Cart workshops are specialized facilities in Crimson Desert that allow you to acquire, upgrade, and manage trade carts. Carts are essential for any serious trader because they dramatically increase your carrying capacity, letting you transport large quantities of trade goods in a single trip rather than making multiple journeys with just your personal inventory and mount.
Without a cart, your trade goods capacity is limited to what your character and mount can carry, typically 20 to 40 items depending on your mount type and saddlebag upgrades. A basic cart increases this to 100 items, and a fully upgraded cart can hold up to 250 items. This five to tenfold increase in capacity directly translates to proportionally higher profits per trip.
Cart workshops also serve as safe storage points. Goods loaded onto a cart at a workshop are preserved even if you log out, and they are protected from inventory loss mechanics. This makes carts invaluable for staging large trade shipments before embarking on long-distance routes.
Additionally, cart workshops are where you purchase cart upgrades, repair damaged carts, and transfer goods between your cart, mount, and personal inventory. Each workshop offers the same core services, so you can use whichever one is most convenient for your current route.
What Are Cart Workshops and Why They Matter
Cart workshops are specialized facilities in Crimson Desert that allow you to acquire, upgrade, and manage trade carts. Carts are essential for any serious trader because they dramatically increase your carrying capacity, letting you transport large quantities of trade goods in a single trip rather than making multiple journeys with just your personal inventory and mount.
Without a cart, your trade goods capacity is limited to what your character and mount can carry, typically 20 to 40 items depending on your mount type and saddlebag upgrades. A basic cart increases this to 100 items, and a fully upgraded cart can hold up to 250 items. This five to tenfold increase in capacity directly translates to proportionally higher profits per trip.
Cart workshops also serve as safe storage points. Goods loaded onto a cart at a workshop are preserved even if you log out, and they are protected from inventory loss mechanics. This makes carts invaluable for staging large trade shipments before embarking on long-distance routes.
Additionally, cart workshops are where you purchase cart upgrades, repair damaged carts, and transfer goods between your cart, mount, and personal inventory. Each workshop offers the same core services, so you can use whichever one is most convenient for your current route.
All 7 Cart Workshop Locations by Region
There are exactly 7 cart workshops scattered across the major regions of Pywel. Each is located near a significant trade hub or crossroads, making them convenient stopping points along popular trade routes. Below is a complete list with their regional locations.
| # | Workshop Name | Region | Nearest Trade Post | Unlock Chapter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harten Trade Depot | Central Plains | Harten Village | Chapter 3 |
| 2 | Eastern Caravan Post | Eastern Province | Eastern Outpost | Chapter 3 |
| 3 | Southern Market Yard | Southern Vineyards | Southern Markets | Chapter 4 |
| 4 | Calphade Supply Camp | Calphade Region | Calphade Trade Post | Chapter 6 |
| 5 | Pailune Workshop | Pailune Region | Pailune Markets | Chapter 6 |
| 6 | Northern Waystation | Northern Wastes | Northern Trade Post | Chapter 7 |
| 7 | Griaw Junction Depot | Griaw Region | Griaw Crossroads | Chapter 7 |
The first two workshops are unlocked naturally through story progression in Chapter 3. The remaining five require you to physically travel to their locations and complete a short unlock quest, which typically involves speaking to the workshop manager and paying a one-time fee of 200 to 500 gold.
Once unlocked, all workshops are marked on your map with a wagon icon, and you can fast travel to any of them through the map trade tab.
How to Use Carts for Trade Goods Transport
Using a cart is straightforward once you understand the basic workflow. The process involves acquiring a cart at a workshop, loading it with goods, traveling to your destination, and unloading for sale.
Step 1: Acquire a cart. Visit any cart workshop and speak to the manager. Your first cart is free as part of the Chapter 3 unlock quest. Additional carts and upgrades cost gold, ranging from 500 gold for a basic spare cart to 5,000 gold for a fully upgraded heavy cart.
Step 2: Load goods. Open the cart inventory interface at the workshop. You can drag trade goods from your personal inventory, mount inventory, or workshop storage directly into the cart. The interface shows your current load weight and capacity.
Step 3: Travel. Once loaded, the cart attaches to your current mount. Travel at normal speed to your destination. Be aware that carts cannot sprint, so travel takes longer than riding unencumbered. Plan your route to avoid known bandit ambush points and PvP zones when possible.
Step 4: Unload and sell. At your destination trade post, open the cart inventory and transfer goods to your personal inventory for sale, or sell directly if the trade post supports cart-side selling. Return the cart to the nearest workshop or leave it hitched for your next trip.
Carts take durability damage from travel and combat. Repair them at any workshop for a small gold fee. A cart at zero durability cannot be used until repaired.
Best Transport Routes Connecting Trade Posts and Workshops
The most efficient transport routes are those that connect a goods-producing workshop to a goods-demanding trade post with minimal travel time and risk. Based on the 7 workshop locations and the 133 trade posts, the following routes are the most profitable and reliable.
- Pailune to Northern Waystation - The premier late-game route. Load silk and jewelry at Pailune Workshop, travel north through the mountain pass, and sell at the Northern Trade Post. Estimated travel time: 12 minutes. Profit per trip: 600-900 gold.
- Southern Market Yard to Calphade Supply Camp - Mid-game staple. Load spices and textiles at the Southern workshop, travel to the Calphade region, and sell at military posts. Travel time: 8 minutes. Profit: 300-500 gold.
- Harten to Eastern Caravan Post - Early-game loop. Load herbs and leather at Harten, travel east, and sell at the Eastern Outpost. Travel time: 5 minutes. Profit: 120-180 gold.
- Griaw Junction to Pailune - Specialized route for enchanted ore. Load at Griaw, sell at Pailune crafting posts. Travel time: 10 minutes. Profit: 400-600 gold.
Always check the map trade tab before departing to confirm prices have not shifted. If a route's profitability has dropped due to supply flooding, switch to an alternate route or wait for the 30-minute price refresh cycle.
For maximum efficiency, plan circular routes that visit multiple trade posts rather than simple out-and-back trips. A Pailune to Northern to Griaw loop, for example, lets you sell different goods at each stop and pick up new goods for the return journey.