- Fast travel in Mirror's Edge Catalyst unlocks through main story progression, not side content.
- Complete the early Anchor district missions after the "Prison Break" chapter to activate it.
- Fast travel moves Faith between safehouses and district hubs across the city of Glass.
- Pair it with Runner Vision and Mag Rope unlocks to make free-roam delivery runs far faster.
- Fast travel is free — no currency or upgrade chip is required.
How Fast Travel Works in Mirror's Edge Catalyst
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is built around the flowing first-person parkour of Faith Connors, but the open city of Glass is large, and the game includes a fast travel system to cut down on repeated rooftop commutes. Fast travel is tied directly to story progress: as Faith completes main missions and visits new districts, additional fast-travel points and side activities unlock across Glass, opening the city up for free roaming.
Unlike collectibles or skill chips, you cannot buy or find fast travel early. It is granted by the campaign itself during the early chapters, which is why new players sometimes wonder why the option appears grayed out at the map screen.
Video Highlights:
- The campaign's opening chapter, "Prison Break," sets up traversal and combat tutorials
- Early Anchor district missions follow the training runs with Icarus
- Completing them unlocks fast-travel points, side activities, and free roam
- Runner Vision (red highlighted objects) marks the suggested route in every district
If the fast travel option is unavailable on your map, you are still in the tutorial phase. Finish the current main mission and check back — the system activates automatically once the story reaches the Anchor district free-roam stage.
Step-by-Step: Unlocking Fast Travel
Complete Chapter 1: Prison Break
Escape the Kruger Holding Facility and follow Runner Vision through the tutorial sequences — vents, rooftops, and basic jumps, climbs, and wall-runs — until Faith reaches the Runner's Hideout and meets Icarus, Nomad, and Plastridge.
Finish the Training Runs with Icarus
The "Sprint" missions at the Runner's Hideout teach advanced movement and introduce the Mag Rope for grappling across gaps. These runs are mandatory story beats, not optional side content.
Complete the Early Anchor District Missions
Carry out the first story missions in the Anchor district. Completing these missions is the trigger that unlocks fast-travel points and side activities as Glass opens up for free roaming.
Open the Map and Select a Travel Point
Once unlocked, open the city map, select an unlocked safehouse or district hub, and confirm travel. Faith is relocated instantly, ready to start the next mission, Dash, or delivery run.
Expand Coverage as the Story Progresses
Each new district visited in the main campaign — Downtown, View Gardens, the Undermine, and beyond — adds more fast-travel destinations to the map.
Fast travel costs nothing and requires no Upgrade Chips. It activates automatically with story progress — no grinding required.
Fast Travel Points and District Coverage
Fast travel destinations in Catalyst are anchored to safehouses and key district locations Faith visits during the campaign. The table below summarizes when each region typically becomes accessible:
| District | Unlock Trigger | Fast Travel Use |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor | Early story missions after "Prison Break" | Delivery runs, Dash routes, GridLeak cleanup |
| Downtown | Mid-campaign story progression | Dense rooftop races and time trials |
| View Gardens | Later story missions | Viewpoint climbs, scenic routes |
| The Undermine | Black November story arc | Story missions, hostile K-Sec zones |
| Shard Surroundings | Late-game Kruger missions | Final missions and combat gauntlets |
Safehouses
- Primary travel hubs
- Story-gated access
- Mission start points
District Hubs
- Side activity clusters
- Dashes and deliveries
- Closest drop for races
Story Locations
- Mission-specific points
- Kruger tower complex
- Unlock during infiltration arcs
Fast travel does not unlock collectible markers. To reveal nearby GridLeaks, Documents, and Chipsets on the map, invest in the Exploration Markers upgrades in the Gear branch of the skill tree.
Making the Most of Fast Travel
Fast travel is a tool, not a replacement for movement — most of Catalyst's endgame content rewards actually running the city. Here is how experienced runners combine systems for efficiency:
| Activity | Fast Travel Strategy | Efficiency Gain |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery missions | Travel to nearest safehouse, run the final stretch | ★★★★ |
| Dashes & Time Trials | Drop at the district hub where the Runner Tag sits | ★★★★★ |
| GridLeak cleanup | Cluster by district, travel once, run routes | ★★★★ |
| Story missions | Often auto-positions Faith; manual travel rarely needed | ★★ |
| Chipset farming | Combine with Dashes star ratings for Upgrade Chips | ★★★★ |
- Plan district by district. Group GridLeaks, Documents, and side missions by area, then fast travel once and clear everything on foot to keep Flow chains alive.
- Use it before Time Trials. Warm-up runs matter — arriving fresh at a Dash start beats arriving mid-route with broken momentum.
- Save it for after combat. If a K-Sec patrol wrecks your run, fast traveling away and restarting the route is often faster than fighting through.
Fast travel is instant, but your Flow is not. Time Trials and Dashes still demand clean wall-runs, coil jumps, and quick turns — practice the line, then use fast travel only to reach the start quickly.
Runner's Progress Checklist
Fast Travel Milestones:
- Complete the Prison Break chapter
- Finish training runs with Icarus
- Complete early Anchor district missions
- Unlock free roam and fast-travel points
- Expand travel coverage to every district
Pair fast travel with the Quick Turn and Fast Climb traversal upgrades — reaching a district quickly means little if your rooftop line breaks on the first ledge.
Fast Travel FAQ
Q: How do I unlock fast travel in Mirror's Edge Catalyst?
Fast travel unlocks automatically through main story progression. Complete the Prison Break chapter, finish the training runs with Icarus, and complete the early Anchor district missions — the fast-travel points then activate on the city map as Glass opens up for free roaming.
Q: Can I buy fast travel with Chipsets or Upgrade Chips?
No. Fast travel is story-gated and free. Chipsets are spent on Upgrade Chips in the Traversal, Combat, and Gear skill branches instead — such as Quick Turn, Fast Climb, and Mag Rope enhancements.
Q: Can I fast travel during a mission?
Fast travel is generally available in free roam. During active story missions, the game often positions Faith automatically at mission start points, so manual travel is rarely needed.
Q: Does fast travel affect trophies or collectibles?
No. Collectibles such as GridLeaks, Documents, Chipsets, and Gift Bags must still be reached on foot — fast travel only moves Faith between unlocked safehouses and district hubs, so plan GridLeak cleanup district by district.