Why the Tube Challenge might never be beaten again!

Someone has pointed out that I failed to say that you have to do a run between Hammersmith on the Circle and H&C lines and Hammersmith on the District and Piccadilly lines. While I didn't feel it was necessary to include that because it's less than 100m, and only takes one minute to walk, I probably should have at least mentioned it. (5:17)

I believe the actual reason the record can't be broken is because GWR claim that even though there are two new stations since 2015, the time must still be less than the previous record...

The Record has been reset since Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station had opened since the last record was broken. Whoever does the tube challenge now and completed 272 stations will set a new record to beat.

I'm freaked out because I actually do live in Aberdeen so now I feel like you addressed this video specifically at me 😂

This is extremely well edited. Thank you for an informative video!

This is the first time I've found a route for the challenge anywhere. Much appreciated

It’s a solid route, but there’s a few clear timesavers - C2C between West Ham and Upminster, bus between Morden and Wimbledon, potentially manouvering via the overground in Walthamstow etc

for me the maddest thing would be to go through all that effort and then have to run from high barnet to cockfosters, that 2.3 mile stretch might end the whole challenge

We need the (unofficial) ‘private’ tube challenge, where you have to drive or take cabs or use any sort of private transport to visit each station (no public transport allowed)

I’ve actually completed the full Tube Challenge a few months ago (all 272), though I only aimed for completion and not to break the record. I started at South Harrow and ended at Heathrow T5, though it took me 18h+ and in spite of a line side fire at Southfields (almost) royally screwing me over.

Just recently completed a tube challenge (my first with the NLE open) and its significantly harder (but it is good fun from a non world record standpoint)

I mean im not planning to do this anytime soon, but learning exits, entries, interchanges and carriage door exits are very handy

It should be noted that this is not the only possible route for the Tube Challenge, nor even the most efficient one. This is the classic 'Labyrinth' route, which is documented in artwork at Tube stations. It uses features that no longer exist (the Woodford via Hainault service on the Central line, for one) and could do with some tweaks (such as running from Aldgate East to Aldgate instead of doubling back from Tower Hill and taking a local train instead of the District line from West Ham to Upminster).  The amount of running required is potentially less than indicated in this otherwise clear and thorough presentation, since it is allowed to use any other form of public transport, and even if you have to wait a bit for a bus, it is still quicker e.g. from High Barnet to Cockfosters or Morden to Wimbledon, and good luck will bring along a bus on shorter running connections such as Ruislip to Ickenham.

After the hassle that the Record Holders had from Guinness about verification of that record (it took months), the people who were highly competitive and making multiple attempts a year (with the WR changing hands much more often than wikipedia lists) all stopped bothering as Guinness' new requirements were a final straw after a couple of years of being mucked about with what verification is needed. A 272 record has not been set (the bar is 16h15 to count) as the people who are capable of doing it got fed up of dealing with Guinness. There is a new batch doing it, and they are a bit too green at the moment (and have over 2 hours to shave off before Guinness would be interested) - respectable times, but not "I'm on my 55th attempt and have held the WR 5 times before" time that the sub 16-hour time is.

GJ on the editing btw

A few things regarding Kensington Olympia 1: You would have to change at Earl’s Court or run from there and to save time perhaps get an overground or southern train to Shepherd’s Bush instead

Time could easily be saved at Upminster, by going back to Fenchurch Street (For Tower Hill) on the much faster C2C train.

Your route does need a lot of refinement - C2C from West Ham to Upminster (in the outbound direction) for example...

Just seen this. Excellent video and extremely informative. I’m about to commence a project to visit every station on the TfL journey planner, including NR, Croydon tram, Overground and DLR, in alphabetical order. This is a post retirement/new Freedom pass project.

woah this is so informative and amazing