Race The Tube - Can You Walk Faster Than The Circle Line?

The top the the Circle Line curves around sharply at Aldgate to loop back around the bottom section. We realised therefore that there's possible a few places where you could get out from a Circle Line train and walk, and beat it on foot.
So we tried Blackfriars to Farringdon, and then Barbican to Mansion House.

[@geofftech2]

Obviously, the quickest way to do Blackfriars to Farringdon would have been to use Thameslink!

[@CrazyRupes]

I dont know... Thameslink have had a lot of overhead line failures recently

[@ElshadKarbasi]

Maybe if they put Thameslink on the Tube map people would actually use it... might even reduce crowding on the other lines

[@Trockenshampooleopard]

Are you sure? Say I came from Embankment and wanted to go to Farringdon, which would be the quickest? Staying on the Circle (obviously not), changing for Thameslink or walking from Blackfriars to Farringdon?

[@richardthorn]

You could beat a Thameslink train Blackfriars to Farringdon by running it I reckon.

[@mikewillis1592]

That's what I do. Much quicker - but not shown on the standard map.

[@JakePetrolhead]

Next week, Geoff uses his giant strides to beat a HST 125 across the entire length of the country

[@MeFreeBee]

Geoff and his Seven League Boots!

[@wisehat_yt]

@@simontay4851 r/woooosh

[@stephenrgow]

I reckon Geoff could genuinely beat an HST... between Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket.

[@MeFreeBee]

@@stephenrgow Only if he's willing to elbow aside the bagpiper's and bus tour hawkers on Waverley bridge.

[@iluvalg]

That would be impossible

[@andrewwebb3431]

Ah yes, the Manument Bonk complex. My second favourite transport hub after Kong's Crass St Pincras.

[@CisIP1862]

Good moaning, outside your coffee was this bunch of diffoduls and dosies.

[@GregRobsonUK]

@@CisIP1862 I beg you peed on?* * 'Allo 'Allo fans are probably reading this in Officer Crabtree's voice! 😂

[@roberthindle5146]

My favourite stations are Choring Crass and Mernington Croissant.

[@thomasfrederiksendk]

Peersons Gran isn’t half bad either.

[@matthewalbery8827]

@@roberthindle5146 surely you're referring to Moaningtun Chrissent? ;-)

[@renilives03]

Can you walk faster than the Circle line? Ken can't, but Barbi-can.

[@nicktecky55]

Wot, no likes? Go on, have one for luck. The Chuckle-o-Meter gave a twitch, I'm sure. Tough crowd.

[@k-leb4671]

@@nicktecky55 You probably found the comment less than a day after it was posted.

[@luquetesilva8928]

Ooooh epic

[@hellombx]

Wow. Never thought of like that. Epic. Very good one, mate

[@brayand8022]

How ever they passed Al-Gates

[@PendragonDaGreat]

"A regular Geoff Pace" I'm taking that for next time my friends say I walk too fast.

[@AgentDialUp]

Introducing, the new Jaguar Geoff Pace.

[@lawrencesimmons5093]

10 and a half minutes - and its all uphill - I used to walk the reverse route when I worked at Turnmill Street next door to Farringdon

[@peabody1976]

This is more realistic than a video I saw two years ago of a gent who got off a subsurface train at Cannon Street and ran full gallop to Mansion House and caught the same train he departed. And it's good at encouraging exercise where possible (aside from mobility issues, mind.)

[@MeFreeBee]

I used to live in Upminster in early 80s and last train from Fenchurch St was only 11pm, meaning a far longer District line slog. My sister insisted it was better to get the later Dagenham Dock train and then catch District line from Barking. The only time I tried that we literally ran like the wind from Tower Hill to Fenchurch St and just made the Dagenham Dock service, only to get on the same District line train we had left at Tower Hill.

[@SamSitar]

i would like do that something like that.

[@ericjamieson]

Counterpoint, I've seen that video and it's hilarious. I mean it's obviously just a stunt and doesn't tell you anything meaningful about the tube, but the way he's sprinting through London like an absolute madman and then collapses in a heap when he finally gets on the train made me laugh a lot.

[@joermnyc]

Someone did that in New York, 2 or 3 train to Chambers Street, he bolted upstairs, ran downtown a few streets, and over to Broadway at the Park Place station, ran down the escalator (it’s a deeper platform), jumped on the same train his friend was filming on simultaneously.

[@ianmoseley9910]

I seem to recall an incident some time ago where a DLR train conductor(?) was on the platform and had the train go off without him - had to go down and run through the streets to catch it up

[@JenOnTheMove]

I'm sensing a new series - can you quicker than

[@railrunners]

Can you least used quicker than Essex doesn't have the same ring to it

[@spongebot64]

Can you walk from Reading to Shenfield quicker than the Elizabeth Line ...oh wait

[@Mathemagical55]

Mansion House is only the third-closest Tube station to the actual Mansion House.

[@SlishSlashSlush]

Would Bank be the closest?

[@MarkDibley]

According to google, measuring from the front door of Mansion House on Walbrook, Bank tube station is 21 yards away (1 minute walk), Monument and Mansion House tube stations are both 0.2 miles away, but Mansion house is 4 minutes walk where as Monument is 5 minutes walk.

[@xander1052]

@@MarkDibley strange, I get 5 minutes for mansion house and 4 minutes for monument.

[@ok7513]

Lol I get 4 mins for mansion house and *6* mins to Monument

[@nathan_scofield_ynwa]

Can u walk faster than Crossrail? Yes, Cos it still ain't open

[@awsanteina5152]

Terrible..

[@poltronafrau]

badum-tsssss

[@milkandduckrailway323]

can you walk faster than hs2

[@bluefalcongaming5946]

@@milkandduckrailway323 I Suppose so... but you could probably crawl faster and still beat it.

[@ekvedrek]

@@milkandduckrailway323 As long as you have a rest in Old Oak f*cking Common

[@ratonbox]

What awful luck to pick the one day it’s raining in London.

[@kokilagunasinghe2186]

Nik Turk r/woooosh

[@P1nkR]

One thing you can be sure about, there is always at least one KZbin commenter who does not get the joke. It's one of the few certainties we have left in modern life.

[@ratonbox]

@@P1nkR It's fine, people will learn eventually.

[@mediagirl]

Oh you think it rains much in London? Oh you sweet summer children. Welcome to Aachen, we have about 1,5 times the rain you guys have. Oh, and its summer when the rain is warmer.

[@cosmic-fortytwo]

I’ve been to Aachen. I love the winter market! Gluhwein and Printer cookies.

[@MrMusicMan1973]

This is one of my favourite videos yet Geoff. I never usually have reason to be in Farringdon but now I know a quick route should I ever choose to go there. I've lived in London for 4 years now and yet I'm still learning lots about this great city thanks to you.

[@davedrew9328]

I do love the chemistry between you two you make me smile.

[@de-fault_de-fault]

Farringdon was my local station during my extended stay in London many years ago, and I learned fairly quickly that if I was headed anywhere west on the District line there was no point using the Circle from Farringdon to get there, because I would always catch an earlier train by walking to Blackfriars.

[@TheSmokie55]

Absolutely love this channel. you guys make me really miss London. If I ever defect from USA, I coming to London.

[@allotment3275]

Oh for the days when the circle line was a loop

[@whywhy6055]

al lotment should’ve renamed it as the lasso line

[@Gwailo54]

And getting from Paddington didn't involve changing at Edgware Road, where, if you're really lucky, you need to go up and down the stairs with luggage. It's as if nobody knows Paddington has a lot of longer distance trains and has people with suitcases, and that's not even bothering to think about the Heathrow Express. At least there is a lift on the H&C line.Ugh, the days of lugging heavy suitcases before they came installed with wheels!

[@patrickovsiu]

@@Gwailo54 Even with wheels, pulling your luggage through the area around Paddington could prove troublesome. And I did exactly that as the very first thing when I set foot in London 4 years ago. Fortunately I didn't pick somewhere needing a further Tube trip.

[@whywhy6055]

Gwailo54 problem is that if the lifts break, the stairs are the only option and even if you change at Edgware road, if the train terminates at the opposite platform of where you want to go, you’re gonna have to carry your luggage up and down the stairs. On a separate issue, one does wonder whether Tfl will buy out the rights to use the tunnel to heathrow in the future. That way, we don’t have to pay almost 11 quid to get to heathrow via paddington

[@Gwailo54]

@@patrickovsiu I have used Paddington to go to the family either to Wales, Gloucester or Bath for many years, over 4 decades in fact! Luggage with wheels has been a blessing. I have few issues getting around the station. You must have been unlucky.

[@TheFellaLittle]

And you got a wave at the end 😂

[@airfoxtrot2006]

Great video, loved the guy passing by waving at the end.

[@benjeffery1415]

I thought this would be Geoff being lazy and 'beating the train' by walking Edgware Road to Baker Street, when the train went round via Victoria and Tower Hill😂😂😂

[@valvlog4665]

Have lunch at Baker Street then board the same westbound train which left Egw Rd when he began his walked to Baker St.

[@gabri_maybe]

At Night,He Punched the tube

[@robertmackay782]

Londonist now to run "Who are the two people who get the circle line from Barbican to Mansion House" article.

[@ianthomson9363]

I once walked the entire Circle Line (as it was when it actually did just go round and round) for charity. It took me exactly 7 hours including rest & refreshment stops.

[@nesnoj]

You certainly deserved the refreshment stops

[@ianthomson9363]

@@nesnoj I definitely needed them too! I think it was about 13 miles.

[@SamSitar]

what do you see when doing that?

[@MosherMike]

Without rest, that walk should take 4 hours and 20minutes. Good achievement though.

[@caw25sha]

"including rest & refreshment stops" Go on, admit it, it was a pub crawl wasn't it?

[@johnsails5436]

I can’t believe I missed you, I work next to farringdon station and was getting my lunch that day too... Ah! Top quality video from a top quality pair as always :-)

[@jackbee5091]

29 on trending! Good job geoff, love your channel by the way!

[@CityWhisperer]

Conclusion: We sometimes gotta walk!

[@waseemmohamed8122]

The next station is Manument. Change here for the central and northern lines, and the DLR from Bonk" Also notice the guy towards the end waving at the camera

[@danceingdave3]

Manument bonk complex? The mind boggles!!!

[@ronaldraygoon]

Où est la gare "Banque"?

[@adriyanangelov7099]

Monument

[@bensthebest]

Realised when you left I may have ruined the shot! Great video as always!

[@geofftech2]

ha ha, hey Ben! are you in the background? i couldn't see you ...

[@bensthebest]

Geoff Marshall for like half a second! I’ll take this as being KZbin famous now!

[@rubyhill3731]

Love the tube videos!❤

[@flyby2300]

Excellent, very amusing.

[@divarachelenvy]

yous are always entertaining... cheers

[@Shungabali]

Love it, love it, looove it! that`s the kind of competition my friend John and I used to enjoy

[@charlesarnold4963]

That was quite interesting. I frequently travel from Waterloo to the Shakespeare’s Head near Holbourn station. I think the journey takes about the same time by tube, bus or walking. There are several possible routes by tube. There are lots of buses but one goes via the underpass near Aldwych so has fewer stops. My challenge os fo you to come up with the optimum route!

[@waynejarrell1]

I love your videos. 💯😎💎

[@PaulsShowBiz]

Very informative! Thanks.😀

[@stamrly418]

We have a saying in Scotland.... Your not spoiling two houses.... your both as nuts as the other and so good to smile at. Zany, smiling and happy a good thing to see. Amacf

[@stuartmcconnachie]

6:20 Probably all day if you stand in the doors Geoff 😉

[@sleepwalker3130]

There're two "ch" about this couple, that able to make me watch videos about anything - charisma and chemistry. Regardless, please continue on metro and trains 😁

[@valvlog4665]

My name's ValVlog and I'm a trainoholic. I watched this 100% and wrote down the times.

[@chloeslovelyday9329]

Love the "Geoff Finger" when the announcement sounds at 3:20 !

[@liamg5845]

#28 on Trending for the UK 🇬🇧, great video

[@greaterlondonbuses8100]

Anyone else notice the man waving at 9:43? 😂

[@mariamihailik5310]

I used to go to school in Moorgate and I'd always walk to Cannon Street where I got the train, it seemed to be way faster than going round the loop on the Circle Line

[@Gwailo54]

Waiting for an eternity at Aldgate is nothing new. I remember rushing to get to the RFH and we got to our (very cheapo) seats with seconds to spare before the applause ended Richard Baker started the opening narration of Oedipus Rex. It felt like we waited at least five minutes at Aldgate. The additional stopping points added over the years on all lines is an additional pain.

[@BirbarianHomeGuard]

love the look of sub surface underground trains.

[@TheSniper9752]

Kinda prefer the ones that got replaced but I never complain about them on a scorching summers day

[@bluechipcoach]

I love this. Geoff can you do a series with spots on other tube lines where it maybe quicker to walk to a destination rather than stay the train. E.g. an obvious one is: I think 99% of scenarios it is easier to walk from London Liverpool Street (LST) to Moorgate rather than: 1. switch lines and get to Moorgate if you are not on a line that goes between LST and Moorgate I.e. change from Central line LST to Hammersmith & City for Moorgate 2. There are delays and it is best to get off the tube early and just walk it from LST to Moorgate. 2b does it matter if you exit LST from National rail side or underground tube line as to the decision to walk. whether you exited from the back of the train. National rail platforms are long and can get congested at peak hour. Does starting from the wrong exit out of LST affect the Tube journey? You dont want to walk to Moorgate from exit 1. Let's see what you come up with

[@Slay-vx4lu]

Even without watching this, yes

[@davidhobbies7712]

great video fun to watch all the tube station

[@AaronD_]

9:43 hello to you to fella!

[@garethevans9789]

Ever notice that no one ever asks if you can walk faster than a bus at rush-hour? 🤔

[@JoeGrohlDJ]

I did that this morning and even the back streets were rammed full of traffic!

[@garethevans9789]

That was the point. 😉

[@Necrotoxin44]

You are such a lovely couple ♥

[@neffersonjickel3901]

I always walk in Central London. Not only does it save a tonne of cash, but you get to see all the architecture the Blue Plaques and explore the side-streets and ancient alleys.

[@benjaminjohnsson2233]

The next station is Manument Bonk, change for the Corthern, Nentral and Daterloo and City lines and the WLR

[@adriyanangelov7099]

Waterloo and City line and the DLR from Bank

[@mayabashova]

Central Northern and Waterloo and City line and the DLR Manument Bonk

[@57bananaman]

I always find it quicker if I'm on the train as I'm not going to get tempted into calling into one of the pubs for a swift half!! :) An interesting one would be Liverpool Street to Monument, using the side-entrance from the H&C/Circle line that emerges at the corner of Liverpool Street and Old Broad Street opposite the Railway Tavern, then turning left along Old Broad Street, then turning left along Wentworth Street, then turning right down Bishopsgate (Skyscraper Alley) and Gracechurch Street to Monument Station. This would have to be done weekdays as that side-entrance never seems to be open at weekends or late evenings.

[@excelsiorsolutions1590]

10sec deep; you are the best xxx

[@jonathanbott87]

After visiting London last week, I realized that really any stations that are sorta close are almost better to walk since the stations are so massive inside.

[@brian9731]

My very elderly parents travel to London from Leeds by train but they get tickets to Stevenage and as we live in Edgware, Northwest London, that's way easier than picking up from KX, which is huge and complicated and there's nowhere to park.

[@foxesdad]

So Useful to know.

[@Dirkus17]

It really changes the end of the song. “Dagenham East, Bounds Green, Bonk”.

[@poteyatocheapp6978]

Morden Manument Mornington Crescent

[@AndreiTupolev]

These things with Geoff dashing about all over the place make me exhausted

[@sherondalewis8053]

A, if you are a fast walker and on a mission, you can definitely beat the trains. B, it helps depending on what time. Meaning, if it's lunch time and there is a queue standing in your path...that also factors in. And how long each stop on the train stops for (I think Geoff was at a station for a good 2 minutes before moving it along). And it helps that both of them are healthy enough. Because if you were in pain or whatever, screw that...I'll just wait for the train to take me there. I hope you do this with all of the lines!

[@dazzlingdaz187]

I like these videos far too much

[@greg0899]

Great Video As Always How about Kings Cross to Euston via Victoria Line?

[@paulhill8224]

Great video

[@ianzthingz1]

Kudos on the music, gave my sub a good work out!

[@matthewciappara6506]

🙂🙂 great example of walking power against train power.

[@metropod]

The nearest subway line to my house, the M train, has it’s two terminals, Metropolitan Ave and 71st Avenue about 2 and a half miles apart. It’s, however, the closest thing New York has to a circle line, since it takes over an hour to ride from end to end where as google says it’s quicker to walk. There are also buses at the first three stops (Metropolitan Ave [Q38 & Q67] Fresh Pond Road [Q58] and Forest Avenue [Q39]) that connect with the M further up the line, skipping the parts through Brooklyn and Manhattan.

[@Brooklyn-Manhattan]

Which end are you closer to? My profile pictures and account name are references to the 2010 service changes that caused the M to be a circle.

[@Brooklyn-Manhattan]

Wait. I've seen you before, Back when I was BMT Faded IV.

[@GamerSpencer]

the guy waving at the end. Winner! :D

[@MurtuzaBookwala]

I regularly walk from my client at Moorgate to another client on Lombard Street near the Bank Monument complex. Takes about 10 mins.

[@markweir2988]

I use to walk from Charing cross to marble arch in the 90s while I work there and it was as quick to do that than catching a tube or bus and kept me fit.

[@g.groves616]

5 views yet 11 likes. Brilliant😂😂 Great vid btw

[@abdullahi4545]

This is more relatable and interesting as i always go on the circle line ( cuz i live royal oak)

[@thegrowl2210]

I honestly thought he was gonna outpace the circle line, it really does feel that slow!

[@Cpr1234]

One person raced a circle line train from mansion house to cannon street and managed to get back on the train at cannon street while the doors were open.

[@servertoaster]

Cpr1234 that video was fake

[@michaelocyoung]

@@servertoaster Was it? It's not on Snopes and no Google search reveals it to be so.

[@hartstukken]

@@servertoaster there's multiple videos, one is real and the one where there's a group of boys freerunning on the street is fake

There is an underground line in Budapest where the distance between two stations is about twice as fast as underground. Not statistics, but experience since I lived in Budapest for 42 years and this line is almost 10 years old.

[@norbitonflyer5625]

The actual circular part of the Circle is just under 13 miles long (just over 20km). The working timetable allows 54 minutes to get round. The world record for the half marathon (13.1 miles) is 58 minutes.

[@maryapatterson]

I didn't realise how loud the tube trains are with announcements from the train, the platform, the doors opening and closing anybody else who fancies joining in. It's funny when you use the tube on a regular basis you don't notice it.......

[@AlexanderMarsdenJones]

Ladbroke Grove to Notting Hill Gate should be doable at ‘Geoff Pace’ too.

[@ccyounce]

This is something I wish I could do all day long!

[@pyeonghwa0115]

You may also try from Hammersmith to Edgware Road while Circle Line tube travels from Hammersmith to Edgware Road VIA Liverpool Street, which means it travels whole round.

[@smaxwell4062]

On a recent visit to London I noticed the beautiful piano key non slip treads on the steps in some stations...seriously good engineering. Do you know when they were introduced? They look like they were installed in more prosperous times🤑

[@telquad1953]

This 65 year old arthritic Patreon Supporter thanks you for mentioning that walking isn't for everyone.

[@danielchin4421]

Although I read the Carto Metro map of London many times it occured to me that not all stations in the Circle are side platforms watching this :P

[@mikewillis1592]

You hinted at it but in central London it often takes so long to cross the road using official crossings and waiting for the little green man to appear that the tube is faster. Also in the summer trying to walk through Westminster the mean free path between tourists is only about a metre and getting anywhere takes ages. We all know the back street routes.

[@jamesmorrison8078]

Very good

[@garryjones1878]

Geoff Marshall. Here is one race I would love you to try. Walk vs Train for one lap of the Circle Line. Under these rules. Walk a lap of the Circle Line stopping at every station. The person walking has to actually physically touch the entrance to every station in order. The person on the tube has to get out at every station and wait for the train to the next circle line station. They do not have to use a circle line train but it must go to the next circle line station. Who would win? At a distance of around 16 miles it should take about 4 hours at a brisk pace. I reckon the tube journey with waiting for 35 next trains would take about as long. This should be completed outside of rush hour.

[@JenOnTheMove]

Is it quicker to walk between Liverpool and London, or get the LNWR stopper?

[@gazriley624]

Quicker than Megabus from Liverpool to London

[@Rezzo64]

That train usually makes it to Birmingham New Street before the train instructor finishes reading out every stop.

[@seeitsayitdoggo]

omg i feel your pain

[@alanmcconachie]

Hi bloke waving in the background at Mansion House.

[@davplaysmusic]

My favourite station is the Manument/Bonk complex

[@johnstilljohn3181]

I used to walk from London Bridge to Old Street to work - took a little longer than the Northern Line, but not a lot...

[@brian9731]

A word to the wise - if the Met Line is down, it probably won't be down for long. Don't bother striding out towards alternative routes out of the city. It's quicker to sit on the train and wait for them to fix the problem. This from personal experience about 2 weeks ago, wife was also on the line and got a seat at Baker St (never happens on the evening rush on the Met Line normally).

[@TWGF1853]

9:44 someone waved when he said manument bonk 😂😂😂

[@1973Washu]

It might be interesting to do a series of walks of all the underground lines at street level stopping at all the stations.

[@davekirwin]

MANUMENT BONK! *yoink. Having that...* ;)

[@fetchstixRHD]

I wouldn't be surprised if most people can! There was a time where me and a friend travelled from Euston Square to Temple, I said that it would be faster to catch a Thameslink and walk up from City Thameslink. So I did just that while they went the long way round, waited for about 15mins... (Why I didn't just go down to Blackfriars and then get the Circle again, I have no idea 🤦‍♀️ would have saved some walking!)

[@gabby4558]

You should do these video in a splitscreen so we can try and guess who's going faster.

[@thisisstuart7951]

how about can you cycle to Morden quicker than the Northern Line from Kings Cross

[@Reason077]

If the RMT union goes on strike and ALL SERVICES are suspended for 2 days, is it quicker to walk from Heathrow to Epping? Or wait until services resume?

[@thisisstuart7951]

@@Reason077 if you want blisters size of cricket balls

[@crispoman]

Cycling would be a good choice rather than on foot. One does not simply walk into Morden.

[@annabellej9429]

Yes, Barbican! That's my stop!

[@krullenbos94]

first two times I was in London I've walked way too much, things we thought would be equally fast as taking the underground.. man.. were we wrong! So even though you could walk this faster or equally fast I would probably take the train!

[@MosherMike]

The Circle ought to change its name to The Spiral Line.

[@k-leb4671]

I never got to experience a Circle Line rave...

[@HenrysAdventures]

There are also people who race the tube. I guy did it between Mansion House and Cannon Street, since then loads of people have done it around the World's Metros!

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

Reminds me of Race the Tube except it's just walking

[@Brooklyn-Manhattan]

Lmao.

[@optecio]

For those who don't know, a Geoff pace averages around 15km/h.

[@JJT1603]

I no longer live in UK but always fancied the Circle Line drinking challenge.....11.00am until whenever, half a pint at the pub nearest each station, all the way round!!! Good luck anyone!!!