The Subway Challenge
The Subway Challenge is a record maintained by Guiness World Records for the fastest time one is able to visit every station of the New York City Subway System (there are a lot of more nuanced official rules regarding modes of travel, what counts as a “station”, etc).
The current record was set in 2016 at 21 hours, 28 minutes, 14 seconds; however since that attempt three new stations opened on the Second Avenue Line, leaving the record for visiting all 472 current stations unheld.
Utilizing the MTA’s GTFS train schedule data, I’ve assembled a Python-based simulation of the subway system that utilizes heuristic “travelling salesmen” algorithms to attempt to map the quickest possible route through the entire system.
While I believe I have determined a competitive and suitable route, the COVID-induced late night subway closures have delayed my record attempt indefinitely.
The Subway Challenge is a record maintained by Guiness World Records for the fastest time one is able to visit every station of the New York City Subway System (there are a lot of more nuanced official rules regarding modes of travel, what counts as a “station”, etc).
The current record was set in 2016 at 21 hours, 28 minutes, 14 seconds; however since that attempt three new stations opened on the Second Avenue Line, leaving the record for visiting all 472 current stations unheld.
Utilizing the MTA’s GTFS train schedule data, I’ve assembled a Python-based simulation of the subway system that utilizes heuristic “travelling salesmen” algorithms to attempt to map the quickest possible route through the entire system.
While I believe I have determined a competitive and suitable route, the COVID-induced late night subway closures have delayed my record attempt indefinitely.
Ongoing
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One of many potential routes to traverse the entire subway system.
One of many potential routes to traverse the entire subway system.