The Journey Together card list brought back one of the most loved ideas in Pokémon TCG history: Trainer’s Pokémon. The ninth main Scarlet & Violet set is built around the partner Pokémon of N, Iono, Lillie and Hop. This guide covers the full card list, the chase cards, the Articuno illustration rare, the Enhanced Booster Box and which product to open.
Quick facts: released March 28, 2025 · 190 cards (159 + 31 secret) · 6 special illustration rares · 4 Trainer’s Pokémon ex · Japanese version: Battle Partners.
Table of Contents
Journey Together card list: release date and set size
The set released on March 28, 2025. Prerelease events started on March 15, and Pokémon TCG Live got it on March 27. The main set runs from 001 to 159, and 31 secret cards take the total to 190. Bulbapedia’s set page has the complete checklist, and PocketMonsters.net has the official product announcement.
The secret cards break down like this:
- 11 illustration rares (160–170)
- 11 ultra rares (171–181)
- 6 special illustration rares (182–187)
- 3 gold hyper rares (188–190)
Trainer’s Pokémon are back
Journey Together brings back Trainer’s Pokémon, last seen in a main expansion back in EX Team Magma vs Team Aqua. These are Pokémon cards that belong to a named Trainer, and the Trainer’s name is part of the card name, like N’s Zoroark ex or Iono’s Bellibolt ex. Each card is a single Pokémon tied to its Trainer, not a two-Pokémon tag team card.
The set focuses on four Trainers, each with one Trainer’s Pokémon ex:
- Iono’s Bellibolt ex (053)
- Lillie’s Clefairy ex (056)
- N’s Zoroark ex (098)
- Hop’s Zacian ex (111)
Many smaller Trainer’s Pokémon fill out each Trainer’s team, such as N’s Darumaka and Iono’s Voltorb. For collectors, that makes it easy to build a binder page for each Trainer.
Journey Together chase cards
Here is the order of the most valuable cards from a March 2026 ranking:
- Lillie’s Clefairy ex 184/159 special illustration rare
- Salamence ex 187/159 special illustration rare
- N’s Zoroark ex 185/159 special illustration rare
- Iono’s Bellibolt ex 183/159 special illustration rare
- Hop’s Zacian ex 186/159 special illustration rare
- Volcanion ex 182/159 special illustration rare
- Articuno 161/159 illustration rare
- N’s Zoroark ex 189/159 gold hyper rare
- N’s Reshiram 167/159 illustration rare
- Wailord 162/159 illustration rare
Lillie’s Clefairy ex: the top card
The Lillie’s Clefairy ex special illustration rare, 184/159, is the number one chase card. Lillie is a long-time fan favourite from Pokémon Sun and Moon, and her Clefairy ex special illustration rare has a soft, colourful artwork that puts it at the top of most want lists for the set.
The other special illustration rares
All six special illustration rares sit in the top six. Four of them are Trainer’s Pokémon ex, and the other two are Salamence ex, which ranks second, and Volcanion ex. The three gold hyper rares are Iono’s Bellibolt ex, N’s Zoroark ex and Spiky Energy, and the gold N’s Zoroark ex also makes the top ten.
The Articuno illustration rare
The Articuno Journey Together illustration rare, 161/159, is the most popular non-ex card in the set and ranks seventh by value. Its snowy artwork stands out among the illustration rares, and it is a good target if you want a strong card without chasing the special illustration rares.
There is also a special Articuno 032/159 with a Cosmos Holo “Snowflake Stamp”. That version is exclusive to the Holiday Calendar 2025, so you will not find it in normal packs.
Booster boxes: regular vs Enhanced
The set also brought back box toppers. The Enhanced Booster Display Box includes a set-stamped version of the N’s Reshiram illustration rare (167/159) as a box topper. It was sold through the Pokémon Center online store and Play! Pokémon retailers.
The regular Booster Display Box has no box topper. It was sold at both Play! and other retailers, including big stores like Best Buy and GameStop in the US, and stores outside the Play! program only got the regular version. Check the listing for any Journey Together booster box to see which version it is.
Why the set is so popular
Trainer’s Pokémon were a big part of the early Pokémon TCG, with cards like Brock’s and Misty’s Pokémon in the Gym sets. Bringing the idea back with modern characters gave older collectors a dose of nostalgia and gave newer fans cards of the Trainers they know from the recent games and anime.
The set also has a good spread of value. The chase is not just one card: six special illustration rares, plus strong illustration rares like Articuno, N’s Reshiram and Wailord, mean that most boxes have something worth keeping.
Journey Together vs Battle Partners
The English set uses cards from the Japanese set Battle Partners, plus a few from the Japanese Generations Start Decks. Battle Partners came out in Japan on January 24, 2025, with 132 cards (100 plus 32 secret). If you prefer Japanese packs, the Japanese Battle Partners booster box has the same Trainer’s Pokémon in a Japanese box.
Products and contents
Elite Trainer Box
The Journey Together Elite Trainer Box has 9 packs, a full-art foil N’s Zorua promo (SVP 189), 65 sleeves, 45 Energy cards, a player’s guide, 6 damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, 2 condition markers, a collector’s box with 4 dividers and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.
Pokémon Center ETB
The Pokémon Center version has 11 packs and 2 full-art N’s Zorua promos, one with the Pokémon Center logo, plus the same accessories.
Other products
There is a 6-pack Booster Bundle, a Build & Battle Box and Kit, the Salamence ex & Reshiram ex Premium Collection, the Mimikyu ex & Alcremie ex Premium Collection, Iono’s Bellibolt ex and Hop’s Zacian ex boxes, a Premium Checklane Blister and Sneak-Peek Tins.
Which product should you buy?
- For the box topper: an Enhanced Booster Display Box.
- For the most packs: a booster box.
- For accessories and a promo: the Elite Trainer Box.
- For a favourite Trainer: the Iono’s Bellibolt ex or Hop’s Zacian ex box.
Tips for collecting Journey Together
- Build one binder page per Trainer: N, Iono, Lillie and Hop.
- Keep the box topper N’s Reshiram separate, as the set stamp makes it different from the pack version.
- Do not overlook the illustration rares: Articuno, N’s Reshiram and Wailord all rank in the top ten.
- Check numbers above 159 for the secret cards.
- If you collect Articuno, look out for the Holiday Calendar 2025 Snowflake Stamp version too.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards are in Journey Together?
190 cards: 159 in the main set and 31 secret cards.
What is the best card in the set?
The Lillie’s Clefairy ex special illustration rare, 184/159.
Are Trainer’s Pokémon the same as tag team cards?
No. Each Trainer’s Pokémon is one Pokémon owned by a named Trainer, like N’s Zoroark ex. Tag team cards had two or more Pokémon on one card.
More Scarlet & Violet guides
Trainer’s Pokémon continued in Destined Rivals, with Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex leading the way. For the sets before Journey Together, read our Prismatic Evolutions and Surging Sparks guides, or browse all of our TCG news and guides.