Union Cave Gold & Silver · Johto landmark

Map of Union Cave in Pokémon Gold and Silver — 1F (in-game map)

Union Cave runs under the hills between Route 32 and Route 33, and it is the route from Violet City to Azalea Town. Its first floor is a short walk with Hikers, Firebreathers and Poké Maniacs, while the lower floors open up later with Surf and hold much stronger trainers. The basement also connects to the hidden chambers of the Ruins of Alph, and on Fridays a Lapras surfaces on the lowest floor.

Wild Pokémon: 18
Items: 8
Trainers: 12
Needs: Surf, Strength

Connects to: Route 32 · Route 33 · Ruins of Alph

Where Union Cave is on the Johto map Union Cave on the Johto map

Gift and special Pokémon

Lapras Lv. 20 · One-off encounter

Appears on B2F every Friday.

Wild Pokémon

1F

Walking in the cave encounter rate 6%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Morning	Day	Night
Rattata	Normal	4–6	G 10%S 40%	G 10%S 40%	G 10%S 40%
Sandshrew Gold	Ground	6	30%	30%	30%
Geodude	RockGround	6	30%	30%	30%
Zubat	PoisonFlying	5–7	25%	25%	25%
Onix	RockGround	6	5%	5%	5%

Surfing encounter rate 2%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Wooper	WaterGround	15	60%
Quagsire	WaterGround	15–20	40%

Fishing
Rod	Pokémon	Lv.	Morning & day	Night
Old Rod	Magikarp	10	85%	85%
Old Rod	Goldeen	10	15%	15%
Good Rod	Goldeen	20	65%	65%
Good Rod	Magikarp	20	35%	35%
Super Rod	Goldeen	40	70%	70%
	Magikarp	40	20%	20%
	Seaking	40	10%	10%

B1F

Walking in the cave encounter rate 6%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Morning	Day	Night
Rattata	Normal	6–8	G 5%S 35%	G 5%S 35%	G 5%S 35%
Sandshrew Gold	Ground	8	30%	30%	30%
Geodude	RockGround	8	30%	30%	30%
Zubat	PoisonFlying	7–9	25%	25%	25%
Onix	RockGround	8	10%	10%	10%

Surfing encounter rate 2%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Wooper	WaterGround	15	60%
Quagsire	WaterGround	15–20	40%

Fishing
Rod	Pokémon	Lv.	Morning & day	Night
Old Rod	Magikarp	10	85%	85%
Old Rod	Goldeen	10	15%	15%
Good Rod	Goldeen	20	65%	65%
Good Rod	Magikarp	20	35%	35%
Super Rod	Goldeen	40	70%	70%
	Magikarp	40	20%	20%
	Seaking	40	10%	10%

B2F

Walking in the cave encounter rate 4%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Morning	Day	Night
Raticate	Normal	22	30%	30%	30%
Zubat	PoisonFlying	22	30%	30%	30%
Golbat	PoisonFlying	22	20%	20%	20%
Geodude	RockGround	21	10%	10%	10%
Rattata	Normal	20	5%	5%	5%
Onix	RockGround	23	5%	5%	5%

Surfing encounter rate 4%
Pokémon	Type	Lv.	Chance
Tentacool	WaterPoison	15	60%
Quagsire	WaterGround	20	30%
Tentacruel	WaterPoison	20	10%

Fishing
Rod	Pokémon	Lv.	Morning & day	Night
Old Rod	Magikarp	10	85%	85%
Old Rod	Krabby	10	15%	15%
Good Rod	Krabby	20	55%	55%
	Magikarp	20	35%	35%
	Staryu	20	–	10%
	Corsola	20	10%	–
Super Rod	Krabby	40	60%	60%
	Staryu	40	–	30%
	Corsola	40	30%	–
	Kingler	40	10%	10%

Chances are the game’s encounter slots for each time of day: morning 4:00–9:59, day 10:00–17:59, night 18:00–3:59 (grass and caves 30/30/20/10/5/4/1, surfing 60/30/10, Old Rod 70/15/15, Good Rod 35/35/20/10, Super Rod 40/30/20/10). Where Gold and Silver differ, a cell shows both (G and S); a version tag means the Pokémon only appears in that version here. Version exclusives · Where to find every Pokémon.

Trainers

Trainer	Pokémon	Prize	Where
HikerDaniel	Onix 11	₽88	1F
PokéManiacLarry	Slowpoke 10	₽150	1F
HikerRussell	Geodude 4 Geodude 6 Geodude 8	₽64	1F
FirebreatherRay	Vulpix 9	₽108	1F
FirebreatherBill	Koffing 6 Koffing 6	₽72	1F
HikerPhillip	Geodude 23 Geodude 23 Graveler 23	₽184	B1F
HikerLeonard	Geodude 23 Machop 25	₽200	B1F
PokéManiacAndrew	Marowak 24 Marowak 24	₽360	B1F
PokéManiacCalvin	Kangaskhan 26	₽390	B1F
Cooltrainer♂Nick	Charmander 26 Squirtle 26 Bulbasaur 26	₽312	B2F
Cooltrainer♀Gwen	Eevee 26 Flareon 22 Vaporeon 22 Jolteon 22	₽264	B2F
Cooltrainer♀Emma	Poliwhirl 28	₽336	B2F

Prize money is the trainer class’s base payout times the level of the trainer’s last Pokémon. Trainers with phone rematches call you when they want another battle; their teams grow as you progress.

Items

Item	How	Where
Great Ball	Item ball	1F
Potion	Item ball	1F
X Attack	Item ball	1F
Awakening	Item ball	1F
TM39 Swift	Item ball	B1F
X Defend	Item ball	B1F
Elixer	Item ball	B2F
Hyper Potion	Item ball	B2F

Hidden items can be found with the Itemfinder from Ecruteak City.

Tips

Every Friday a Lv 20 Lapras appears on B2F; save before you approach it and bring Surf.
Sandshrew lives on 1F and B1F in Gold only (up to 30%); Onix is rare on every floor.
TM39 Swift is in an item ball on B1F.
B2F has three Cooltrainers with teams in the mid-20s, so come back once your party is stronger.
Union Cave's basement leads to the Ho-Oh and Omanyte chambers of the Ruins of Alph.

Walkthrough: Part 3: Route 32 to Azalea Town and Bugsy

More maps

FAQ

Where is Lapras in Pokémon Gold and Silver?

On Union Cave B2F, but only on Fridays. It is a single Lv 20 Lapras on the water, so you need Surf.

How do you get to Azalea Town in Gold and Silver?

Go south from Violet City through Route 32, then through Union Cave's first floor to Route 33 and Azalea Town.

Where do you get TM39 Swift in Pokémon Gold and Silver?

It is in an item ball on Union Cave B1F.

Where do you catch Sandshrew in Pokémon Gold?

Union Cave 1F and B1F have Sandshrew at any time of day in Gold. It is not found there in Silver.

What Pokémon can you catch in Union Cave in Gold and Silver?

18 species: Rattata, Sandshrew, Geodude, Zubat, Onix, Wooper, Quagsire, Magikarp, Goldeen, Seaking, Raticate, Golbat, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Krabby, Staryu, Corsola, Kingler. Gold only: Sandshrew. Silver only: Magikarp, Goldeen, Seaking, Krabby, Staryu, Corsola, Kingler.

Sources & picture credits

Guide text is original retrogameindex writing, checked against Bulbapedia and the game data. Wild Pokémon and encounter chances for both versions and all three times of day, fishing, Headbutt and Rock Smash tables, items, trainers, gifts, trades and shops come from the pret/pokegold decompilation (pret/pokegold ef0201d8da). Maps and sprites © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK, archived from the Bulbagarden Archives; the Johto and Kanto maps are drawn from the game’s own Pokégear graphics (listed on the image gallery).