Don't miss this week's Along the Routes event in Pokémon GO, starting in-game December 5th at 10:00am local time

Pokémon GO's new Along the Routes event will begin tomorrow, December 5th, at 10:00am, running through to December 8th at 8:00pm local time. This event will introduce the travelling Pokémon researcher Mateo, who provides the Gift Exchange service for players exploring Routes, as well as feature the debut of Shiny Hisuian Sneasel.

Introducing Mateo
Mateo, a Pokémon researcher who loves to travel, will make his debut in this event. Mateo enjoys collecting and exchanging Gifts and Postcards from all over the world. As Trainers reach near the end point of a Route, Mateo may be waiting with some Gifts he has collected.

• Talk to Mateo to begin a Gift Exchange.
• Choose which of Mateo's Gifts to exchange from the Route end point, the Route start point, or a nearby PokéStop.
• Trainers can optionally add a sticker before they select Exchange.
• After Exchanging with Mateo, Trainers will receive a Postcard and Gift back from another Trainer.

Trainers can only participate in a Gift Exchange with Mateo once per day.

Event Bonuses and Activities

• 1/2 Egg Hatch Distance when Eggs are placed in an Incubator during the event period
• 3× XP for spinning PokéStops
• 5× XP for spinning a PokéStop for the first time
• 2× Stardust from opening Gifts

PokéStop Showcases for Sneasel and Hisuian Sneasel will also be running throughout the event at different PokéStops.

Special, Field, and Timed Research
A new Special Research story, A Route to New Friendships, will be available to Trainers during this event. In this story, Trainers will learn more about Mateo and the power of exchanging Gifts.

Event-themed Field and Task will also be available during this event, awarding an assortment of items together with encounters with select Pokémon including Hisuian Sneasel (see below).

Pokémon Encounters
All Pokémon listed below with a ⁂ next to their name can also be encountered in their Shiny variants.

Wild Encounters
The following Pokémon will be appearing more frequently in the wild during this event:

• Slugma ⁂
• Hitmontop ⁂
• Spoink ⁂
• Feebas ⁂
• Lillipup ⁂
• Woobat ⁂
• Emolga
• Wooloo
• Pawmi

Eggs
The following Pokémon will hatch from 7 km Eggs (in addition to the Pokémon that currently hatch from those Eggs):

• Hisuian Growlithe ⁂
• Togepi ⁂
• Sneasel ⁂
• Hisuian Sneasel ⁂
• Bonsly ⁂
• Espurr ⁂

Field Research task encounters
A collection of event-themed Field Research tasks will be available for Along the Routes. When completed, Trainers can earn encounters with the following Pokémon:

• Eevee ⁂
• Hisuian Sneasel ⁂
• Wooloo

Timed Research task encounters
Timed Research focused on exploring the area and sending Gifts will be available throughout the event. When completed, Trainers can earn encounters with the following event-themed Pokémon:

• Hisuian Sneasel ⁂
• Feebas ⁂
• Wooloo
• Pawmi