The present invention provides a rubber composition for tires capable of improving discoloration resistance and tire appearance while maintaining or improving good fuel economy, good abrasion resistance, and good performance on ice, and a pneumatic tire formed from the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for tires, containing a Pluronic nonionic surfactant in an amount of 0.1 to 6.0 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of the rubber component, the rubber composition having a combined amount of polybutadiene rubber, natural rubber, and polyisoprene rubber of 70% by mass or more based on 100% by mass of the rubber component, and the rubber composition containing sulfur.