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New Labyrinth Event: How to gain access

  • Mar 31
  • 6 min read

Updated: Apr 11

A major new in-game event called The Labyrinth has launched in Escape from Tarkov. This event is accessible in both PvE and PvP game modes and features an achievement for players who complete the entire task line. Here's an initial breakdown of the quests you'll need to undertake to eventually gain access to the mysterious Labyrinth.



This initial set of quests provides the necessary steps to unlock the entrance to the new Labyrinth event in Escape from Tarkov. Prepare your gear, gather your key cards, and brace yourself for the challenges that await within the maze.


I've described the locations you need to reach for the quests, along with some tips and notes that I recommend reading and following. However, I also suggest clicking on the quest name: the hyperlink will take you to the EFT Wiki page for that quest, which includes screenshots and maps to help you better understand where the locations are.


The Initial Quest Line:


The journey to the Labyrinth begins with a series of tasks primarily given by Mechanic.


  1. Shady Contractor: This first task becomes available from Mechanic once you have completed the Saving the Mole quest (some say you also need to be level 21, but that's not reported on the Wiki). You will need to head to the Ground Zero map and locate the manager's diary. This diary can be found inside a black Lexus car with an open door located on the south end of the map, near Capital Insight in the Nakatani Tower, in a small two-story building resembling a dealership. The diary can spawn on the dashboard, the seat, or in the trunk of the car. Once found, you must extract with the diary and hand it over to Mechanic to proceed.

  2. Needle in a Hay Stack: This task from Mechanic requires you to visit specific locations on four different maps: Ground Zero, Interchange, Streets, and Shoreline. You do not need to survive the raid after reaching these locations.

    • Ground Zero: Go to the courtyard of the TerraGroup building and enter a specific box located there.

    • Interchange: Head to the cart track (outside) and the playground inside the ALI store (within the mall). Note that this is not the playground outside by the stage.

    • Streets: Locate the Concordia playground and enter the designated area.

    • Shoreline: Visit the construction site on the coastline (in the middle of the blue fenced area) and a fenced-in playground behind the East Wing of the resort. Upon visiting all these locations, the task is complete, and you can return to Mechanic for the next step.

  3. Hidden Layer: This task from Mechanic is more involved and takes place on Shoreline. You need to find the Knossos LLC facility key.

    There are currently five known spawn locations for this key within the Shoreline resort area:

    • Inside the building outside the East Wing, on a table.

    • Inside the East Wing, on the second floor in a small utility room.

    • Inside the East Wing, on the third floor in the same utility room area.

    • Inside the Admin building, in the office where the 216 key spawns, on a lamp.

    • Inside the West Wing, in a small computer room office near the front door.


      Note: It's possible for more than one key to spawn per match.

    Once you have the Knossos LLC facility key, you need to go to the basement of the West Wing in the Shoreline resort. Use the key to open the door that on the right side has a sign on the ground with Russian text for "Knossos". Inside, you will complete two subtasks, finishing the "Hidden Layer" quest. Return to Mechanic to receive your rewards. Info: If you're wondering what Knossos is and what the reference of the sign as well as of the event is, you can read it here (go to the "Legends" section).

Time Gates and Subsequent Quests


Upon completing "Hidden Layer," two time gates are triggered: a 30-minute wait and a 90-minute wait.

30 Minutes Time Gate


  • Sensory Analysis Part One and Sensory Analysis Part Two: After 30 minutes of completing the Hidden Layer quest, Ragman will give you this task. He will provide you with a bottle of moonshine, which you need to take to the BTR driver on either Streets or Woods. Once you board the BTR, you need to go through the dialogue and hand over the moonshine (one selection) and then complete the task by finishing the interaction with the BTR driver (a second selection). This will complete Sensory Analysis Part Two, while to complete Part One you'll need to go back to your hideout and talk with Ragman again. Note:  Woods reportedly has a higher spawn rate for the BTR (80%) compared to Streets (70%) Note 02: Sensory Analysis Part Two gets automatically added to your quest list upon accepting Sensory Analysis Part One.

  • Hot Zone (follows "Sensory Analysis Part One"): This task, also from Ragman, requires you to plant items on Customs and Reserve.

    • Customs: You need to plant 12 Zulu nylon rigs inside the unlocked office in New Gas (the first door on the left after entering from the bathroom side). It takes 5 seconds per item to plant. Note: You can do this part, as well as the Reserve part, over multiple raids if you wish to reduce risk of losing the rigs you're carrying in case you get killed. Tip: if you quickly double-tap the 'Tab' key after each plant, you can immediately begin the next one, avoiding a short delay.

      Tip 02: Ragman only sells 4 Zulu nylon rigs per reset, so you may want to buy some in advance to avoid having to buy them from the Flea Market for a higher price.

    • Reserve: You need to plant 12 Class 4 armour plates on the roof of the Black Knight building. Note: any Class 4 plate will work. Ragman gives you 6 Monoclete level III PE ballistic plate as Initial Equipment, but you don't need the same kind to reach the total of 12 needed to complete the quest. The only advantage in using the Monoclete level III PE ballistic plate is that they are light, thus easier to carry. Tip: This location is exposed, so caution is advised. Smoke grenades might be helpful for cover.


90 Minutes Time Gate


  • Forced Alliance: 1 hour and a half after completing "Hidden Layer" (if it doesn't appear, restart your game), this task from Mechanic will become available. It involves finding a way behind the health resort bunker door on Shoreline, and the objective is essentially about acquiring a Labrys access keycard.

    It also unlocks the quest The Tarkov Butcher from Therapist, that will reward you with five Labyrinth key cards. Upon receiving them, you will be able to complete Forced Alliance.

  • The Tarkov Butcher: This more complex task involves going to Ground Zero to retrieve an item and then planting it on Shoreline.

    • Ground Zero: Go to the underground road (accessible from various buildings) on the south end of the map and find a large truck with meat in the back. In the back you need to find a Container with suspicious substance. Once you obtain the container (it's a metal cylinder), you must extract from Ground Zero.

    • Shoreline: Take the cylinder to the ambulance inside the fenced cottage area where Sanitar spawns. Plant the item by the front passenger wheel of the ambulance. You do not need to survive after planting it.


    Completing "Tarkov Butcher" is significant as it rewards you with a Key Case and five Labrys access keycards, which are very expensive. It also unlocks the purchase of Labrys access keycards from Therapist at Loyalty Level 1 for 268,000 roubles, which is a potentially cheaper alternative to barters with Ragman.


  • Offensive Reconnaissance: Given by Mechanic after completing Forced Alliance, this task requires you to find out what is behind the health resort bunker door. Using a Labrys access keycard, you simply need to enter the Labyrinth transit located behind the bunker door. You do not need to survive or do anything else within the Labyrinth for this task.

Venturing into the Labyrinth


Once these preceding quests are completed, the real adventure begins! You will be able to access and explore the Labyrinth and its secrets, fight its dangers, as well as unlock a series of tasks that take place within the Labyrinth itself: Hypotheses Testing, Vacate the Premises, Confidential Info, Indisputable Authority, This Tape Sucks (These all become available after completing Offensive Reconnaissance) and the final and most complicated Keeper's Word

  • To access the Labyrinth, you need to bring a Labrys access keycard at the transit point located behind the health resort bunker door on Shoreline..


  • The transit mechanic functions like other transits in the game.


  • Each member of a team entering through the transit must have their own key card. One member of the team interacts with the transit and the timer starts. Key cards will be consumed upon entry.


  • The Labyrinth is a five-player map.


  • If you enter it in a five man team, no other player will join.


  • Players will spawn in separate puzzle rooms at the start, even if they are in the same team.


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There’s always something new to discover in Escape from Tarkov! Stay up to date with the latest News, Tips & Tricks, and In-Depth Guides, by checking out our links or starting from our Homepage. New to the game or just looking for more insights? Don’t miss our EFT: Tutorial section!

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