The present invention provides a rubber composition for tires which provides improved abrasion resistance, and a pneumatic tire containing the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for tires containing a rubber component including at least 80% by mass in total of at least one of an isoprene-based rubber, a polybutadiene rubber, or a styrene-butadiene rubber, the rubber composition containing, per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, 3 to 250 parts by mass of a reinforcing filler and 0.2 to 10 parts by mass of a specific tetrazine compound.