Tips for unlocking characters in Subway Surfers

Subway Surfers features a wide cast of characters. Some are available at any time, while others are tied to events or special challenges. Unlocking them faster means focusing on paths that offer the best rewards: coins, keys, tokens and limited-time events. Here's how to build your roster efficiently.

You can unlock many characters directly with coins – prices range from around 12,000 to one million depending on rarity. Collect as many coins as possible by using Coin Magnets, stacking multipliers and staying alive longer. Don't spend coins on non-essential upgrades until you reach your character goal. Prioritise mid-tier characters first – they offer good value and help reduce grinding.

Keys are less common but essential options for unlocking certain characters and reviving during runs. Pick up keys that appear during runs, and make sure to complete Awards, Season Hunt and Mystery Box rewards to win as many keys as possible. Watch ads when key rewards are available, but don't spend keys on continues – save them for character unlocks.

Unlocking limited characters often requires tokens collected during events (World Tours, seasonal hunts, etc.), so make sure to save event tokens and complete tiers to earn event-specific characters. For rare characters, participate in Wordy Weekend events. These run on weekends and let you unlock limited characters using coins (around 95,000 each), and may offer skips via ads.

Complete daily missions and challenges for bonus coins, keys and tokens. Collect login rewards and seasonal tokens to build resources steadily. Focus your efforts during 2× Key events – they can significantly boost your key accumulation.