Note: This guide is based on verified Pokémon Red and Blue route information, including the S.S. Anne sequence, Bill’s S.S. Ticket event, HM01’s location, and the requirement to use Cut for reaching Vermilion Gym.

In Pokémon Red, few items feel as small-but-mighty as HM01 Cut. On paper, it is just a move that lets your Pokémon chop down tiny trees. In practice, it is the key that opens the next chunk of Kanto, clears the path to Lt. Surge’s Vermilion Gym, and makes you feel like your team has officially graduated from “wandering around with a map and a dream” to “serious Pokémon Trainer with a utility plan.”

If you are stuck wondering how to get HM Cut in Pokémon Red, the answer is simple: you need to help Bill, get the S.S. Ticket, board the S.S. Anne in Vermilion City, defeat your rival, and visit the seasick Captain. He rewards you with HM01 Cut, which can then be taught to a compatible Pokémon. Easy? Mostly. Missable? Sort of. Confusing the first time? Absolutelyespecially if you are playing without modern quest markers holding your hand like a worried parent.

This complete guide breaks the process into six easy steps, with practical tips, common mistakes, and useful strategy notes so you can grab Cut smoothly and keep your Kanto adventure moving.

What Is HM Cut in Pokémon Red?

HM01 Cut is a Hidden Machine that teaches a Pokémon the move Cut. In battle, Cut is a Normal-type attack. Outside of battle, it lets you remove small tree obstacles that block important paths throughout the game. The first major place you will need it is Vermilion City Gym, where a skinny tree blocks the entrance to Lt. Surge’s electric-themed puzzle palace.

Unlike TMs in Generation I, HMs can be used repeatedly, so you do not have to worry about “wasting” the HM item itself. However, once a Pokémon learns an HM move in Pokémon Red, it cannot forget that move through normal gameplay. That means you should think carefully before teaching Cut to your main powerhouse. Your Charizard does not need to spend the rest of its life trimming hedges unless you really want it to.

How to Get HM Cut in Pokémon Red: 6 Easy Steps

Step 1: Reach Cerulean City and Help Bill

Before you can even dream of walking onto the S.S. Anne like a fancy Kanto cruise guest, you need the S.S. Ticket. To get it, head north from Cerulean City across Nugget Bridge. You will battle a line of Trainers, earn a Nugget, and then continue east along Route 25 toward Bill’s house.

Bill is not exactly having his best day. When you find him, he has accidentally transformed himself into a Pokémon-like creature through a teleportation experiment gone wrong. Classic Bill. Talk to him, help him return to human form by operating his machine, and he will reward you with the S.S. Ticket.

This ticket is required to board the S.S. Anne in Vermilion City. Without it, the guard at the ship entrance will politely stop you, and no amount of determined button-mashing will change his mind.

Step 2: Travel South to Vermilion City

Once you have the S.S. Ticket, return to Cerulean City and travel south. You will pass through the Underground Path, which connects Route 5 to Route 6. Keep heading downward until you reach Vermilion City, a coastal town with a port, a Pokémon Fan Club, and a Gym that is annoyingly blocked by a tiny tree with the confidence of a brick wall.

Vermilion City is where the S.S. Anne is docked. You can visit the Pokémon Center first, which is a smart move because the ship contains several Trainer battles. Heal your team, stock up on Potions if needed, and make sure your party has enough strength to handle your rival.

At this point, many players make the mistake of trying to enter Vermilion Gym immediately. The entrance path is blocked by a cuttable tree, and you cannot remove it yet. That is the game’s gentle way of saying, “Go enjoy your luxury cruise, champ.”

Step 3: Board the S.S. Anne

Go to the harbor on the south side of Vermilion City. Show the S.S. Ticket to the sailor at the entrance, and you will be allowed onto the S.S. Anne. This ship is packed with Trainers, items, rooms, and enough narrow hallways to make you wonder who designed cruise ships in the Pokémon universe.

You do not technically have to battle every Trainer on board to get HM Cut, but it is a good idea to explore. The S.S. Anne contains useful items and valuable experience. Your team will benefit from the extra levels before you face Lt. Surge, especially if your party is undertrained or heavily dependent on Water- or Flying-type Pokémon, which do not enjoy Electric attacks very much.

Important warning: after you get HM01 Cut from the Captain and leave the ship, the S.S. Anne sails away. In normal gameplay, you cannot return. Before collecting Cut, explore the cabins, battle Trainers, and grab items you care about. Treat the ship like a buffet: once it closes, you will regret skipping the good stuff.

Step 4: Find and Defeat Your Rival

To reach the Captain, make your way through the ship toward the upper area. Near the Captain’s quarters, your rival appears for another battle. Because apparently even on a peaceful ocean liner, this guy has to show up and test your patience.

Your rival’s team depends on which starter Pokémon you chose at the beginning of the game. By this stage, he usually has a more developed party than the last time you met, so do not rush into the battle with a weakened team. If your Pokémon are low on HP or statused, leave the ship temporarily, heal at the Vermilion Pokémon Center, and come back before triggering the rival fight.

A balanced team should handle him without too much trouble. If you chose Charmander, make sure you have support against Water-type threats. If you chose Squirtle, prepare for Grass-type coverage. If you chose Bulbasaur, watch out for Flying or Psychic-adjacent problems as the game progresses. The rival battle is not brutal, but it can punish players who treat every fight like a casual stroll through tall grass.

Step 5: Help the Seasick Captain

After defeating your rival, continue into the Captain’s room. Inside, you will find the Captain feeling seasick. Talk to him and help him feel better. In Pokémon Red’s charmingly odd little moment of old-school RPG logic, this involves giving the Captain a back rub. As a reward, he gives you HM01 Cut.

Congratulations: you now have one of the most important utility moves in the early game. It is not flashy like Thunderbolt, dramatic like Hyper Beam, or emotionally iconic like watching Magikarp finally evolve, but Cut gets things done. Sometimes heroism looks like clearing shrubbery.

Before leaving the ship, double-check whether you have explored everything you wanted. Once you step off after receiving HM01, the S.S. Anne departs. If you missed optional battles or items, they are gone in standard play. Cut is required for progression, so eventually you must let the ship sail, but there is no need to rush the goodbye.

Step 6: Teach Cut to a Compatible Pokémon

Open your Bag, select HM01, and choose a Pokémon that can learn Cut. Many early-game Pokémon can learn it, making it fairly easy to find a user. Common choices include Oddish, Bellsprout, Sandshrew, Paras, Farfetch’d, and certain starter evolutions, depending on your version and team.

The best strategy is to teach Cut to a utility Pokémon rather than one of your strongest battlers. Since HM moves cannot be forgotten normally in Pokémon Red, Cut will permanently take up one of that Pokémon’s four move slots. It is useful outside battle, but its battle power is not exciting enough to justify placing it on every top-tier team member.

Once a Pokémon knows Cut, walk up to one of the small trees blocking a path and press the A Button. The game will ask whether you want to use Cut. Say yes, and the tree disappears until you leave and re-enter the area. Now you can access Vermilion Gym, continue exploring Kanto, and finally show Lt. Surge that your team has more ambition than a garden tool.

Where to Use Cut After You Get It

The most immediate use for Cut is the tree blocking the entrance to Vermilion Gym. After removing it, you can enter the Gym and challenge Lt. Surge. Be prepared for Electric-type Pokémon and the famous trash-can switch puzzle, which has annoyed generations of players with surgical precision.

Cut also opens paths in several other areas of Kanto. You will use it to access optional items, shortcuts, and progression routes. While Cut is not the strongest move in battle, its overworld value is huge. In a game built around exploration, every blocked path feels like an invitation, and Cut is your RSVP.

Best Pokémon to Teach Cut in Pokémon Red

The best Cut user is usually a Pokémon you do not mind keeping as a utility helper. If you have a Farfetch’d from an in-game trade, it is a classic candidate. Paras is another convenient option because it can serve as a helpful HM user and still contribute with status moves. Sandshrew can also learn Cut and has decent early-game usefulness if you are building a physical team.

Avoid teaching Cut to a Pokémon whose moveset you are carefully building for major battles. In Generation I, move slots are precious. A strong Pokémon can carry only four moves, and replacing a valuable coverage move with Cut may feel painful later. Your future self will thank you for planning ahead.

Common Mistakes Players Make When Getting HM Cut

Leaving the S.S. Anne Too Soon

You can leave and return to the ship before receiving HM01 Cut. After you receive Cut and leave, however, the ship sails away. Explore first, collect items, and fight Trainers before taking your final walk off the deck.

Forgetting to Heal Before the Rival Battle

The rival battle near the Captain’s room can catch new players off guard. If your party is weakened from ship battles, walk back to the Pokémon Center in Vermilion City and heal. The ship will still be there as long as you have not received Cut and exited afterward.

Teaching Cut to the Wrong Pokémon

Because HM moves cannot be normally removed in Pokémon Red, choose carefully. A utility Pokémon is usually the safest option. Do not hand Cut to your favorite sweeper unless you are comfortable keeping it there for the rest of the game.

Looking for Cut in Vermilion Gym

Cut is not inside the Gym. You need Cut to enter the Gym. The game sends you to the S.S. Anne first, where the Captain gives you HM01 after you help him recover from seasickness.

Why HM Cut Matters So Much in Pokémon Red

HM Cut is one of Pokémon Red’s first major progression tools. It teaches players that not every important item is found at the end of a Gym battle. Sometimes progress comes from talking to NPCs, exploring optional-looking areas, and helping a seasick ship captain survive a rough afternoon.

It also introduces the classic Pokémon idea that moves can affect the world outside battle. That may seem normal now, but in early Pokémon games, it made the world feel more interactive. A tree was not just decoration. It was a locked door wearing leaves.

For first-time players, getting HM01 Cut is a memorable milestone. You have beaten Brock and Misty, helped Bill, reached Vermilion City, boarded a luxury ship, defeated your rival, and earned a move that changes how you explore. That is a lot of adventure packed into one tiny pixelated tree-chopping disc.

Extra Experience: What Getting HM Cut Feels Like in a Real Playthrough

Getting HM Cut in Pokémon Red is one of those moments that feels ordinary until you realize how much of the game depends on it. The first time you reach Vermilion City, the Gym is right there, practically waving at you. Then you see the small tree blocking the path and think, “Really? This little plant is stronger than my entire team?” Welcome to classic Pokémon logic, where a ten-year-old can command dragons but cannot step over a shrub.

The journey to Cut also teaches smart pacing. By the time you board the S.S. Anne, your team may be uneven. Maybe your starter is overleveled, your Pidgey is trying its best, and your Pikachu has become the emotional center of the squad. The ship gives you a chance to train, collect items, and test your party before the next Gym. It is not just a detour; it is a mini checkpoint.

One of the best habits is to treat the S.S. Anne like a one-time dungeon. Search every room. Talk to passengers. Battle Trainers. Pick up items. Then, when you are satisfied, go to the Captain and claim HM01. This approach prevents the classic “Wait, the ship left?” moment that has haunted players since the Game Boy era.

Another practical experience tip: decide your Cut user before you receive the HM. If you already have a Pokémon in mind, you will not panic-scroll through your party wondering who gets stuck with landscaping duty. Many players prefer using a Pokémon that is helpful but not central to the final team. That way, Cut remains useful without compromising your best battle movesets.

There is also something charming about how low-stakes the reward scene feels. No legendary trial. No dramatic boss battle. Just a seasick captain and a helpful Trainer. Yet the reward unlocks major progress. That is part of Pokémon Red’s old-school magic: important moments are often hidden inside simple interactions.

Once you finally use Cut outside Vermilion Gym, the game opens up in a satisfying way. That tiny tree disappears, the path clears, and suddenly you are ready for Lt. Surge. It is a small animation, but it feels like progress. You earned the ticket, survived the ship, handled your rival, helped the Captain, and chose the right Pokémon for the job. Not bad for a move that basically says, “I am very good at yard work.”

Conclusion

Learning how to get HM Cut in Pokémon Red is essential for moving forward in Kanto. The process begins with helping Bill near Cerulean City, receiving the S.S. Ticket, traveling to Vermilion City, boarding the S.S. Anne, defeating your rival, and helping the seasick Captain. In return, you receive HM01 Cut, one of the most important early-game tools in the entire adventure.

Remember to explore the S.S. Anne before taking Cut and leaving, because the ship departs afterward. Also, teach Cut to a Pokémon wisely. Since HM moves cannot normally be forgotten in Pokémon Red, the best choice is usually a utility Pokémon rather than a key member of your battle team.

With Cut in hand, Vermilion Gym is finally accessible, new paths become available, and your journey through Kanto feels bigger than ever. It may not be the flashiest move, but HM01 Cut is a true early-game heroquiet, practical, and weirdly powerful against suspiciously stubborn trees.