If you’ve spent any amount of time hopping between warp points in Honkai: Star Rail, you’ve probably paused mid-trailblaze mission to wonder just how big the game’s universe really is. I’ve lost count of how many times my guildmates have asked me how many planets are in honkai star rail, especially after each big version update drops with teases of new worlds to explore. It’s not a straightforward answer, either, because HoYoverse is constantly expanding the Astral Express’s route with new destinations tied to main story beats, limited events, and endgame content. This guide breaks down every confirmed planet, both playable and upcoming, plus all the little details you might miss about each world when you’re rushing through main quests.
How Many Planets Are in Honkai: Star Rail Right Now?
The answer depends on what you count as a full, permanent planet, since HoYoverse adds temporary event maps all the time that don’t stick around after the event ends. I’ve played since launch, and I’ve tested this definition with other long-time players to make sure we’re counting consistently. As of the latest game update, there are 4 fully playable, story-relevant planets in Honkai: Star Rail, plus 1 central hub location (Herta Space Station) that counts as a permanent explorable area.
You might be wondering why we don’t count every explorable zone as a planet. For the sake of this guide, we only count locations that meet all of the following criteria:
Temporary event areas, like the 2024 Aetherium Wars battle arena or the seasonal winter festival map on Jarilo-VI, don’t meet these requirements because they get removed once the event wraps up. You won’t lose access to any of these core planets after you unlock them, so you can go back to farm materials or finish missing side quests whenever you want. I still go back to the first planet every other week to farm ascension materials for my physical damage characters, and I always find new little lore bits I missed on my first playthrough.
Breakdown of Every Playable HSR Planet
Each of the 4 core planets has its own distinct vibe, character roster, and reward pools, so it’s worth taking time to explore all of them instead of rushing through the main story as fast as possible. Jarzilo-VI is the first full planet you’ll visit after leaving the Herta Space Station, and it’s a great spot to farm early-game ice and physical character ascension materials. This frozen world is split between the opulent upper city of Belobog and the gritty, monster-infested Underworld, and its story focuses on the fight against the Eternal Freeze and the corrupted Aeon Preservation follower Cocolia. You’ll unlock Jarilo-VI when you hit Trailblaze Level 14 and finish the prologue missions on the Herta Space Station.
The second planet you’ll unlock is the Xianzhou Luofu, a sprawling, cyber-xianxia themed fleet world tied to the Aeon of Hunt. You’ll get access to it at Trailblaze Level 24, and it has some of the most challenging early-to-mid game boss fights, including the Phantylia Echo of War fight that drops materials for many popular 5-star characters. The Luofu’s zones range from bustling cloud harbors to abandoned alchemy labs, and it has dozens of hidden side quests that reward extra Stellar Jades and exclusive 4-star relics.
The third and most recent playable planet is Penacony, the Planet of Festivities, which you unlock at Trailblaze Level 40. This dream-like world is built inside a giant hotel, and its story dives into the lore of the Aeon of Harmony and the mysterious factions fighting for control of the planet’s memory core. Penacony has the most hidden side quests of any planet released so far, so it’s worth taking a break from the main story to hunt for chests and secret NPC interactions. I spent three full evenings exploring every corner of Penacony and earned enough Stellar Jades for 12 pulls on the Acheron banner, which was more than worth the time.
Even though it’s not technically a planet, the Herta Space Station acts as your permanent home base between worlds. It houses the Simulated Universe, the Forgotten Hall, and all your daily mission NPCs, so you’ll be coming back here constantly no matter how many new planets get added.
Upcoming Planets Confirmed for Future Updates
HoYoverse has already teased multiple new planets that will be added to the game over the next few years, as part of the ongoing Trailblaze story. If you’re a lore fan, you’ve probably scoured every official trailer for clues about how many planets are in honkai star rail that haven’t been announced yet, and there are a lot of hints scattered across existing in-game items and NPC dialogue. So far, HoYoverse has officially confirmed three new planets that are in active development, each tied to a different Aeon faction.
The first upcoming planet is expected to be tied to the Aeon of Destruction, and leakers suggest it will introduce at least three new playable characters, including a 5-star destruction DPS that uses fire damage. Leakers suggest the next playable planet will arrive in version 3.0, which is scheduled to launch in late 2024, but always wait for official announcements before getting your hopes up for specific content. HoYoverse often changes release timelines based on player feedback, so nothing is set in stone until it’s posted on the official HSR social media accounts.
The other two confirmed upcoming planets are tied to the Aeon of Abundance and the Aeon of Elation, respectively. The Abundance planet is expected to add new healer characters and endgame content focused on sustained survival fights, while the Elation planet will likely have a playful, carnival-like theme with lots of mini-game focused events. HoYoverse usually adds one new core planet every 3-4 version updates, which translates to roughly one new planet every 6 months, so we can expect the 5th playable planet to drop before the end of 2024.
One thing to keep in mind is that new planets always require you to finish all previous main story missions to unlock them. If you’re still stuck on the Penacony main quest, it’s a good idea to finish that sooner rather than later so you can jump into the new planet as soon as it launches. I also recommend holding onto 1-2 weeks of daily training rewards before a new planet drops, so you can level up fast enough to unlock all its zones quickly.
Common Questions About HSR Planets Answered
I get a lot of repeat questions about HSR planets from new players, so I’ve rounded up the most common ones here to save you time searching for answers. First up: do temporary event maps count as permanent planets? No, as we mentioned earlier, any map that gets removed after an event ends doesn’t count towards the total, because you can’t go back to it later. Even if the event map is set on an existing planet, any limited-time zones added for the event don’t count as part of the planet’s permanent content.
Second most common question: do I have to pay to unlock new planets? All core planets in Honkai: Star Rail are 100% free to unlock, no purchase required. All you need to do is hit the required Trailblaze Level and finish the previous main story missions, and you’ll get access to the new planet for free. The only paid content in the game is cosmetic skins, premium currency for banners, and the monthly battle pass, none of which are required to access any story or explorable content.
Third question: will old planets get new content in future updates? Yes, HoYoverse regularly adds new side quests, hidden chests, and even new zones to existing planets. For example, they added a whole new frozen wasteland zone to Jarilo-VI in version 1.6, with 15 new hidden chests and a 3-hour long side quest that rewards a free 4-star light cone. I check back on old planets after every version update to see if there’s new content I missed, and I almost always find extra Stellar Jades or achievements I didn’t have before.
The last common question I get is how many total planets HoYoverse plans to add to the game over its lifetime. Official statements say the Trailblaze story is planned for at least 7 years of content, so we can expect at least 12-15 core planets total before the main story wraps up. That’s a lot of new worlds to look forward to.
At the end of the day, the answer to how many planets are in honkai star rail will keep changing as HoYoverse expands the game’s universe with new story beats and content drops. Right now you can explore 4 core planets plus the Herta Space Station, and that number will only grow over the next few years as the Trailblaze story continues. Don’t rush through each planet just to finish the main quest, either – taking time to explore every corner will net you extra Stellar Jades, achievements, and fun little lore bits that make the HSR universe feel so alive. If you’re stuck finding a specific chest or side quest on any of the planets, drop a comment below and I’ll help you track it down.
