Pokemon GO Raid Hour Today: Current Bosses and Schedule
Raid Hour is one of Pokémon GO's longest-running weekly features, dating back to March 2019 when Niantic first tested it under the name Legendary Lunch Hour. The midday slot didn't last, Niantic moved it to evenings almost immediately, but the core idea stuck: for one hour, a single raid boss, usually a Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, becomes far easier to find at Gyms everywhere.
Raid Hour typically lands every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. local time, though the schedule shifts whenever a bigger event already has its own daily raid rotation running, like GO Fest or a themed week such as Road of Legends. When that overlap happens, Niantic folds Raid Hour into the larger event instead of running it separately, which can push it to a different day or stretch it past its usual single hour. In this article, we'll explore what Raid Hour is, how its schedule changes week to week, and the bosses currently featured.
Also Read: Pokemon GO Fest 2026 Global Event Guide
Article Summary
Raid Hour normally runs every Wednesday, 6-7 p.m. local time, but shifts when a bigger event controls that week's raid schedule
Today, July 9, it runs 6-8 p.m., folded into the ongoing Road of Legends event
Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta are today's five-star bosses, Mega Gengar is the Mega Raid boss during the second hour only
Road of Legends bonuses are active today: no Remote Raid Pass limit, guaranteed Candy XL on trades for level 31+ trainers, sticker drops, better Premier Ball catch rate, and faster Party Power charging
Three Raid Pass types exist: free daily Raid Pass, paid Premium Battle Pass, and paid Remote Raid Pass with its own caps
Tomorrow's rotation shifts to Origin Forme Dialga, Origin Forme Palkia, Primal Kyogre, and Primal Groudon, closing out Road of Legends before GO Fest Global begins
What Is Raid Hour?
Raid Hour is a recurring feature in Pokémon GO built around a single hour where one specific raid boss becomes far more common at Gyms than usual. Instead of the normal mix of raid bosses rotating through Gyms at random, Raid Hour locks the spawn pool to just one Pokémon for that hour, making it the easiest window each week to target a particular Legendary, Mythical, or Mega Raid boss.
Niantic first introduced the concept in March 2019 under the name Legendary Lunch Hour, originally scheduled around midday. That timing didn't stick, Niantic shifted it to evenings shortly after launch, and the feature has run on an evening schedule ever since, eventually settling into the "Raid Hour" name it carries today.
The format has stayed consistent since then: pick one boss, give it a dedicated hour, and let trainers stack up counters, candy, or shiny attempts against that specific Pokémon without competing raid bosses crowding it out.
How the Raid Hour Schedule Works
Under normal circumstances, Raid Hour lands every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. local time. That's the default slot Niantic has used for years, and it holds steady in most weeks without any special event running alongside it.
The schedule changes when a larger event already controls the raid rotation for that week. GO Fest weekends, themed weeks like Road of Legends, and other multi-day raid-focused events typically bring their own daily boss lineup, so folding a separate Wednesday Raid Hour on top of that would just duplicate what's already happening. In those cases, Niantic shifts Raid Hour to a different day, sometimes extends it beyond the usual single hour, or ties its bonuses directly into the bigger event's existing schedule instead of running it as a standalone hour.
This is also why Raid Hour occasionally comes with an extra bonus attached, like discounted item purchases, bonus Candy XL, or other perks tied to completing a raid during that hour specifically. Those bonuses aren't guaranteed every week, they get added on top of the standard "one boss, one hour" format depending on what else Niantic has planned that week.
Also Read: How to Beat Gigantamax Meowth in Pokemon GO
Today's Raid Bosses
Today, Thursday, July 9, Raid Hour runs 6-8 p.m. local time, two hours instead of the usual one, since this week's rotation got folded into the ongoing Road of Legends event rather than sitting on its normal Wednesday slot.
Featured bosses today:
Crowned Sword Zacian, five-star raid, available for the full two-hour window, shiny eligible
Crowned Shield Zamazenta, five-star raid, available for the full two-hour window, shiny eligible
Mega Gengar, Mega Raid boss, available only during the second hour, 7-8 p.m., shiny eligible
Road of Legends bonuses are active today as well: no Remote Raid Pass limit, guaranteed Candy XL from trades for level 31+ trainers, better Premier Ball catch rate after raids, faster Party Power charging, and a chance at special stickers from PokéStops and Gifts.
Pokemon GO Raid Pass for Cheap
How to Join a Raid
Joining a raid requires a Raid Pass, an item that grants entry to a raid battle at a Gym, a fixed real-world location in the game. There are three types, and each works differently.
Raid Pass (orange): free, limited to one per day, earned by spinning a Gym's Photo Disc in person.
Premium Battle Pass (green): purchased with PokéCoins, the game's paid currency, at 100 coins each. No daily limit on how many can be held.
Remote Raid Pass (blue): also purchased with PokéCoins, priced at 195 coins each or 525 coins for a set of three. Lets a trainer join a raid without being physically present at the Gym. That cap is lifted entirely from July 6 through July 12 as a Road of Legends/GO Fest Global bonus, so it doesn't apply today.
The Remote Raid Pass has changed the most over the years. Niantic introduced it in April 2020 so players could keep raiding during COVID-related lockdowns, and left it completely unrestricted for three years. In April 2023, Niantic added the first daily cap and raised prices, a change that drew significant pushback given how long the feature had run without limits. That cap has been adjusted since, most recently raised to 10 raids per day in May 2025.
Also Read: Rarest Shinies in Pokemon GO: Complete List
FAQs About Pokemon GO Raid Hour
Q: What time is Raid Hour today?
A: Today, Thursday, July 9, Raid Hour runs 6-8 p.m. local time, two hours instead of the usual one, since it's been folded into the ongoing Road of Legends event.
Q: What bosses are in Raid Hour today?
A: Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta are available as five-star raids for the full window. Mega Gengar joins as the Mega Raid boss, but only during the second hour, 7-8 p.m.
Q: Is Raid Hour always on Wednesdays?
A: Normally, yes, Raid Hour runs every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. local time. It shifts to a different day or time when a bigger event, like GO Fest or a themed week, already controls that week's raid rotation.
Q: How do I join a raid remotely?
A: A Remote Raid Pass lets a trainer join a raid without being at the Gym in person. It's normally capped at 3 held and 10 used per day, though some events remove that limit temporarily.
Q: Is there a bonus active today?
A: Yes. Today's active bonuses include no Remote Raid Pass limit, guaranteed Candy XL from trades for trainers level 31 and up, better Premier Ball catch rates, faster Party Power charging, and a chance at special stickers from PokéStops and Gifts.
Final Words
Raid Hour stays one of the most reliable ways to target a specific raid boss in Pokémon GO, since it strips away the usual mix of competing bosses and gives one Pokémon the spotlight for the hour. The schedule shifts whenever a bigger event, like GO Fest or a themed week, already controls that stretch's raid rotation, so checking the current bosses and timing above is the best way to plan a raid session rather than assuming the standard Wednesday slot applies every week.
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“ Mustafa Atteya has been writing about gaming and esports since 2023, specializing in competitive game content and player improvement guides. At 25, he brings both hands-on gaming experience and professional SEO writing expertise to the GameBoost team.”
