Balloon transport system

The Balloon Transport System is one of several transportation modes in Runescape. Two locations are available after the Enlightened Journey quest. The other 4 locations are available after completing this miniquest.

Requirements


There are currently 6 locations that can be flown to, each needing a specific sort of log and firemaking level to attempt the flight. You cannot carry over 40 kilograms of weight when using the balloon.

After completing the Enlightened Journey quest, a player can travel between Entrana and Taverley. To unlock the 4 new routes, a player must first start from Entrana with the required new logs and navigate successfuly through 3 screens to the new destination. Crashing the balloon will result in the loss of the remaining logs and the need to start again in Entrana with new logs.

For each of the 4 new routes that are unlocked, a player receives 2,000 firemaking experience points.

Ballooning


See the quest Ballooning section for a review of flying a balloon.


 * Each control always moves one "space" forward (or right) and maybe up or down.
 * Drop sandbag moves up two spaces (UP 2).
 * Burn log moves up one space up (UP 1).
 * "Relax" moves forward or right only with no change in altitude (RIGHT).
 * Pull normal rope moves down one space (DOWN 1),
 * Pull red rope moves down two spaces (DOWN 2).
 * "Bail" cancels  flight.

Destinations
There are 6 locations the balloons can fly to: Entrana, Taverley, Crafting Guild, Varrock, Castle Wars, and the Grand Tree. Entrana and Taverley are available when completing the Enlightened Journey quest.

Entrana is also the main entry point to unlock routes to new locations. A player must start at the Entrana site carrying the appropriate logs plus a tinderbox. For the first trip a player needs to navigate through 3 screens avoiding birds, clouds, buildings, trees, and other hazards. Once the player completes the journey, a return trip does not require navigation and the trip cost drops to 1 log of the appropriate type.

The following sections show one of several possible choices to get to the final destination.

Entrana
Initial cost is collecting the materials to build the balloon and completing the Enlightened Journey quest, return trips cost 1 log. Requires firemaking level 20.

Entrana is the starting point for the Enlightened Journey quest where a player begins the construction of the Balloon Transport System. As a starting point, there are no screen routes available for Entrana.

Entrana is also a destination for runecrafting law runes, sand collection and glass crafting.

Weapons and armour are not allowed on Entrana, including woodcutting axes.

Taverley
Initial cost is 10 logs, return trips cost 1 log. Requires firemaking level 20.

Taverley was made available during the quest and the screen routes are available at the Flying to Taverley section.

Crafting Guild
Initial cost is 10 oak logs, return trips cost 1 oak log. Requires firemaking level 30.



Crafting Guild Screen 1 Suggested route: right x2, up1 x2, right x2, down1 x2, right x3, up1, right, down2, right, down1, right, up1, right x2



Crafting Guild Screen 2 Suggested route: right, down1, right, up1, right x4, down1, right x3, up1, right x6



Crafting Guild Screen 3 Suggested route: right, up1 x2, right x6, down1 x2, right, down1 x2, right x4

Varrock
Initial cost is 10 willow logs, return trips cost 1 willow log. Requires firemaking level 40.



Varrock Screen 1 Suggested route:  up2, right, up2, right x3, down1 x3, right x2, down1, up1, right x2, down1, up1, right, up1, right



Varrock Screen 2 Suggested route: right x6, up1 x2, down1 x4, right x2, up2, right x4



Varrock Screen 3 Suggested route: right x3, up2, right, down1, right, up1, right x2, down1, up1, right, down1 x2, down2, down1, right

Castle Wars
Initial cost is 10 yew logs, return trips cost 1 yew log. Requires firemaking level 50.



Castle Wars Screen 1 - Beware of water monster jumping out of water at far right! Suggested route: up2 x2, up1, right x5, down2, up1, right x2, down1 x2, right, up1 x2, right x3



Castle Wars Screen 2 Suggested route: up1, right, down2, down1, right x8, up2, right, down1, right x2, down1, right



Castle Wars Screen 3

Suggested route: up1, right x2, down1, right x4, up1, down2, right x4, up2, down1 x3, right

Grand Tree
Initial cost is 3 magic logs, return trips cost 1 magic log. Requires firemaking level 60.

The Grand Tree is where most of the gnomes live. It is located in the northeast section of the Tree Gnome Stronghold. The balloon landing site is just southeast of the main entrance.

The landing site is close to all the shops and food services of the Grand Tree, 2 banks, a fruit tree farming patch, and agility course as well as close access to a spirit tree and gnome glider.



Grand Tree Screen 1 Suggested route: right x6, down1, right x13



Grand Tree Screen 2 Suggested route: up1, down1, up1, down1, up1, right x2, up1, down1, right, up2, right x2, down2, right, down1, right x3



Grand Tree Screen 3 Suggested route: up1 x3, right, down1, right, up1, right x4, down2, right, down2, down1, right x3

Uses of the Balloon Transport System
The log payments and the maximum weight requirement (40kg) seems a major disadvantage of the Balloon Transport System. Of interest are the destinations where the log payment is relatively painless. The main uses of the Balloon Transport System are in combination with the use of a Ring of Dueling teleport to the Castle Wars for banking. Typical trips start at the Castle Wars Bank which has an entry to the Balloon Transport System close by. Examples of round trips to Balloon Transport System destinations and possible activities are presented in the table below: