Tube Challenge - official information

Hello all,

My friends and I are interested in doing the official FNC Tube Challenge after years of smaller ones on the network, and whilst we'd be nowhere near breaking a record, we'd like it to be as official as possible so we get the greatest satisfaction from completing it.
I know that many Tube Challenge competitors tend to be secretive about their planning methods, but I've found so little concrete information I'm not even entirely sure what the main rules are, for example.
I was wondering if anyone might be able to provide a link to a site with OFFICIAL Tube Challenge rules, info, tips, anything you can? I don't think trying to piece together what I can from random vlogs is going to give me the conclusive evidence I want, and an old Guinness World Record site that seems to have been linked to a lot years ago is no longer active.

Thank you in advance!

So I've created and done an augmented version of the Tube Challenge called Melt's Tube Challenge (can explain what that is another time), and basically here's what the rules of the Official Tube Challenge is:

1. Only the Tube counts, all 272 stations (Hammersmith, Edgware Road, and Paddington are considered two seperate stations)
2. You can use any other form of public transport, including running in the run but NOT private transport
3. You have 24 hours to do it, I believe you can use Night Tube as well (but it's not the most useful for it)
4. For the actual Guiness World Record, you also need to log and record most of it to show you actually did it, including station timings but obviously if you're doing it casually, it's not massively required

My Tips:

1. The labyrinth route is your best option, which is the most common way of doing it, especially if you're new to it. Basically, you start at Chesham at 05:16 in the morning and end at Heathrow Terminal 5. If you don't know the full route, I can provide it.
2. Do not aim for the world record at first. It will be tiring and it does require a bit of practice at first.
3. Stick to your plan and be patient. Don't let one train miss throw you off, and be aware that planning it down to the minute will be near enough impossible.
4. Be prepared for your day. Make sure you know when you're eating, when you need the loo, if you have friends helping you bring stuff, etc. Oh and bring water. Lots of it.
5. Only run if you need to. Use buses where necessary, as some of the connections have LONG runs
6. Be aware that luck plays a huge role. Hopefully you guys don't encounter delays, but it can happen.
7. Have fun with it!

Hope I've helped!

There are two ways of doing it: the “official” one and the “unofficial” one.

For the official route, you need to sign up with Guinness at guinnessworldrecords.com. You will need to fill in an application form, which takes some weeks or months to be processed, after which you will be given the full set of rules and what evidence you need to provide.

For the unofficial route, visit the forum at tubechallenge.com. This is where challengers post reports on their attempts and discuss related topics. A leaderboard of unofficial times is maintained here. The rules, as far as I’m aware, are the same, but I don’t know if they are collated conveniently in one place. You won’t need to supply all the evidence that Guinness requires; it’s more of an honour-based system. A narrative of your attempt with all the successes and setbacks is appreciated so that other challengers can congratulate/commiserate with you is appreciated, but it’s common not to reveal the full details of your route if you’re competitive about it.

The rules as I basically understand it are:
- you must visit all 272 stations served by London Underground
- “visiting” means arriving or departing the station by a London Underground service (or another service by the “same tracks” rule—see below)
- the “same tracks” rule is: for lines where LU services share tracks with other services (i.e. Metropolitan Amersham—Harrow-on-the-Hill, Bakerloo Harrow & Wealdstone—Queens Park, District Richmond—Gunnersbury), a non-LU service calling at the station and using that shared track counts as a LU service for the purpose of the challenge
- you start your stopwatch when the doors close for the last time at your first station
- you stop your stopwatch when the doors open at the last station
- if you visit your first station by arriving instead of departing (e.g. Tube from Chalfont & Latimer to Chesham then bus to Amersham), then you must start your stopwatch when departing the previous station
- conversely if you visit your last station by departing then you must stop your stopwatch when arriving at the next station
- while your stopwatch is running, you may only travel either on foot or by scheduled public transport (yes to buses, trains, planes; no to taxis, bicycles, rollerblades)
- I’m a bit hazy on the rules for what to do when a station is closed unexpectedly

A reply to both of you (sorry, not entirely sure how forums work!),

Thank you very much for this information. Very definitive with lots of good tips in there and we'll be using your advice!
I think it'll be best for us to do it unofficially, using the labyrinth (found a website detailing the route, thank you!), as like I said we're not experienced, and more want to do it to have some fun, raise money for charity, and see how much we can do... it's about the adventure in our eyes given how much planning it takes.

IIRC, if a station is closed on all of its lines, a simple pass-through is allowed. However, if at least one line is still open, you are still able to stop at the station so are required to do so.

Thanks both, will use these rules and tubechallenge.com in our planning!

Tube stations with multiple lines are very rarely closed, besides an incident happening. Random staff shortages will almost never be the main reason for it.

But the other person on here is absolutely right with what they've put as well. Don't do it for Guiness World Record, because it's an absolute chore, especially when you know you're unlikely to get it on your first time. And if you're doing it casually, I don't think many will criticise you too much if you take certain shortcuts (e.g. using the Mildmay Line to get Kensington Olympia, as I do on Melt's Tube Challenge). Just have a rough idea as to how you want to go about it and just go from there!

I'm redoing my augmented version of the Tube Challenge (where I go to every Tube, DLR, Overground and Elizabeth Line station in 48 hours) next month, so it's fun to get into the mood of it! But the planning really isn't too hard, go at the pace you want.

Adoarable said:

- the “same tracks” rule is: for lines where LU services share tracks with other services (i.e. Metropolitan Amersham—Harrow-on-the-Hill, Bakerloo Harrow & Wealdstone—Queens Park, District Richmond—Gunnersbury), a non-LU service calling at the station and using that shared track counts as a LU service for the purpose of the challenge

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Just to check, is that the rules for the official one or just unofficial? Have been planning some routes for a while now but didn't think about doing that, especially up in Chilternland.

Trainguy34 said:

Just to check, is that the rules for the official one or just unofficial? Have been planning some routes for a while now but didn't think about doing that, especially up in Chilternland.

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I believe that both allow it. In Metroland, it doesn't really matter much because if you start there in the morning, you won't need to use a Chiltern train.

What is meant by official? That TfL endorses these challenges? I highly doubt that…

Gareth1990 said:

What is meant by official? That TfL endorses these challenges? I highly doubt that…

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As I understand it, "official" means an attempt for the Guinness Book of Records?

Gareth1990 said:

What is meant by official? That TfL endorses these challenges? I highly doubt that…

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Official is in regards to the Guinness World Record challenge. Unofficial is just doing it casually.

To be honest, TFL is aware of it. If you've ever seen the labyrinths in tube stations, they're numbered in the order that the most common route of the tube challenge is.

The labyrinth route - https://www.tubeopedia.co.uk/labyrinth-locations

remember its 2 stations short now so you will need to factor in Battersea Power Station Station branch.

I'd also suggest doing all the DLR stations and all the Croydon tram stations first as test runs as this will give you in the space of a couple of hours an idea of what a full Tube challenge will be like - connections, timetables, busses etc

If you haven't already seen it, this thread has links to specific fora for tube and similar challenges.

Personally I read up as many of the FNC attempt reports as possible & made lots of notes that helped planning my route. The thing that helped most was spending a couple days testing every connection & working out ideal door positionings. I wrote up my attempt on the tubechallenge forum last September in which I think there's enough detail that you can work out my route. Given that it was my first go I did a lot better than I was expecting, may well have been a decent amount of luck but also because I did choose to run every connection and didn't catch any buses, it was entirely within my control as to how well I did. Best of luck when you go for it

What is FNC?

Fastest Network Challenge?

Full Network Completion

Mojo said:

What is FNC?

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My understanding is Full Network Challenge, i.e. all 272 stations. As distinct from lesser challenges, e.g. just Zone 1.

IceCreamMelt said:

If you've ever seen the labyrinths in tube stations, they're numbered in the order that the most common route of the tube challenge is.

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A minor point, but the labyrinths are actually numbered in the station order taken by Andi James, Steve Wilson and Martin Hazel when they broke the Guinness World Record in 2009.

Are lime bikes permitted for the tube challenge? I can't find a solid answer - but seems in quite a few areas they could shave off a fair amount of time (e.g. Morden to Wimbledon).

No.

Under the tube challenge rules no bikes are allowed. The challenge must use only scheduled public transport or be on foot.

bluegoblin7 said:

No.

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Nigel said:

Under the tube challenge rules no bikes are allowed. The challenge must use only scheduled public transport or be on foot.

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Thanks both