Death Stranding 2 Fast Travel Guide: Master the DHV Magellan
Fast travel in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is not handed to you from the start. You earn it, and once you do, the DHV Magellan becomes one of the most important tools in Sam's arsenal. Whether you're trying to cut down on backtracking or simply want to reposition quickly before a big delivery run, understanding exactly how this system works will save you hours. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about unlocking, using, and getting the most out of fast travel in Death Stranding 2.
How Do You Unlock Fast Travel in Death Stranding 2?
Fast travel is not available from the moment you boot up the game. Several hours into the main story, after completing a specific mission aboard the DHV Magellan, Tarman (the ship's captain) grants you access to the docking system. The game's narrative ties this directly into the world's logic: Tarman scouts locations he deems safe, and the Magellan surfaces through the chiral network via pools of black tar at those approved spots.
This means fast travel destinations are curated rather than fully open. You cannot simply warp anywhere on the map. Instead, approved DHV Magellan Docking Areas appear at locations that are strategically placed near key delivery zones, making the system feel earned and purposeful rather than arbitrary.
You must be physically aboard the Magellan before initiating fast travel. If you select a destination from the map while standing outside the ship, you will send the vessel there without yourself on board.
How to Use the DHV Magellan Fast Travel System
Once unlocked, the process is straightforward but has a few steps worth memorizing:
- Board the DHV Magellan before doing anything else.
- Open your map using the touchpad.
- Hold X (default on DualSense) and hover over your intended destination.
- Look for the "DHV Magellan Docking Area" label at eligible locations.
- Hold the button to confirm, and the ship will submerge and resurface at your chosen spot.
The system is notably more convenient than the Beach Jumping mechanic that Fragile offered in the original Death Stranding, as confirmed by IGN's breakdown of the biggest changes in Death Stranding 2. In the sequel, you can bring all your cargo and equipment along for the ride rather than arriving empty-handed.
Board Magellan before traveling
Does Fast Travel Affect Your Delivery Rating?
This is the tricky part that trips up a lot of players. You can transport cargo orders via the Magellan, but doing so triggers the Magellan evaluation, which reduces the credit you receive for those deliveries. The implication is clear: completing a delivery entirely on foot or by ground vehicle earns you full recognition, while using the ship as a shortcut comes with a modest penalty.
For players focused on maximizing their Porter Grade and earning five-star ratings, it is worth reserving fast travel for repositioning between missions rather than using it mid-delivery. That said, for low-priority orders or when you simply need to get across the map quickly, the trade-off is often worth it.
What Are the Best Strategies Around Fast Travel?
Plan Your Route Before You Travel
Before jumping into the Magellan, open the map and set waypoints toward your next objective. Once you arrive at your docking destination, ping your Odradek scanner (default L1) and follow the dotted route line. You will not need to re-open the map constantly, and the scanner will flag chiral crystals, safe crossing points on rivers, and terrain hazards marked with red Xes along the way.
Remember that every 1000g of chiral crystals you carry reduces Sam's effective load by 1g, so picking them up during ground traversal between fast travel points adds up meaningfully over a long session.
Upgrade the Magellan to Maximize Your Base
Fast travel is only part of what the DHV Magellan offers. As your mobile base, upgrading its modules directly improves what you can bring along on every trip. Key upgrades worth prioritizing are listed below:
- Advanced Armory (requires High-Density Metals and Chiralium): Unlocks Level 3 lethal and anti-BT weaponry, essential for late-game encounters.
- Medical Bay (requires Resins and Special Alloys): Raises Sam's maximum blood capacity and improves stamina recovery during Timefall exposure.
- Garage Expander (requires Ceramics and Chiral Crystals): Lets you store and rapidly repair multiple heavy delivery trucks and trikes.
Magellan module upgrade screen
Combine Fast Travel With Stealth and Combat Prep
When you know a docking area drops you near a hostile mercenary camp or a BT-heavy zone, use the arrival window to prepare. Remove your backpack if it contains damageable cargo (hold Triangle by default) before engaging enemies, since a hit to your pack can cascade into container damage and lost delivery value. Equipping sandalweed shoes before disembarking also lets you move silently through tall grass without enemies spotting the outline of your cargo above the foliage.
For hostile encounters near docking zones, Custom Hematic Grenades are your most efficient opener. Coating mercenaries or heavy machinery in Sam's blood makes them vulnerable to standard lethal rounds, bypassing armor plating without burning through your limited supply of heavier munitions.
Prep loadout after fast travel
PC Performance Tips for Fast Travel Sessions
For players on PC, the transition sequences during Magellan travel can stress the renderer. According to technical notes on PCGamingWiki's Death Stranding 2 page, enabling DLSS or FSR 3 Frame Generation is one of the highest-impact settings for maintaining frame rate during demanding scenes. Lowering Volumetric Fog Quality to Medium also delivers a strong FPS improvement without noticeably degrading the game's visual quality during outdoor traversal.
Getting the Most Out of Every Fast Travel Window
Fast travel in Death Stranding 2 rewards players who treat it as a strategic tool rather than a convenience button. Before every Magellan departure, drink all available energy drinks and eat every cryptobiote in Sam's private room to top off your stamina and blood levels. These bonuses only take a few seconds to apply (skip the animations if you prefer speed), and they set you up for a stronger start the moment you arrive at your destination.
Also consider leaving signs near high-traffic docking areas when you arrive. Other players in the asynchronous online mode will see them, give you likes, and in turn, their structures like bridges, recharge stations, and timefall shelters will appear in your world, making the areas around docking zones safer and better equipped over time.
For more strategies across Death Stranding 2 and other titles, browse more guides on GAMES.GG to stay ahead of every challenge Kojima Productions throws at you.