While the London Underground remains an essential transport network for millions, certain brief journeys raise questions about their practicality. A recent experiment conducted by secret.london has highlighted one such route, branding a 57-second Tube trip as potentially the most pointless in the capital.
The Race Between Rail and Foot
In a compelling social test, two individuals embarked on the Bakerloo line journey from Marylebone Station to Baker Street, while a third participant walked the same distance. The stations are merely 0.2 miles apart, with Google Maps estimating a six-minute walking time. However, the actual Tube ride lasts just under a minute, prompting curiosity about which method proves quicker when factoring in station access and waiting times.
Navigating Stations and Streets
The video documentation shows the two female colleagues swiftly moving through Marylebone Station, dealing with ticket barriers and crowded escalators, but not running. Meanwhile, narrator Tom set off on foot through the streets, commenting on the dismal weather and his preparedness with an umbrella. He expressed confidence, noting that his competitors had to reach the platform and hope for a timely train.
At the platform, the women faced a two-minute wait for the next service, while Tom encountered his first delay at traffic lights. He shared a historical tidbit, mentioning that Baker Street Station is the world's oldest Tube station, opened on January 10, 1863, but questioned whether it was designed for speed.
The Final Showdown
Upon boarding the train, the women's timers showed four minutes and 20 seconds had elapsed. One remarked humorously about their petite stature compared to Tom's lanky frame. After disembarking, they hurried towards the exit, struggling with a stubborn ticket barrier and a frantic escalator ascent.
Emerging at the station entrance, their timer read six minutes and 26 seconds, only to find Tom already waiting. He had completed the walk in six minutes and 16 seconds, concluding that for this particular journey, walking is indeed the superior option.
London's Shortest Tube Journeys
This experiment sheds light on the broader context of brief Underground trips. Below is a list of some of the shortest Tube journeys in London, based on ride duration alone:
- Charing Cross to Embankment: 35 seconds (Northern line)
- Leicester Square to Covent Garden: 39 seconds (Piccadilly line)
- Southwark to Waterloo: 42 seconds (Jubilee line)
- Tottenham Court Road to Leicester Square: 44 seconds (Northern line)
- Holborn to Chancery Lane: 45 seconds (Central line)
- Warren Street to Goodge Street: 46 seconds (Northern line)
- Cannon Street to Mansion House: 50 seconds (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines)
- Embankment to Charing Cross: 50 seconds (Bakerloo line)
- Monument to Cannon Street: 50 seconds (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines)
- Marble Arch to Bond Street: 51 seconds (Central line)
- Northfields to South Ealing: 51 seconds (Piccadilly line)
- Oxford Circus to Tottenham Court Road: 51 seconds (Central line)
- Charing Cross to Leicester Square: 54 seconds (Northern line)
- Euston to King's Cross: 54 seconds (Victoria line)
- Finchley Road to Swiss Cottage: 55 seconds (Jubilee line)
- Wood Lane to Shepherds Bush: 55 seconds (Circle and Hammersmith & City lines)
- Goodge Street to Tottenham Court Road: 56 seconds (Northern line)
- Baker Street to Marylebone: 57 seconds (Bakerloo line)
- Bond Street to Oxford Circus: 57 seconds (Central line)
- Marylebone to Edgware Road: 57 seconds (Bakerloo line)
This experiment underscores that while the Tube is often a time-saver, for very short distances, walking can outpace rail travel when considering total door-to-door time. It serves as a reminder for Londoners to evaluate their travel options, especially on routes under a minute in duration.
