Last Updated on by Samuel Franklin
Best Escape From Tarkov Maps For Loot and Scav Runs (2023) – Tarkov Guide
Use these best Escape From Tarkov maps for loot and Scav runs to build your stash of Roubles while funding your other Tarkov raids. Having a consistent source of Roubles is vital in Tarkov regardless of your experience and PMC level while also providing a fantastic solution for overcoming the dreaded “gear fear” as new equipment is only a loot run away. Below you’ll find 3 variants of loot runs (also known as money runs) for each of the 3 selected maps along with useful external links to YouTube content creators that show them in action.
With over 600 raids in my first Tarkov wipe I was able to reach a peak stash value of over 85 million, Kappa container and a fully upgraded hideout (stats at end of this page) including level 4 stash as a non Edge of Darkness edition player. All of this was from using these tactics which adds up to well over 100 million in earned Roubles on top of the vast Dollars and Euros required not to mention all the gear I lost to dying along the way.
By learning the three best Tarkov map for Scav runs and loot spots below your time in Escape From Tarkov will be dramatically less stressful and give you the opportunity to try some of the top tier equipment. If you’re an entirely new player though you may find my best maps for Tarkov beginners or practicing the below in offline mode more appropriate to do first as this guide assumes an intermediate level of map and game knowledge. While having Tarkov friends to team up with for these loot runs is useful it is by no means a requirement with all of these possible to do as a solo player. For the purposes of this Tarkov guide I’ve opted to exclude Labs as it takes significant time and Rouble investment to get the best results and thus not applicable to most players seeking the best consistent Tarkov loot runs. Don’t forget that by increasing your Fence reputation level you can reduce your Scav timer to allow you to use the Scav mechanic more often. Note that as of patch 12.12 (December 2021) Lighthouse can also be a viable alternative to the below for the intermediate player due to the high loot density on this map that ensures you’ll always walk out some loot although its likely to be highly popular for some time that works against me recommending it here and only makes the 3 maps below easier to loot run on.
3 – Shoreline
3 – ShorelineA decent option for loot and Scav runs (although not the best overall) is Shoreline putting it at number three on my best Tarkov loot map recommendations. What makes Shoreline fantastic for loot spots at all stages of the Tarkov cycle is that it offers good loot with low risk all the way up to high tier loot with equivalent risk and I’d argue some of the best risk versus potential reward of all maps featured here.
This balance allows you to tailor your Shoreline experience to your available equipment, PvP ability and keys which are discussed separately below.
Key Shoreline Loot & Scav Runs
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- Low Risk PMC or Scav Runs: For your Scav runs and low risk loot runs if you’ve got limited gear to risk you’ll find several options on Shoreline. Your best and safest option is to leverage the 37 hidden stashes/caches littered throughout that offer an absolutely insane amount of loot with minimal risk of combat and can spawn some of the highest value loot that Escape From Tarkov has to offer. Due to the large amount these it is not uncommon to have 3 or 4 within a small area which keeps these viable in even the medium to high risk runs as a way to top of your backpack. These close clusters also mean you don’t need to remember all 37 with having a dozen or so memorised sufficient to fill up your character. The clusters that aren’t near Scav or player hot spots at the edges of the map can be particularly attractive. Following this option you’ll want to ensure you bring in a large backpack (Scav Backpack or Berkut as a minimum) or farm some of the Scavs on the map first if you are short on bags or spawn as a Scav yourself without a backpack. For resources on where these stashes are I recommend either Pestily’s guide below or the Tarkov wiki Shoreline maps that he references at the start of the video.
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- Medium Risk PMC or Scav Runs: Stepping up the risk this run builds on the foundation of hidden stashes/caches above and integrates a number of strong loot spawn locations but avoiding resort. A loot run in particular that has fantastic potential (although is a high traffic area early wipe) is the Village which has the largest concentration of jackets in Escape From Tarkov. Giving you a chance at keys worth hundreds of thousands of Roubles and even millions (either on Flea Market or traders) this is an attractive option on your PMC especially with a Document Case, Keytool or similar that can hold lots of keys. Pairing this with safes on the map at Cottage (some keys required for maximum effect), Gas Station and Pier can also improve profit although these significantly increase the risk of the loot run accordingly so except some PvP. Additionally visiting Weather Station or Power Station provide another optional location depending on your spawn and extract. Topping off any spare space with secret stashes/caches from above as necessary near your extract can also be worthwhile for that little extra profit. For finding all the jackets AlphaAnton has the best video on this which shows an efficient path through the Village and Downtown and covers some of the aforementioned locations as well if you aren’t familiar with them.
- High Risk PMC (Requires Keys): It should come as no surprise that the highest risk and reward of Shoreline lies in the Resort where with the correct keys you can roll the dice for rare spawns like LedX and Lab Keycards. As a hot spot though you’ll generally need a good spawn near the Resort and be a capable PvP player to secure this loot spot. Accordingly I recommend Tarkov raids where you don’t get a strong starting spawn that you fall back to the medium risk PMC option noted above. With some luck you’ll be able fund this high risk, high reward loot run from your Village runs and find the keys yourself. Alternatively, you can invest in some of the vital keys that will payoff over time. As far as which keys are a priority in both the East Wing and West Wing VoX_E has produced a fantastic YouTube guide below:
2 – Interchange
2 – InterchangeA common recommendation for both PMC and Scav loot runs is Interchange and my guide is no exception. With a whole shopping centre of loot ahead of you, the prevalence of hideout upgrade items and general tech loot Interchange can easily produce millions of Roubles over a few raids. The complexity of the map is your greatest enemy though both in terms of learning the map, spawns and having multiple angles for enemies to attack you from that makes solo runs extremely deadly even with a headset to hear your enemies.
Despite this those that take the time to learn Interchange well, run it consistently and capitalise on good spawns will be handsomely rewarded. While this is more difficult as a Scav due to later raid spawns you can still capitalise on leftovers from fights and some of the second tier store areas with some luck that makes it still one of the best map for Scav runs.
Key Interchange Loot & Scav runs
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- Low Risk PMC or Scav Runs: Like Shoreline, Interchange has a high concentration of hidden stashes/caches that often go unlooted and make it a viable best Scav map. What is particularly great for Interchange though is that these are scattered around the edge of the map and thus rarely contested by most players that venture into Interchange itself. While the chances of running into players goes up during the early stages as they attempt to do the same Tarkov loot runs there are ample spawns close to 3 or 4 that you can quickly grab before moving to your extract. This run also involves few Scav opponents outside of Scav lands as a transition zone so AI combat is limited and just enough to top off the run with some extra killed Scav loot. Where you spawn as a Scav without a decent backpack some exploration of leftovers beforehand might be required but should be weighed up against the items you spawn with. As a reference point the Tarkov Interchange map wiki page and Piranha’s useful guide are great resources:
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- Medium Risk PMC or Scav Runs: If you already have some gear and are looking to multiply it then hitting the core stores of Interchange is the way to go. When pairing this with something like a M1 armoured rig to take the no backpack extract can be particularly effective. Unfortunately this means that the viability of this option as a Scav goes out the window as the highest tier loot spot is long gone by the time you’ll spawn in (but read on to find out what I recommend for Scav runs on Interchange). Similar to the Shoreline runs this means for PMC loot runs you’ll want to leverage your strong Interchange spawns that are close to the main store area allowing you to be the first to the tech stores of Texho, Rasmussen and Techlight that can spawn the elusive graphics cards, Tetriz portable game and other mid tier items before extracting quickly. For the times you don’t get a strong spawn or are playing as a Scav the vast amount of loot in OLI often means that some gets missed. The high concentration of early quest and hideout items in addition to fuel and water filters can quickly turn into hundreds of thousands of Roubles if secured. If you have no luck here then running to Killa spawn areas and the second floor areas around the escalators can be a good place to grab leftovers from fights but beware of player Scavs that regularly visit here attempting to do the same thing. Using VoX_E as a reference once again he has produced a fantastic video showcasing many elements discussed above:
- High Risk PMC (Requires Keys/Killa Farming): Like most maps Interchange is most profitable with the correct keys and most notably the ULTRA medical storage key and key to EMERCOM medical unit which both have the elusive LEDX Skin Transilluminator spawn amongst other high value per slot medical items. This will require some investment in key purchases or farming to pull off though as well as strong enough gear to defend yourself on the way there. With EMERCOM in particular being near the spawn for Killa this also provides a secondary source of revenue as his armour, ammo and potential rare spawns provide plenty of Roubles although it is a tough fight without practice and your own gear to invest first. With practice though Killa as a solo boss (and leg meta) makes him one of the easier and quicker targets to take out.
1 – Reserve
1 – ReserveThe holy grail and best map for loot in Tarkov is the army themed Reserve and is simply packed with loot. With attractive spawns for medical items, folder with intelligence, paracords, weapons, tank items, grenades and a wealth of attachments Reserve is a gold mine waiting to be farmed. There is also the opportunity for two Marked Rooms that have some of the best loot in Escape From Tarkov with close spawns near both of them that can be maximised when you get them as a PMC. If that wasn’t enough the potential to spawn Raiders and the Scav boss Glukhar that comes with up to 6 decked out Raiders to fight and loot.
The trade off though is that Reserve is deadly on extracts that can make it difficult but rewarding to take out your hard fought loot, it is no secret this is the best loot map in Tarkov. With a few adjustments though and leveraging your Scav when available due to the easier extracts you can start turning a consistent profit on Reserve and slowly make your way up the loot tree. With some practice it can quickly become the best place to Scav run in Tarkov and why it is one you’ll consistently see player Scavs on as they find it the best Tarkov map to make money.
Key Reserve Loot & Scav Runs
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- Low Risk PMC or Scav Runs: Your best bet for low risk runs on Reserve are to bring the largest rig that you are comfortable with and loot lower traffic areas of the map before taking the sewer manhole extract that requires you to have no backpack. In terms of which rooms this could be white and black knight area (watch out for Glukhar), the air raid shelters in the two map corners and the underground depending on your spawn. What makes this so effective is the wealth of loot that can quickly add up as you complete raids in only a few minutes. A similar but slightly altered tactic for your Scav runs that can be profitable is to hang into the raid late with the hopes of scavenging items from PMCs, Raiders or the Scav boss himself as you have significantly easier extracts than PMC players. Alternatively as a Scav you can simply repeat the PMC run but fill up a backpack before extracting if you spawn with one (or take one from a nearby Scav).
- Medium Risk PMC (Requires Keys): With nearly 30 keys on Reserve there is sizeable profit to be made once again with some key farming luck or investment into some of the mid tier keys that aren’t hit as often. Under the train station for example you’ve got some reliable supply crates as well as contesting white and black knight keys, white bishop and the RB-ST key that is right next to your main extract.The wealth of keys makes it near impossible to cover in depth in this article but thankfully Pestily has a fantastic reference video for this setup:
- High Risk PMC (Requires Keys/Raider Farming): For the high risk option on Reserve you’ll want to be comfortable with PvP both with players and fighting Raiders as you’ll need to use two difficult extracts to have this pay off. PvP with other players is almost a guarantee when running this path but the payoff can be well worth the risk despite the lower survival rate you’ll likely see.In this loot path you’ll want to ensure you keep your highest value keys and capitalise on good spawns near these locations, particular the two marked rooms at either side of the map and the king building. With some armour and large backpack you can also look towards the two pawn and bishop buildings (leveraging the Pestily video above for loot) when spawning on this side of the map. This run also allows you to hunt Glukhar before activating the bunker hermetic door to potentially spawn more Raiders on your way out.
While earning Escape From Tarkov loot can be an uphill battle having a consistent, memorised and profitable run will help you overcome the gear fear of bringing items into Raid. While some are slightly more profitable than others I’d suggest you pick the best Tarkov map for loot spots for your playstyle as you’ll enjoy it more while turning a profit. For me I valued having a reliable run on each of these maps as I value diversity but this did come at the cost of being able to perfectly optimise individual maps had I focused on just one.
What is the best Tarkov map for loot and Scav runs in your opinion? Be it the best map to make money in Tarkov or one that you survive consistently that results in larger profit over the long run.
