick is to alternate between gliding (which drains stamina) and free falling (which regenerates stamina). Dip in and out of your glide to cover large horizontal distances without running out of stamina.
Abyss Restoration Challenges
The floating islands on the Sky Map are unlocked through the 40 Abyss Restoration challenges found across Pywel. Each completed challenge activates a corresponding fast travel point on a sky island. By completing more challenges, you expand your network of sky-based fast travel points, making skydive traversal increasingly versatile.
Character Switching as Fast Travel
An advanced traversal trick involves character switching. When you switch from Kliff to Damiane or Oongka (and vice versa), the new character appears at their last known location. If you have previously positioned a character near your desired destination, switching to them effectively functions as a free teleport. This can be useful for reaching remote locations that lack conventional fast travel points.
Fast Travel Locations by Region
Region | Notable Fast Travel Points | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Hernand Town, Greymane Camp, Nas River area | First region; most accessible fast travel network | |
Pailune settlement, mountain passes | Snowy terrain; fast travel especially useful here | |
Demeniss city, Golden Plains, Byron Estate | Political hub; dense fast travel coverage | |
Various settlements and outposts | Technologically advanced region | |
The Crimson Desert | Scattered oases and outposts | Sparse fast travel; skydiving is very useful here |
Tips
Always activate every Abyss Nexus you pass, even if you do not plan to return soon. Building a dense fast travel network early saves enormous amounts of travel time later.
Use Blinding Flash frequently while exploring. It reveals nearby Abyss Nexus points, Cressets, and Sealed Artifacts that you might otherwise walk past.
When your destination is far from any ground-level fast travel point, check the Sky Map. Teleporting to the nearest sky island and skydiving down is often the fastest approach.
Practice the glide-and-fall rhythm during skydives. Alternating between gliding and free falling lets you cover massive horizontal distances without depleting your stamina bar.
Position your secondary characters (Damiane and Oongka) at frequently visited locations. Switching to them acts as a free teleport.
Bell towers scattered across Pywel reveal portions of the map, including the locations of nearby Abyss Nexus nodes. Ring every bell tower you find to fill in your map.