Dratini shows up high above Lumiose City, not in Wild Zones. It’s a daytime-only rooftop spawn, quick to flee the moment it notices you, and it won’t always be there on your first pass. The good news: there are a couple of consistent spots you can reach early, plus a few simple tricks to secure the catch.

Dratini locations (Lumiose City rooftops)

Location How to reach Conditions Notes
Restaurant Le Nah roof (Vert Sector 6, east Lumiose) Fast travel to Restaurant Le Nah. From the spawn, take the ladder up to the roof. Cross the short gap (run and roll midair) to the adjacent rooftop. Daytime; overworld spawn Dratini is often visible from a distance at the far end of the roof. If absent, reload the area or change time to Day and try again.
Bleu Sector 9 rooftop Climb the scaffolding west of Bleu Sector 6 to reach the rooftops. Move toward Bleu Sector 8, cross the western bridge to the Bleu Sector 9 rooftop, then head west. Daytime; overworld spawn Expect a skittish Dratini; an Alpha Flabébé can patrol nearby. Prioritize Dratini before anything spooks it.
Tip: Dratini “lives in high places,” so if these aren’t active, other Lumiose rooftops can also roll the spawn at Day. It does not appear in Wild Zones.

Make it spawn: reliable resets

  • Set time to Day at a bench in Lumiose, then recheck the rooftop.
  • Fast travel away and back to reload the area. If Dratini despawns after spotting you, return on a new in‑game day to reroll the spawn.
  • Manual save before approaching so you can quickly retry without waiting a full day if the attempt fails.

Stealth capture strategy (what actually works)

Dratini has a low catch rate and runs the instant it sees you. Treat it like a one‑shot stealth catch:

  • Approach from behind using cover. Avoid line of sight; don’t sprint in the open.
  • Open with a Quick Ball while undetected for the highest chance before it flees.
  • If it notices you, you can still initiate a back attack to start a battle on your terms. A clean, decisive hit can trigger the post‑battle catch window.
  • On the Bleu Sector 9 route, an Alpha Flabébé may wander the same rooftop. Ignore it or knock it out fast, then reposition behind Dratini and throw an Ultra Ball.

Stock up first: Quick Balls are sold at the Poké Ball Boutique in Rouge Sector 3 (northwest Lumiose). Ultra Balls help if you miss the undetected throw.

Early route walkthrough: Restaurant Le Nah

This is the fastest and simplest method to get Dratini early:

  1. Travel to Vert Sector 6 and fast travel to Restaurant Le Nah.
  1. Turn to the nearby ladder and climb to the rooftop.
  1. Sprint toward the opposite ledge and roll midair to clear the gap to the next roof.
  1. Slow down. Stay low, circle behind Dratini, and throw a Quick Ball while you remain undetected.

If Dratini isn’t present, switch to Day at a bench, or fast travel away and back to reload the spawn. Repeat until it appears.

If it disappears or the catch fails

  • Once spooked, Dratini despawns. Return after an in‑game day, or reload your manual save to try again immediately.
  • Rotate between the Restaurant Le Nah and Bleu Sector 9 rooftops to check both spawns quickly.

Next steps: evolving into Dragonite (and a backup plan)

Dratini evolves into Dragonair at level 30 and Dragonite at level 55. If Dratini won’t cooperate, Dragonair can also appear on rooftops in Vert Sector 9 and in Jaune Sector 2. The Jaune Sector route requires a mid‑story movement upgrade, so it’s more of a fallback than an early‑game play.

With a reliable daytime check at Restaurant Le Nah and a stealthy Quick Ball throw from behind, you can lock in Dratini within a few cycles and start building toward Dragonite well ahead of the late game.