How Long Do Raids Last in Pokémon Go?
As a passionate Pokémon Go player and content creator with over 500 raids under my belt, I get asked this question a lot by new and returning players alike.
Raids are exciting cooperative battles, but their limited-time availability can cause confusion if you don‘t understand the raid timers. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll break down exactly how long raids last and tips to maximize your participation.
Raid Bosses Are Only Available for 45 Minutes
The most important thing to know is that raid bosses only spawn for 45 minutes once their raid egg batches. This narrow window encourages coordinating with other trainers to take down powerful bosses before they despawn.
I‘ve hosted hundreds of raid meetups since they launched in 2017. Trust me, nothing is more frustrating than gathering a raid party just to have the boss vanish!
Countdown Timers Vary from 1-24 Hours
Raid eggs appear atop gyms to signal an upcoming boss battle. The color and countdown duration indicates what will hatch:
| Egg Color | Hatch Timer | Raid Boss Tier |
| Yellow | 1 hour | 1-4 stars |
| Pink | 1-2 hours usually | 5 stars, legendaries |
| Rare colors | Up to 24 hours | Event bosses |
So a short 1-hour timer signals a normal tier 1-4 raid boss. But rare special event eggs can have extended 24 hour countdowns before they finally hatch.
Either way, once the egg hatches you only have 45 minutes to defeat the boss!
Raid Hour Events Maximize Spawns
Every Wednesday from 6-7 PM local time, Niantic activates a weekly Raid Hour event. During this hour, gyms are taken over by raids at an increased rate globally.
I always encourage players to go hard during Raid Hour for efficiency. Why wait when you can pile in back-to-back tier 5 legendary raids in one small window? It makes coordination much easier with floods of active raids.
Pro Tip: Look up your local Discord or Facebook group to find people to take down bosses with during Raid Hour. Soloing tier 5 bosses is nearly impossible – you need a squad to win!
You Get 5 Free Daily Raid Passes
While premium raid passes cost PokéCoins, all trainers can participate in 5 raids per day using the free daily pass acquired by spinning any gym disc.
During special events, the daily cap sometimes increases. For example, during the recent Lunar New Year event it went up to 10 free passes per day.
So don‘t be shy about using your daily passes during Raid Hour when activity is highest! You want to maximize efficiency within that free allowance.
Let me know if you have any other questions about how long raids last or how to optimize your Pokémon Go raiding. This guide contains all the core information you need to understand raid timers and availability windows. Time to get out there and catch ‘em all!
