Escape From Tarkov’s Labs Map: Essential Info

A great thing about Escape from Tarkov is the variety of locations that you can explore and play as you progress throughout the game. Some areas are a breeze, while others require a bit more skill and strategy. One of these more challenging areas is the EFT Labs map, which we will discuss in more detail in this article.

Labs Map for EFT: What is it?

First things first, let’s orient the uninitiated, shall we? Right under the heart of Tarkov lies TerraGroup Labs, an underground laboratory facility meant to do R&D, testing, and simulation on various projects. In the game, it is a hardcore, medium-sized map that’s meant to challenge players and reward those who can clear it with sweet loot. It can have 6 up to 10 USEC or BEAR players per run.

Important note: insurance DOES NOT work inside the Labs map of EFT. Regardless of which trader you purchase insurance from, they won’t be able to retrieve any items you may lose inside. In fact, they will inform you that they couldn’t find the location and that their men didn’t come back.

How do I find Key Cards for the lab?

Accessing Tarkov’s Labs map requires each player to have a TerraGroup Labs access key card. This can be traded in limited quantities for Roubles with Therapist (level 2) or for Bitcoin with Mechanic (level 2). It has a low drop chance on Scav backpacks or pockets as well as filing cabinets. Note that this particular card is single-use and consumed upon entering the Lab. Now, of course, this only provides entry to the map–and other parts of the location are locked behind the need for other, color-coded key cards.

(Side note: access key cards for the Lab aren’t used up when you are playing offline. Items also stay intact and don’t get lost upon death in this mode.)

Each area that a key card opens provides certain types of loot. The black one unlocks the Test Room – Room G12. Blue opens up the Quarantine Zone, while the green card allows access to the Sterile Laboratory. There are also red, violet, and yellow key cards that open various areas, as well as keys to the arsenal storage room, manager’s office, and testing area. For a more in-depth guide on these key cards, what areas they open, and how to obtain them, refer to the links further down below.

What are the challenges that await me when running Labs?

The presence of Scav Raiders makes the Labs more difficult than other locations. They are often grouped in threes, are surprisingly formidable, and can kill you if you underestimate them or commit a misstep. Raiders are also well-equipped with armor, although they tend to lack head protection most times. But, as long as you’re good at clicking heads, checking corners, and taking cover, you should be fine against them.

In terms of extraction points, the Lab has multiple of those. The catch, however, is that each of these extraction points carries a requirement that you need to fulfill before it’s activated – and Scavs show up near doors upon activating these exfil’s.

Worse, there is also an announcer that triggers whenever Scavs manage to get inside the facility or when a player or squad extracts in most spots. Not all spots are always available as well.

You can exfil through the Sewage Conduit or the Ventilation Shaft without triggering the announcer, but the requirements must still be met. For Sewage Conduit, the player must first sink the water level (which takes about half a minute); while for Ventilation Shaft, players can’t have a backpack that’s larger than MBSS.

How do I prepare for an EFT Lab Map Run?

As challenging as the Labs map may be, these hurdles are something you can prepare for beforehand. If anything, proper preparation is essential before running this raid. While the loot makes the Labs worthwhile, you can’t benefit from it without beating the map first.

Key cards do not usually come cheap, but securing these is actually the easy part. What’s trickier is understanding the map, its exfil locations, and the strategy you (or your squad) would follow while doing the raid. Key cards open only select locations, which means knowing the nearest extraction point would prove useful for you and/or your squad. It’s also important to know the requirement of the exfil you’re going for to iron out your game plan.

Next, gear! Never enter the Labs without the proper equipment for it. Raiders do actually hit hard and have pretty decent AI, not to mention you may also run into players. You might feel a little nervous about wearing pricey gear for this raid, but think of the possible loot you can get when you finish it. Weapons, valuables, meds, and more await – so don’t hesitate to gear up!

In terms of ammo, you would want to have armor piercing rounds on you. Scav raiders usually have armor in the mid and high tiers. It’s better to err on the side of caution when gauging the type of armor they have. Assume they are wearing something better than you expect. Besides, it is much smarter to aim for their heads anyway, as they don’t usually wear face shields.

Are there available guides I can reference?

In case you want to learn more about the Labs, there are a few guides you can check out online. On the EFT website, for example, there’s a forum post from user Thug_Life_WASD with a detailed illustration of the location and its areas. It’s an excellent resource for learning exfil locations, key card areas, and more. For keys and where to find them, Reddit user u/blindenvy made a thread on the EFT subreddit. There’s also info available on the Wiki. To get a better feel of how to play the Labs, check out some videos on YouTube or Twitch.

The Tarkov Labs map is designed as end-game content, and it does live up to that label. With its challenging layout, AI, and gameplay, it is something players would go back to and play over and over. As long as you plan out your runs, nothing is stopping you from beating this map and making decent money out of it!