Trivia: Shortest (as the crow flies) journey with the most changes?

[fwsmVor]

Using only permitted routes, of course.
Inspired by my having three-point-turned around Surrey from Farnborough Main to Woking to Guildford to London Road today.

 

[mm333]

Barton-upon-Humber to Hessle is 2 miles (as the crow flies) with 2 changes: Habrough and Doncaster
Sheerness to Thorpe Bay is 6 miles with (according to NRES) up to 5 changes: Sittingbourne, Stratford International, Stratford Regional, Whitechapel and Fenchurch Street.

 

[glenbogle]

Blaenau Ffestiniog to Penrhyndeudraeth is 9 miles and can take over 9 hours by train with 3 to 4 changes.

 

[Purple Train]

Langley to Egham is 5.4 miles, entirely overland, with changes at Slough, Windsor & Eton Central, Windsor & Eton Riverside (I'd personally count the Windsor stations as one change, but each to their own), and Staines. That has to be a contender for journeys with no significant geographical obstacle. Mind, Langley to Datchet is 2.3 miles and that's exactly the same minus the change at Staines.

 

[xotGD]

Ardwick to Salford Central. Two changes for a short trip across Manchester.

 

[Made_Of_Paper]

Barton-upon-Humber to Hessle is 2 miles (as the crow flies) with 2 changes: Habrough and Doncaster
Sheerness to Thorpe Bay is 6 miles with (according to NRES) up to 5 changes: Sittingbourne, Stratford International, Stratford Regional, Whitechapel and Fenchurch Street.

From the end of the pier at southend would be closer to Sheerness and one more change.

 

[Bungle73]

Catford to Catford Bridge

Walking 37 seconds
Train 2 changes, 42 minutes

 

[Simon75]

Wrexham to Nantwich 23 miles (39 minutes car), with 2 changes , Chester and Crewe (1hr 20)

 

[A S Leib]

Langbank to Dumbarton Central (1.5 miles, change at Glasgow Central and Queen Street or Dalmuir)

Much further apart at 18 miles, but if via Newcastle isn't a permitted route, Stockton to Durham's two changes except if timed to match the infrequent Northern Durham services or the Hartlepool to Darlington one(s?).

The one mile from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Harrow & Wealdstone or Kenton would take two changes if following what NR journey planners say.

Going off of fastjp.com, Adderley Park to Small Heath (1.5 miles apart) is sometimes quickest with three changes, at Stechford or Birmingham International as well as the two counted as changes at main Birmingham centre stations.

Plumpton to Aldrington (8 miles distance) requires at least two changes at Lewes and Brighton or on the Brighton Main Line and West Coastway line.

 

[frankmoh]

High Wycombe to Bourne End, 4 miles.

1. High Wycombe -> Marylebone
2. Marylebone -> Baker Street
3. Baker Street -> Paddington
4. Paddington -> Maidenhead
5. Maidenhead -> Bourne End

Alternatively you could go

1. High Wycombe -> West Ruislip
2. West Ruislip -> Greenford
3. Greenford -> West Ealing
4. West Ealing -> Maidenhead
5. Maidenhead -> Bourne End

Catford to Catford Bridge

Walking 37 seconds
Train 2 changes, 42 minutes

Well they're OSIs so can you really count them? As someone who passes through Catford(s) often I wonder if they will make it into one big station when the Tube comes to Hayes.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Feltham to Heathrow terminal 4. About 1 mile.

Change at
Reading and hayes & Harlington,
or Waterloo and Bond Street
or Richmond and Hammersmith

More direct, but three changes:

Richmond, Turnham Green and Acton Town
Windsor (change stations), Slough, and Hayes & harlington

 

[Scotty]

Boston to King's Lynn via Sleaford, Peterborough and Ely

 

[Farnborough]

Using only permitted routes, of course.
Inspired by my having three-point-turned around Surrey from Farnborough Main to Woking to Guildford to London Road today.

You could have done Farnborough Main to Woking to Guildford to Farnborough North for extra lolz - or Farnborough Main to Basingstoke, to Reading, to Farnborough North.

A gnats over 1km (or 0.66 miles)

Or a fraction longer, Frimley to Aldershot, to Guildford, to Farnborough North... or the other way, but much longer: Frimley to Ascot, to Reading, to Farnborough North

Or only a little bit further, but an extra change: Frimley to Aldershot, to Guildford, to Woking, to Farnborough Main

 

[Barnsley]

Penistone to Hadfield, 16 miles, change at Huddersfield and Manchester Piccadilly

 

[davews]

Feltham to Heathrow terminal 4. About 1 mile.

Change at
Reading and hayes & Harlington,
or Waterloo and Bond Street
or Richmond and Hammersmith

More direct, but three changes:

Richmond, Turnham Green and Acton Town
Windsor (change stations), Slough, and Hayes & harlington

Or catch the bus to the central bus station

 

[yoyothehobo]

Scarborough to whitby.

Not too far as the crow flies.

2 changes and a journey time of nearly 5 hours

 

[Rab Smith]

Mallaig to Kyle of Lochalsh. 19.5 miles as the crow flies but 2 changes and approximately 11 hours of being on trains. You would leave just after 6am and arrive in Kyle at around 8.30pm

 

[norbitonflyer]

Or catch the bus to the central bus station

Well, yes - there are several other examples cited where there is a convenient bus - Whitby to Scarborough, or over the Humber Bridge for example

 

[A S Leib]

Ince and Elton to Neston, and Colne to Skipton as examples of places around ten miles apart requiring at least two changes.

 

[D1511]

Hackney Central to Hackney Downs? A short walk via Roger's walkway, but a bit of a trek via Stratford and Liverpool St by train.

 

[Tester]

Not to put words in the OPs mouth, but.....

Going by their example, it's perhaps more a case of where there are railways in the general area, but they happen not to face the right way, so that what should be a simple journey isn't.

The 'barren extremes' like Kyle-Mallaig and Whitby-Scarborough are interesting in their own right, but a bit different.

 

[TheSel]

Well, yes - there are several other examples cited where there is a convenient bus - Whitby to Scarborough, or over the Humber Bridge for example

Indeed, although in the case highlighted by @Simon75 (Wrexham-Nantwich - post #8) there isn't even a bus. You'd essentially have to start by replicating the rail journey to go to Chester by bus, and then catch another bus to Nantwich (absurdly, one which is continuing on to Crewe!).

 

[Tester]

How about South Acton to Chiswick Park, or West Acton to North Ealing.

In each case three trains are required, passing no intermediate stations on any of them!

 

[xotGD]

Scarborough to whitby.

Not too far as the crow flies.

2 changes and a journey time of nearly 5 hours

Even more entertaining if using a Northern Delay Repay complimentary ticket!

 

[dastocks]

Acton Central to Acton Main Line is definitely one where it's quicker to walk or take a bus, especially if you aren't allowed to use the Underground.

 

[Fawkes Cat]

High Wycombe to Bourne End, 4 miles.

1. High Wycombe -> Marylebone
2. Marylebone -> Baker Street
   [*]Baker Street -> Paddington
3. Paddington -> Maidenhead
4. Maidenhead -> Bourne End

If you're going to use the Bakerloo out of Marylebone, it seems perverse to go the wrong way.

My suggestion would be Burscough Junction to Burscough Bridge - I think most practically via Ormskirk, Sandhills and Southport. So 3 changes for a Google Maps walking distance of 0.6 miles

 

[frankmoh]

Another short journey, Kent House to Clock House. 500m away from each other.
If we are going solely by trains...

1. Kent House to Shortlands
2. Shortlands to Catford
3. Catford to Catford Bridge (separate gatelines so it counts)
4. Catford Bridge to Clock House

 

[A S Leib]

For the half a mile from Cannon Street to Fenchurch Street, I think the routes with the fewest changes if you were to use only National Rail services (although walking between stations has been counted as a leg by others here) are Cannon Street – London Bridge – Farringdon – Romford – Upminster – Fenchurch Street, or (weekends only, but still four changes anyway) Cannon Street – London Bridge – Farringdon – Stratford – Barking – Fenchurch Street. I know 'only using permitted routes' was requested, but I'd guess some of these examples are close enough together not to have any permitted routes.

Waterloo to Waterloo East is in a similar situation (I think changing at Clapham Junction and London Bridge using the Victoria–London Bridge services being the fewest changes possible by NR).

For Fenchurch Street to Marylebone (4 miles), the lack of many intersecting National Rail routes means that I think the fewest-change route is Upminster, Romford, Paddington (low and high level) and Oxford.

 

[yoyothehobo]

Even more entertaining if using a Northern Delay Repay complimentary ticket!

NOrthern only via Leeds, Carlisle and Newcastle....

 

[Kite159]

For the half a mile from Cannon Street to Fenchurch Street, I think the routes with the fewest changes if you were to use only National Rail services (although walking between stations has been counted as a leg by others here) are Cannon Street – London Bridge – Farringdon – Romford – Upminster – Fenchurch Street, or (weekends only, but still four changes anyway) Cannon Street – London Bridge – Farringdon – Stratford – Barking – Fenchurch Street. I know 'only using permitted routes' was requested, but I'd guess some of these examples are close enough together not to have any permitted routes.

Waterloo to Waterloo East is in a similar situation (I think changing at Clapham Junction and London Bridge using the Victoria–London Bridge services being the fewest changes possible by NR).

For Fenchurch Street to Marylebone (4 miles), the lack of many intersecting National Rail routes means that I think the fewest-change route is Upminster, Romford, Paddington (low and high level) and Oxford.

Of course using Oyster/Contactless within London, there is no such thing as a permitted route as long as the person stays within the area. I wonder what fare will be charged if someone touched in at Cannon Street and touched out at Fenchurch Street, assuming they could complete the journey within the max journey time permitted.