A Guide to Escape from Tarkov Interchange Map

Escape from Tarkov is a realistic, story-driven online game with MMO features. Developed by a Russian company, this game lets the user live through the combat experience by featuring health & physical characteristics, allowing unlimited control, incorporating real-life concepts of weapon handling and whatnot. 

The game supports multiple maps including Woods, Customs, Shoreline and many more! However, Interchange is one of the most popular among them. The main reason? This map grants players an extensive looting possibility along with experiencing some intense PVP battles. 

But since the map has a lot of locations to explore, getting lost is easy especially when you are a beginner. Plus, there are threats hidden everywhere. 

So, in this comprehensive guide, you will find details on the overall structure of the interchange map. Also, we have thrown in some tactics to loot, survive and successfully escape from Tarkov. 

Let’s get started!

Beware of Killa – The Boss of Interchange Map

On the first floor of the shopping mall, you are likely to face Killa, a heavily armed opponent. Even if you are well-equipped, he can be a serious threat to you. Face him only if you have high-penetration weapons, otherwise running away is the best option. 

Nevertheless, taking risks is not always bad. As contesting and defeating him can become a source of earning valuable armors and helmets.

Interchange Map Outskirts

Before entering your main target, searching for loot items in the outlying areas is likely to leave you in a win-win situation. There’s a container yard, parking lot and most importantly a power station that houses weapons and other provisions.  

Power Station

Location: North-east side of the map

Power-station is the source of electricity for the shopping mall. For accessing the valuable loot locations, you need to activate the station’s switch. 

In this area, along with the main station building, there are various shacks, small guard buildings, and maintenance rooms. At the back of the power station, there’s an extraction spot accessible through an SUV and costs 3000 roubles. But as its availability is limited; you need to be faster to use it before others.

Possible Loot:

• In the main building – look for toolboxes, fuel conditioner spawns and jackets 
• In the shacks – look for toolboxes 
• In the office – look for electronics, PC blocks, jackets and file cabinet

Entering the Ultra Shopping Mall 

The interchange map is mainly focused on the Ultra Shopping Mall. It is based on two floors out of which, the first one (ground floor) is more contested and contains several looting points. Here’s a breakdown of what you should expect facing there:

First Floor

) KIBA

Location: At the center of the mall. If you head straight from the main entrance, you will find it past the brutal store.

As the location signifies, Kiba is literally the heart of the mall. It’s a store outlet filled up with weapons and all types of military equipment. If you have entered the game to start fighting right away, this is the area where fighting contests are certain to happen.

However, to access KIBA, you will require the key to the KIBA outlet grate door and the KIBA store outlet. Plus, remember that an alarm starts ringing when someone enters the store. Find the terminal located in the southeast of the mall to disable this alarm.

PS – Remain alert as Killa Scav Boss is possibly going to meet you here.

Possible Loot:

• Inside cabinets or on shelves – weapon attachments and mods    
• In the box near counter – Grenades 
• M4A1, AK-74N and other weapons
• 2 cash registers and loose money
• Weapon cabinet, crates, armors and helmet spawns

) IDEA

Location: North of mall or south-west of Power Station

You can enter IDEA from all directions. It’s a cheap furniture store containing numerous industrial/hardware loot.

Possible Loot:

• In the general area – look for the rare spawns like Lion or Cat statues 
• In storage area – electronics and industrial items
• In office area – PC blocks and Duffle Bag 
• 20 cash registers but you need to have a key for them (search for it in the bus parked on the north of IDEA)

) Goshan

Location: You will find it on the west while heading straight from the main entrance

Goshan is a hypermarket or grocery store in the mall. It is the biggest store as well as probably the best spot for levelling up the attention skill if you have got the required register key.

Possible Loot:

• In the front entrance – provision spawns including Tushonka 
• In the mall and warehouse – weapon boxes 
• In the lockers – rare spawns like gold chains or bitcoins 
• In the back – technological items including car batteries, spark plugs etc. 
• 27 cash registers (find the key inside the white bus parked near the “new” gas station)

) OLI

Location: On South of mall or northwest of Emercon

Checkpoint OLI is a hardware and home-improvement supply store. Here you can find all the building material required for the hideout. Along with hardware spawns, you can also loot several high-rarity items. This makes OLI a high fight over point even with a smaller number of PMCs involved.

Possible Loot:

• In the OLI’s offices – 9 computer spawns 
• An abundant amount of building or industrial material including hoses, car batteries, fuel tanks etc. 
• 18 cash registers (find the key in the store’s logistics office)

) Emercom and Mantis

Location: You will find Mantis in the northwest of KIBA and behind it is Emercom.

Both Mantis and Emercom are medical supply stores. To access Emercom, you will require a key found in an ambulance near the “new” Gas station. However, entering Mantis has no restrictions and you can loot a decent supply of medicaments from there as well.

Possible Loot:

• Loose medical supplies 
• Medbags 
• Jackets 
• You may also find a gold chain in the back of Mantis or weapon crate in Emercom

second Floor

The second floor does not house a lot of stores and hence, is less loot heavy. 29 cash registers, medical spawns and some weapon cases are all you will possibly find.

Nonetheless, there’s also a Techlight store on the southwestern part of the second floor. If you have successfully activated the power station, you can get loot from the pharmacy as well.

Wrapping Up

Escape of Tarkov is undoubtedly a challenging yet exciting game. Hope the shared insights will make your raids successful and you will get to master the map soon.