GTA San Andreas Walkthrough: Part 1, Los Santos (In the Beginning to The Green Sabre)

This is part 1 of our full GTA San Andreas walkthrough. It starts when CJ steps off the plane in Los Santos and ends with The Green Sabre, the mission that throws him out of the city. Every story mission is here in a sensible order, with who gives it, what to do and tips for the ones that trip people up.

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The whole walkthrough

How missions work: each contact has a letter on the map (S for Sweet, R for Ryder, B for Big Smoke and so on). Several contacts are often open at once, so you can mix the order. The list below follows the usual story order. A few missions lock until you finish others, which we point out.

1. Opening missions

1. In the Beginning: after the cutscenes, ride the BMX to Grove Street and follow the markers. Short and easy.
2. Big Smoke (Big Smoke): ride bikes with the crew back to Grove Street, then escape a Ballas drive-by. Stay close to the group.
3. Ryder (Ryder): get a haircut and food, then rob a pizza place with Ryder. Run from the cops and drop the wanted level.

2. Sweet's first missions

1. Tagging Up Turf: spray over rival tags in the marked spots. Some tags have Ballas nearby, so have a weapon ready.
2. Cleaning the Hood: deal with a crack dealer and clear a crack house. Go in carefully and fight in doorways.
3. Drive-Thru: pick up food with the crew, then a Ballas car attacks. Drive steady so your homies can shoot it.
4. Nines and AK's: meet Emmet for weapon training and then a gun deal. This teaches lock-on aiming.
5. Drive-By: drive while your homies shoot Ballas in their territory. Slow down next to each group.
6. Sweet's Girl: rescue Sweet's girlfriend from a gang attack, then lose the chasers.
7. Cesar Vialpando: meet Cesar at a lowrider meet and win a car "bounce" contest by hitting the button prompts on the beat.

3. Big Smoke's missions

1. OG Loc: pick up OG Loc from jail and take him to his new job.
2. Running Dog: chase a fleeing gang member while Smoke shoots from the car. Keep him in view.
3. Wrong Side of the Tracks: Smoke rides on the back of your bike and shoots Vagos on a moving train. This is the famous "follow the damn train" mission.
4. Just Business: a deal goes bad. Shoot your way out, then drive the bike while Smoke shoots the chasers.

Tip: Wrong Side of the Tracks

• Do not race ahead of the train. Smoke can only shoot targets he can see, so match its speed and stay beside it.
• Keep to the open ground next to the tracks. Hitting poles or traffic slows you and the train pulls away.
• If the train gets too far ahead you fail, so a clean, steady ride beats a fast one. A faster bike helps if you can choose.

4. Ryder's missions

1. Home Invasion: at night, quietly steal guns from an old soldier's house. Crouch, move slowly and carry boxes out one by one. Making noise wakes him.
2. Catalyst: steal weapon crates from a moving train. Watch the crate counter: you need enough of them to pass.
3. Robbing Uncle Sam: break into a National Guard depot, use a forklift to load crates onto a truck, then drive them back.

5. OG Loc's missions

1. Life's a Beach: steal music gear from a beach party van. Dance to blend in, then drive the van away.
2. Madd Dogg's Rhymes: sneak into Madd Dogg's mansion and steal his rhyme book. Stay crouched and use the knife on guards from behind.
3. Management Issues: a job aimed at Madd Dogg's manager. Follow the markers and keep the car in one piece.
4. House Party: the Ballas attack a Grove Street party. Survive the waves and protect your homies.

6. C.R.A.S.H. and the push for territory

1. Burning Desire (C.R.A.S.H.): Tenpenny sends you to burn a Vagos house. Inside you find Denise and must get her out of the fire. She becomes your first girlfriend.
2. Gray Imports (C.R.A.S.H.): another dirty job for Officer Tenpenny, this time against the Russian Mafia.
3. Doberman (Sweet): take over Glen Park by beating three waves of Ballas. This unlocks gang wars and territory, and Ammu-Nation opens for business.
4. Los Sepulcros (Sweet): hit a Ballas leader at a funeral in the cemetery with three homies, then escape.

7. Required side task: High Stakes, Low-Rider

This one is easy to miss. After Cesar Vialpando, Cesar offers a lowrider street race. You need to arrive in a lowrider to start it. Follow Cesar to the start line and win the race. Reuniting the Families stays locked until you finish it, along with the other Los Santos strands (Ryder, Big Smoke, OG Loc, Gray Imports and Los Sepulcros).

8. The end of Los Santos

1. Reuniting the Families (Sweet): the Families meet at a motel and the police raid it. Fight your way out, then drive while Sweet shoots the chasers.
2. The Green Sabre (Sweet): a big story turn. You learn who betrayed the Grove, and Tenpenny drives CJ out of the city. The Badlands open up.

Tips for this part

• Build stamina and muscle early. Running and the gym make the long chase missions much easier.
• Raise your driving skill. Cars handle better as it goes up, which helps in train and chase missions.
• Take territory after Doberman. Owned turf pays out cash at your safehouse and gives you homies to recruit.
• Save between missions at the house on Grove Street. It also refills your health.
• Buy armour before House Party and Reuniting the Families. They are the two longest gunfights in this part.

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My take

Los Santos is my favourite stretch of the whole game. The missions are short, the city feels alive and the train mission is a rite of passage. I still slow down near that train out of habit. Which Los Santos mission gave you the most trouble?

FAQ

How many missions are in Los Santos?

Around 27 story missions, counting the opening and the lowrider race. Most players finish them in 8 to 12 hours, more if you take territory.

Why can't I start Reuniting the Families?

Usually because High Stakes, Low-Rider is not done. Bring a lowrider to Cesar's marker and win the race. Also check you have finished every Ryder, Big Smoke, OG Loc and C.R.A.S.H. mission.

How do I beat Wrong Side of the Tracks?

Ride level with the train, not ahead of it, and avoid obstacles. Smoke needs a clear view of the Vagos on the roof. Steady speed matters more than top speed.

Do I have to do gang wars?

Not in Los Santos. Taking territory is optional here, but it earns money and makes the area safer to drive through.

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