Kanto Route 5/Route description

Route 5 is a small pathway that is divided into three vertical parts: two pathways and a one-way, grass-filled middle with ledges that separates the two two-way paths. This middle section, accessible only from the Cerulean end, leads to the Pokémon Day Care just north of Saffron. The route is a simple north-south path with no turns other than those at the termini as it enters the cities of and.

Route 5 can be accessed two ways from Cerulean City: by cutting the -able trees on the southern portion of the city, or by going around city from the house attacked by the. At this point the route turns south, while Trainers can choose between going down the ledges or by traveling around it. If Trainers choose one of the pathways east or west of the ledged pathway, that will travel south until they get to the gate to Saffron City. If Trainers choose the ledged path, it is a one-way path around down the contoured hill. If a Trainer jumps the first ledge, they must travel south, jumping the two other ledges and traveling through the small patches of tall grass after each route. Once Trainers have cleared the two remaining ledges, there stands a small house of an old man running a Pokémon Day Care. Pokémon in the Day Care gain one experience point per step the player takes. It is free to put a Pokémon into the Day Care, and costs 100 plus an additional 100 for each level gained to take a Pokémon out. The Pokémon Day Care is removed in Generation II and replaced with a house of which an old woman dwells, giving away a Cleanse Tag to Trainers who enter.

There is also an on the south-eastern corner of Route 5 that passes under Saffron and comes out on  in the south, north of Vermilion City. This path is to allow Trainers and other people to pass Saffron without traveling through the city itself, which comes to a convenience during the period when the Officers at the city's gates are thirsty and will not let anyone through.