Hyperspace routes, which are also known by various names such as hyperspace lanes, hyperlanes, space routes, hyperroutes, trade routes, spacelanes, and runs, were pre-determined pathways through hyperspace. These pathways connected significant worlds within the galaxy, much like roads connected major cities on inhabited planets. These routes were considered secure, allowing starships to navigate without the risk of colliding with celestial objects in realspace. Sequences of key star systems established runs, serving as crucial navigational pathways for commerce and transportation, often spanning across multiple sectors.
Individual star systems might possess multiple or just a single point of entry/exit for hyperlanes. This characteristic allowed for these points to be defended and reinforced, with access ports being monitored and regulated. Hyperspace beacons provided guidance to starships headed towards star systems, refueling facilities, and ports, and multiple beacons could serve as guides through hazardous and less-frequented regions of the galaxy. The destruction of these beacons could impede travel to the respective system.
Prominent hyperspace trade routes encompassed the Corellian Run, the Corellian Trade Spine, the Hydian Way, the Perlemian Trade Route, and the Rimma Trade Route.
Numerous secondary routes existed, numbering in the dozens, if not hundreds, characterized by their smaller size and reduced traffic volume. These routes were favored by smugglers and outlaws due to minimal patrol presence and the potential for high-speed travel. The Ison Trade Corridor is one example of a minor hyperspace route. Many of the "real" trade routes linked major routes or traversed areas previously isolated. The Biox Detour served as a route within the Western Reaches and Mid Rim, weaving between the Rimma Trade Route and the Corellian Trade Spine. Similarly, the Incisor Sidestep connected these major lanes but did so within the Outer Rim Territories. Burke's Trailing was a rare route that bordered the Unknown Regions. Mumble's Turnaround established a connection between Roon and various other Outer Rim ports, including Tatooine and Ryloth. This route also intersected the Corellian Run twice and formed a significant component of the Spice Triangle. Kessel, the notorious planet associated with Spice, was linked to the Oseon system via the Sanity Skip. The Corporate Sector utilized the Bubble Wink to connect with the Hydian Way.
Pioneering survey teams dispatched by the Old Republic were tasked with exploring and mapping new hyperspace lanes, deploying navigational beacons along the way. The Tertiary Usaita system represents one such system that underwent exploration by the Old Republic. As inhabitants of the galactic Core expanded outwards, star systems vied for the establishment of hyperspace lanes through their territories, as these lanes brought trade, prosperity, and prestige. Over time, the cumbersome process of traversing hyperspace beacons, which necessitated frequent returns to realspace, was superseded by newer hyperlanes such as the Hydian Way. As the galaxy became increasingly mapped, more direct hyperspace routes were identified. These newly discovered paths rendered older, circuitous routes, such as those connecting to Jedha, obsolete.
During the High Republic Era, the Great Hyperspace Rush signified a period of rapid Republic expansion, necessitating the discovery of new hyperspace routes. These routes, which existed but remained undiscovered, were found by private entities seeking to profit from their discovery, or by Republic Outer Rim Exploration Teams operating on behalf of the government. Members of the Jedi Order often collaborated with Republic Pathfinders. The San Tekka clan leveraged the Force-sensitive abilities of the young Mari San Tekka to uncover hyperlanes. Her innate talent for locating these routes was exploited by the Nihil after her capture by the Ro family. The Ros and the Nihil referred to these routes as Paths.
Launching an assault shortly after the First Battle of Geonosis, which marked the beginning of the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems seized control of major hyperspace lanes. This action effectively isolated the territories of the Galactic Republic from the majority of its Grand Army. A treaty negotiated with the Hutt Clan granted the Republic access to their supply routes within the Outer Rim Territories.
The enigmatic Grysk employed their sophisticated technology to displace four of Mokivj's moons from their orbit, positioning them in the paths of several crucial hyperlanes. In the months following the Battle of Hoth, the Rebel Alliance utilized the Sanctuary Pipeline hyperspace route to relocate their fleet from Sullust to the forest moon of Endor. This route was constructed by the Galactic Empire using S-thread boosters.
Around 9 ABY, an Imperial warlord, leading their own Imperial remnant force, initiated a series of hit-and-run attacks on hyperspace lanes with the intention of amassing stolen wealth. These attacks attracted unwanted attention, jeopardizing the broader Imperial Remnant effort to restore the fallen Galactic Empire. Consequently, they were strongly criticized by Captain Gilad Pellaeon, who, along with the attacking remnant's commander, was a member of the secret Shadow Council. Pellaeon argued that excessive attention could alert the New Republic to the coordinated efforts of multiple Imperial Remnants, potentially leading to the suppression of the Imperial movement.