Starfield allows you to reach distant locations like many other RPGs through a fast-travel mechanism. It helps you whenever you want to travel from planet to planet, planet to ship, and more. It saves time and fuel. Sometimes, you may see a message on your screen saying “cannot fast travel” while trying to utilize this mechanic in Starfield.
This happens due to specific reasons that are predetermined to be a hurdle for fast traveling in the game. If any of these conditions are triggered, you will not be able to fast travel in Starfield.
Reasons you cannot fast travel in Starfield
There are many reasons why you cannot fast travel in the game. These include a critical location, fuel constraints, combat scenarios, and many others.
Mid Combat
If you are engaged in a fight and try to fast travel to a different place, the game will restrict you from doing so. Finish combat or escape and ensure that no enemies are looking for you.
Encumbered situation
Your inventory has a weight limit, and exceeding that limit impedes you to move around freely in different map areas. If you attempt to fast travel while in an encumbered state, this attempt will undoubtedly end in failure. A pop-up will indicate that you are carrying too much and cannot fast travel.
Getting Damaged by the Environment
Sometimes, you may be standing in an environmentally challenging location like a land mine. These locations deal consistent damage to your character. They also stop you from using fast travel in Starfield since you will get damaged.
Out-of-fuel situation
Fast travel does not mean you can vanish in thin air and reach the destination without resources. Your ship must have the necessary amount of fuel to get there. It will use less fuel than you would have used conventionally, but you must have some to start your journey.
Fast traveling to undiscovered locations
Starfield does not let you fast-travel to an area you have never traveled. You need to have discovered a location first, making it visible on your map. Then, you can select that location to go to. You cannot fast travel to a location you have not discovered in Starfield.
When you are near enemies
If enemy troops are suspicious of your presence in their area and start searching for you, your fast-travel function will stop working in that scenario. This keeps a sense of fair play in the game, where you cannot simply escape hostile situations on your own.
A specific quest restricts you
Many quests in the game require you to stay in certain areas for their completion. Traveling to a far-off place immediately can halt the mission midway. So, you cannot fast travel in this situation in Starfield.
Cannot fast travel midair
Fast traveling requires you to have both your feet on the ground. So, you cannot use this mechanism if you are jumping or falling from somewhere.
Your starship is docked
The game will restrict you from fast traveling if your starship is docked with another ship or a station. Your ship needs to be in space to fast travel.
Fixing the Cannot Fast Travel Issue in Starfield
All the aforementioned reasons are temporary and can be fixed by taking simple steps. For the mid-combat situation, you must either finish all the enemies in the area or run away from the battlefield first.
In an encumbered scenario, drop some useless items from your inventory, and you are good to go for fast traveling. In case of restriction by damage from your surrounding factors, go to a nearby safe area and then attempt again.
While trying to go to far-off star systems, you must attach He3 tanks to your ship. If you do not have these, you can travel to a nearby system first and then go to the desired system.
You will have to walk to the undiscovered places on the map. After that, they will be available for fast traveling.
If a mission prevents you from fast traveling, get out of the mission-related area or complete the mission before trying again.
If you cannot fast-travel due to your ship’s docked position, undock it and retry your attempts in Starfield.
