The RUST Submarine Guide: Location, Cost, Controls & More
Introduced in the Going Deep Update, RUST submarines give players two different methods for traversing the seas. Players can now travel both above and below the water, unlike the previously released water vessels.
RUST submarines are the first water-based vessels to allow players to utilize a built-in weapon system that fires torpedoes, which can be used to attack other vessels, such as rowboats, RHIBs, kayaks, and of course other submarines. With just these few abilities and more, it makes the RUST submarine the indisputable king of sea travel.
Where to locate RUST submarines and how much do they cost?
Players can purchase submarines directly from Boat Vendors found at the Large and Small Fishing Village monuments for scrap. Fishing Villages spawn randomly on each map, so you will need to locate them by pressing G, while in-game, to open your map.
RUST Submarine costs
The RUST submarine comes in two versions with two different prices:
- Solo Submarine (200 Scrap)
- Duo Submarine (300 Scrap)
Both submarines are automatically equipped with 50 low-grade fuel in their tank to enable the new owner the ability to sail off immediately. Once a submarine is purchased it will appear in the water behind the Boat Vendor and will only be available for the player who purchased the submarine for a limited amount of time (5 minutes) before the Boat Vendor will repossess the boat without a refund.
Players interested in scoring a RUST Submarine for free should be on the lookout for player-made submarine bases to raid and also consider lurking around the various Underwater Lab monuments, specifically watching the moonpools. Hijacking a submarine can be done by simply hopping into an abandoned submarine and sailing away. Be sure to carry some low-grade fuel with you if you’re planning on “acquiring” a sub this way.
As far as crafting submarines is concerned, at present, they cannot be crafted and do not appear in the tech tree.
RUST submarine controls: enter, exit, accelerate, submerge, & more
Controls for both the single and double passenger submarines are identical and are easy to master. The following list of controls will help you pilot the submarine:
RUST submarine controls
EKey to Enter the submarineSpacebarKey to exit the submarineWKey to AccelerateSKey to Decelerate & ReverseAKey to Turn LeftDKey to Turn Right- Hold
ShiftKey to Ascend - Hold
Left CTRLKey to Submerge FKey to Toggle HeadlightsLeft MouseButton to Fire Torpedoes
Players can enter a submarine by walking up to the vessel and moving their mouse cursor over the hatch and pressing the E key. To exit the vehicle, regardless of which seat you’re in, simply press the Spacebar key.
Holding the W key down will accelerate forward and holding the S key will decelerate and reverse once the vessel stops moving. The A key and D key will turn the submarine left and right respectively.
To travel upwards and ascend to the surface, hold down the SHIFT key, and when you want to submerge or descend, hold down the Left CTRL key and accelerate forward. Using the mouse will move your perspective inside the submarine to look out the portholes or interact with objects.
While the submarine will come with a small amount of fuel, courtesy of the boat vendor, you will eventually need to refuel the sub. The single passenger submarine in RUST has an external fuel tank. However, if you hold the Alt & / keys to look around, you can see behind you and access the tank from inside the submarine.
Tapping the F key will toggle the submarine’s headlights, giving you a fair amount of visibility, even at the bottom of the sea at night. However, the headlights give you away to other players watching from the surface, particularly at night.
Firing torpedos requires the submarine’s torpedo storage to have 1 or more torpedos inside of it. When it’s equipped and the submarine is active, simply press the Left Mouse button to fire an individual torpedo. Each subsequent press will fire an additional torpedo.
Submarine oxygen requirements
Whenever you submerge in either the solo or duo submarine, a 10-minute timer for your air consumption will appear just above your life meter. Keep a close eye on this meter since it tells you two things: how much air you have left and what method you are drawing air from. The submarine’s hull will display a little “submarine” icon before the oxygen timer and this is how you know that you are breathing air from the hull. If you see an oxygen tank or a lung icon, this means your hull’s oxygen has depleted and you are breathing on an alternate source.
When the oxygen gauge runs out for the submarine’s hull, you will either switch over to the air in your oxygen tank, assuming you brought one, or you will begin to suffocate (not good)! If you plan to be underwater for an extended period of time, be sure to bring an oxygen tank with you for backup.
To refill the air in the submarine’s hull, simply surface the submarine and it will refill automatically. This can be done both at the surface of the ocean and in moon pools of the underwater labs.
When trying to surface the submarine for air, take care to use the proper controls for surfacing. Many players make the mistake while driving the submarine by accidentally pressing Space to rise instead of Shift, which ends up dismounting the sub rather than surfacing. And unless you are wearing an oxygen tank, you won’t likely have enough air to make it to the surface.
The RUST solo submarine: price, description, features
The Solo Submarine costs 200 scrap and has the appearance of a large, rusty red oil barrel with homemade modifications, such as the welded-on light at the bow and the strapped-on red plastic fuel tank and toolbox. Black rubber tubing feeds into the vessel’s port and starboard sides in what appears to be fuel tanks. The strapped-on toolbox provides 12 storage slots to stow away loot and extra fuel. It’s a clear sign that this is not a military model.
Of the two submarine models, the Solo Submarine has a total of 500 hit points. However, it also has fewer features available when compared to the Duo Submarine model, as no instrument cluster or controls are visible while inside.
The solo submarine’s sail, otherwise known as a fin, distinctly stands out, with a total of four grimy frosted-looking portholes that can only be seen out of while inside the vessel. Other players can’t visually determine if someone is inside the submarine unless it’s actively moving or shooting torpedoes, as players inside cannot be seen.
The sail also serves as the primary way to enter the submarine, though you can enter it from below and on the sides of the submarine. Players can enter the submarine when standing next to it and placing their cursor over the sail, then pressing the E key to mount it. Players can get out of the submarine by pressing the Space Bar key, whether underway or on the surface.
On the port and starboard sides of the submarine are small hydroplanes with ballast tanks directly below them. You will find a typical propeller for acceleration at the sub’s stern with a rudder to control left and right movements.
The RUST duo submarine: price, description, features
The Duo Submarine, which costs 300 scraps, has a similar appearance as the Solo Submarine though it has a slightly larger hull and is primarily yellow in color with rust stains streaked all over. There are three portholes on the port and starboard sides, with a larger dash window in the front. On the upper portion of the vessel, you will find all the portholes, which are also one-way glass.
The sail is not as pronounced as the Solo Submarine but appears more advanced at first sight, as the fuel system is not strapped on the stern but located and accessible inside the pressure hull.
Inside the Duo Submarine is a considerably larger pressure hull, which can fit two players and allow seat swapping when there is one occupant.
While in the captain’s chair, your instrument cluster will display the following:
- Fuel gauge
- Speedometer
- Sonar Control
- Depth Level Gauge
- Torpedo Storage
- Ammo Indicator
Fuel gauge
The fuel gauge is accessible only from the captain’s seat and will display a max of 160 fuel, however, both submarines can hold up to 500 low-grade fuel inside their fuel tanks. This control will display an accurate live reading as the fuel tank contains 160 or lower low-grade fuel. Otherwise, it will read as full when it exceeds that number.
Speedometer
The speedometer is accessible only from the captain’s seat. It reads up to 20 KM/M & MPH and will activate as the submarine begins to move forward or backwards and will display a live reading of the current speed.
Sonar control
The sonar control is accessible only from the captain’s seat and will display red dot indicators when players are near Underwater Lab monuments or other running submarines. If a submarine is not actively running, it will not appear on the sonar.
Depth level gauge
The depth level gauge is accessible only from the captain’s seat and provides a live reading of the submarine’s current depth up to 45 meters.
Torpedo storage
The torpedo storage is accessible only from the captain’s seat and allows players to insert up to 100 torpedoes at a time. These can be fired at other vessels and players.
Ammo indicator
The ammo indicator is visible from both seats. When there are 1 or more torpedoes inside of the storage, an ammo indicator flag will be in the “down” position. When there are 0 torpedoes in the torpedo storage, the flag will be in the “up” position, indicating that it’s empty.
Fuel tank
The fuel tank of the double passenger submarine is inside at the rear of the vehicle. You will need to be in the passenger seat to access the tank. Both subs can hold up to 500 low-grade-fuel in their tanks and burn through fuel at a reasonable rate.
Tips for using submarine torpedoes
In the unlikely event that players come face to face in submarines, you can fire special torpedo ammunition designed for the sub. While Facepunch promised different torpedoes, they removed the surface traveling torpedo instead of the regular torpedo in the September 2021 Update.
Torpedo’s travel in a straight line from the direction fired and it requires two torpedoes to destroy most sea vehicles, including other submarines.
You can choose to buy the torpedoes from the Boat Vendor at the fishing village for 75 scraps. Alternatively, you can get your hands on the torpedo blueprint and craft them for one pipe and 30 gunpowder per torpedo.
There is no crosshair for the torpedoes, so getting accustomed to using them effectively will take a bit of practice. Also, keep in mind that the torpedo has a blast radius of about 5 meters, so don’t be right up against your target when you fire.
Storage, decay, and repair of RUST submarines
Like many vehicles in RUST, Submarines are a significant investment, not only of scrap, but your time spent gathering that scrap and traveling to acquire the submarine.
Storage
Keeping your submarines stored indoors properly is important. Submarines that are sitting out in the open or even in deep water are lucrative targets for other players. Leaving a submarine out in the open is a quick way to make yourself a target. Storing your submarine properly will also prevent it from decaying.
Decay
Like other water vessels, submarines have the same decay as rowboats and RHIBs. When a boat is unused for the first 45 minutes, it won’t decay. Then they’ll start to lose health over time, specifically for 240 minutes, if left unused outside of a base. If left in deep water, it’s 180 minutes. If a submarine is left indoors (roof overhead) and not in deep water, it won’t decay.
Repair
Submarines can take collision, decay, and weapon damage. Players shooting at submarines with guns can eventually destroy them. Being able to repair your submarine on the go and at home base is important. It requires having metal fragments and a wooden hammer. Most swings of the hammer consume at most 5 metal fragments and repair approximately 55-65 damage per.
Going to the depths of RUST and beyond
They say life is sweeter under the sea, but it is probably saltier. That may be the exception in RUST, as the submarines undoubtedly free you from the villainy of other players. So if you’re having a hard time getting your early wipe game started, it may be worth your while to set up a boat base, find a scuba set, and take it to the sea.
For server admins interested in configurations surrounding submarines, be sure to check out our guide on the RUST Submarine Command and Variables.
