A weathered military survey map of a coastal landmass under lamplight

The DayZ Chernarus map

A hand-labelled overview of Chernarus — the towns, the military zones and a sane route from a fresh spawn to real gear.

Chernarus is the map that defines DayZ: a sprawling post-Soviet coastline of ruined cities, quiet farming villages, dense forest and a scattering of military bases that everyone, eventually, wants to reach. Knowing its shape is the difference between a confident run inland and a cold, lost night on the coast. This is a hand-labelled overview to keep you oriented.

Hand-labelled DayZ Chernarus map showing towns, roads and military zones — The Chernarus overview map — coast, towns and military zones at a glance. Tap the map to open it full-size and zoom in.

Reading the land

The zones that matter

South coast

Chernogorsk and Elektrozavodsk — big, loot-rich, and dangerous. Most fresh spawns start near here.

Military bases

The Northwest and Northeast airfields, Balota and Tisy — high-tier weapons and gear, and high-traffic firefights.

Northern towns

Severograd, Novodmitrovsk and the inland hubs — quieter industrial and residential loot away from the coast.

East coast

Berezino and its surrounds — a common fresh-spawn belt with a long run inland to the airfields.

From spawn to gear, the sensible way

Most survivors wake up on the eastern or southern coast with nothing. The temptation is to sprint for an airfield; the reality is that arriving there hungry and unarmed usually ends the run. A calmer loop works better: hit a nearby coastal town for the basics — food, water, a bag, a starter weapon — then move inland to a larger hub such as Severograd, and only push toward the Northwest Airfield once you can survive a fight when you get there.

Orientation is half the game. The sea lies to the south and east, so keeping water on your right generally points you north-east; road signs name the next town; and the sun rises in the east. String those cues together and you can navigate Chernarus even without a compass in hand.

Also on Infinity Codex

This map lives alongside our Pillars of Eternity material. If that is what brought you here, start with the console-command finder, the IE Mod overview, or the item & money reference.

Survive the coast

Chernarus map — questions & answers

What map is this?

It is Chernarus, the main map of DayZ — a large post-Soviet landscape of coastal cities, inland towns, forests and military installations. This is a hand-labelled overview for orientation and route planning.

Where do I spawn in DayZ?

Fresh spawns usually appear along the eastern and southern coast, between roughly Berezino and Kamyshovo. From there most players head inland toward towns and, eventually, the airfields for better gear.

Where is the best loot?

Military zones — the Northwest Airfield above all, plus the Northeast Airfield, Balota and Tisy — hold the highest-tier weapons and gear. They are also where you are most likely to meet other armed players.

How do I get oriented without a compass?

Read the coast: the sea sits to the south and east, so keeping it on your right generally means you are heading north-east. Road signs name the nearest town, and the sun rises in the east — all useful when you have no map or compass in hand.

What is a good early route?

A classic loop is coast to a nearby town for basic supplies, then inland to a larger hub like Severograd, and only then toward an airfield once you have food, water and a backpack. Rushing an airfield fresh is a fast way to lose everything.

Is Chernarus the only DayZ map?

No — Livonia is the other official map, and the community has made many more. Chernarus remains the default and the one most guides, including this one, refer to.

Why is a DayZ map on this site?

This hand-labelled Chernarus map has lived at this address for years and is kept here for the players who still rely on it, alongside the site’s Pillars of Eternity material.