Urban rail systems carry hundreds of millions of people for work and leisure every year. A tiny fraction of these passengers are competitors, who seek the fastest time for riding to every station. Most popular on the London Underground, this is often known as the Tube Challenge, recognised as a Guinness World Record since 1960. Spending any longer on public transport than necessary, let alone several hours, might likely be construed as strange behaviour. Who has partaken in this somewhat cult activity? Why have they wanted to? How did it start, and where has it gone? Furthermore, the activity does not stop in London, as corresponding records have been set with the Subway Challenge or Ultimate Ride in New York, the Metro Challenge in Paris, and more. This book speaks to the people behind these notable journeys, and details all official record holders in this discipline for the first time. Learn about the personalities, planning and persistence of this pursuit, and how some of its participants have become the best in the world at it.

Adham Fisher is from Leicester, what he calls “the greatest city in the world”. As well as trying to visit every Tube station in the quickest time, he has ridden on 199 London bus routes alone in 24 hours, ridden on all 593 in a team in 23 hours and 26 minutes, and all 598 alone in 15 days, 21 hours and 9 minutes.