Visiting each of the Starfield cities for the first time are among the most powerful moments in the game, and you’ll find yourself returning to these hubs often. However, they’re not easy to locate, and even then, the game doesn’t make it obvious what services you’ll find in the city maps. So, here’s all there is to know about the Starfield cities, including where to find them in the Starmap and all the important landmarks, shops, and services you’ll find there.
We’ve visited all the cities and hub areas in our time with the game for our Starfield review. They’re the perfect locations to kick back and tweak the best Starfield builds, get to know our Starfield companions, and immerse ourselves in the numerous Starfield factions that call the cities home.
All Starfield cities
The four main Starfield cities are:
- New Atlantis – Jemison, Alpha Centauri
- Akila City – Akila, Cheyenne
- Neon – Volii Alpha, Volii
- The Key – Suvorov orbit, Kryx
There are four main cities and hub areas in Starfield that you’ll frequent to do upgrades, accept and turn in Starfield missions, tune your Starfield ships, and much, much more. These cities have everything you’ll need to deck out your character, ships, and progress through the game, though there are also minor settlements that contain a few useful services and important NPCs.
The important towns and hubs are:
- Cydonia – Mars, Sol
- New Homestead – Titan, moon of Saturn, Sol
- Hopetown – Polvo, Valo
- Paradiso – Porrima II, Porrima
- UC Vigilance – Sol
You’ll often come across these smaller settlements while completing quests or exploring the Starfield planets, so you won’t have to go out of your way to find areas bustling with life between the many empty planets.
New Atlantis
The Starfield New Atlantis location can be found on the planet of Jemison in the Alpha Centauri system, overlooked by the United Colonies faction, home of the Starfield UC Vanguard joinable faction.
New Atlantis is the capital city of the United Colonies, the most powerful military and political faction in the game. The city was founded in 2160 – a year after the UC was established – before becoming the UC capital in 2161. While it’s clearly grown quite significantly over time, New Atlantis already got off to a rapid start following the arrival of humans in the system and the establishment of the UC. With Starfield beginning in 2330 A.D, players are able to explore the city after nearly 200 years of development, so there’s a rich location to explore here.
Like all major cities, life in New Atlantis is varied, with developer Emil Pagliarulo noting that its inhabitants come from “every race, creed, and ethnicity. New Atlantis is meant to reflect the diversity in the world around us and offer a futuristic view on what’s to come.” When you visit New Atlantis early on in the game’s main story, you can certainly feel this, with a bustling spaceport and trade district, towering skyscrapers, and plenty of apartments.
New Atlantis main features:
- Ship Services
- Trade Authority
- The Viewport spaceport
- Jemison Mercantile
- Constellation faction headquarters
- United Colonies Vanguard faction headquarters
Check out an interactive Starfield New Atlantis map here to explore more of the city.
Akila City
The Starfield Akila City location is on the planet of Akila in the Cheyenne system, home to the Starfield Freestar Collective faction.
Akila City was founded by Solomon Coe in 2167, which soon saw rapid growth as other settlers traveled out of United Colonies space to establish new settlements. With the Freestar Rangers being established in 2231, The Rock city hall and bar became their headquarters. Since then, the city has expanded several times, moving further out beyond the walls originally built to keep away the Ashta – deadly alien creatures that roam Akila.
If you’ve met companion Sam Coe already, then you’ve no doubt pieced together the lore. That’s right, Sam Coe is a direct descendant of Solomon Coe, the founder of the city. This makes for some interesting dynamics when it comes to visiting the city, as Sam left the city and his family behind to explore the stars, with many claiming he’s left his legacy behind.
Serving as the capital of the Freestar Collective – a loose confederation of three distinct star systems and its numerous denizens – it’s natural that Akila is a place where those who value individuality and freedom come to stay.
Akila main features:
- Ship Services
- Trade Authority
- The Hitching Post spaceport
- Rowland Arms
- Laredo Firearms
- Freestar Collective faction headquarters
- Coe Estate
Check out an interactive Starfield Akila City map here to find out more.
Neon
The Starfield Akila City location can be found on the planet of Volii Alpha in the Volii system, being the base of operations for the Starfield Ryujin Industries faction.
If you’re looking for some Cyberpunk vibes, then Neon is the place to go. Neon started its life as an aquatic world, where the Xenofish Corporation fished its waters on a regular basis. However, that all changed when the corporation found one of its key catches had psychotropic properties and they realized they could make more money from selling drugs.
So, overnight Neon turned from a fishing hub into party central, and people flock from all over the galaxy to enjoy Aurora, which, by the way, is only legal in Neon. Now then, Neon is a fully-fledged colony, playing on its unique design to create a tourist destination.
With so much money coming into Neon, it should be no surprise that several corporations have been vying for greater control over the city. Chief among them is Ryujin Industries, one of the many joinable factions.
Neon main features:
- Ship Services
- Trade Authority
- Astral Lounge Bar/spaceport
- Neon Tactical
- Kore Kinetics
- Stroud-Eklund headquarters
Check out an interactive Starfield Neon map here to discover more about the location.
The Key
The location of The Key space station can be found orbiting Suvorov in the Kryx system, acting as the headquarters of the Starfield Crimson Fleet pirates.
This space station once belonged to the United Colonies where it was used to overlook The Lock, a high-security prison. Following a riot, The Key was overwhelmed and since captured by a band of pirates that, ironically, now call the station home.
Given its the base of operations for various nefarious people, you’ll want to head to The Key if you’re looking to join the Fleet yourself or are looking to get deep into the Starfield contraband system. This is because The Key won’t scan you for illegal goods when arriving. Why would pirates care about the law? It’s not the most scenic of the Starfield cities, nor the most traditional, but it’s got everything you need in one confined space, especially if you’re an outlaw yourself. In fact, there’s also several great Starfield unique weapons that can be purchased here.
The Key main features:
- Ship Services
- Trade Authority
- Zuri’s Essentials
- TK’s Tactical Gear
- Aludra Tahan’s Weapons Shop
- Crimson Fleet faction headquarters
And that covers all the main Starfield cities, where to find them, and all the important locations to stop by when you’re there. From party cities to pirate cities, there’s lot of diverse locations in Starfield, making it one of the best Xbox RPG games to play right now. So, hop in the best Starfield ships and get traveling to all these tourist destinations. In fact, you could even set up shop in one of these locations yourself using the outpost system, though we’d recommend the best Starfield outpost locations instead thanks to their utility.
Still looking for more? While a good Starfield wiki can be a handy source of information, our new Starfield Database goes further, offering you daily news, searchable databanks, and even interactive tools.