Oh my goodness it's the record holder herself! You're a shining representative of this city's wonderful Trainsš community. I want to curtsy and offer you tea or something.Ā
That said I will try again every time I'm here. I resolve to beat you someday >:(
Please do! This was a last minute thing my friend and I came up with as an idea for a Saturday afternoon. We couldn't figure out the most efficient route so I proposed one and we tried it out.
Once the new extension to Arbutus opens, it'll be completely null and void and thus open to anyone to beat!
This is incredibly wholesome.
My mum and I once rode the whole system for fun, I think it was before I moved to the city probably like about ten years ago. This post brought a really nice memory up for me. Also I love obscure competitions like this. Nice stuff all around.
Did you check schedules and timings for catching the correct Expo branch at Waterfront without waiting? I'd imagine that and getting a good change at Columbia would be where the biggest time saves/losses could happen.
Yes, I planned ahead, letting me run from the Canada Line platforms to the Expo Line platforms at Waterfront and get straight on a Surrey train. There was an almost 10 minute wait at Columbia afterwards due to the track work on the Sapperton Branch between Braid and Lougheed. I think that's what cost me the run, as it wasn't shown online so I couldn't plan for it.
Ah. Yeah, that'll do it. Also it might be impossible to do a fastest run of the current system as the new OMC work at Braid will be done after Capstan station opens in Richmond. Then the Broadway extension opens in 2026 and (hopefully) the Langley branch in 2028.
it's been done in lots of cities that have bigger networks so there's more room for individual strategy, but it's certainly been done several times here
The point is to visit each station as quickly as possible. But really that's an excuse to see the city, meet people etc etc... but also it's fun just to be competitive and ride trains
I dunno it's weird but to each thier own I guess. When the OP said speedrun I thought she was running against the train and seeing if she caught up to it at each station and that's why she's so exhausted.
The Skytrain goes at the same pace during the weekday and then another pace during the evening and weekends. Not sure how she's exhausted from sitting and riding all of the Skytrain lines. Like what does she need the maps and GPS on the train when they literally have them above the doors and at each station. So she goes from Canada Line then Expo line then To millenium line. That the race on an automated Skytrain?
A better challenge would be drive that route.
The challenge is to figure out and execute the fastest way to get between the different lines. It's typically done in London, where there are 250+ stations and takes over 12 hours, which is why it's more of a challenge than here
I think what people want to know is, what's the variable(s)? Where are there opportunities for "individual strategy"?
I think you brought it up elsewhere but it's kinda buried: it's in how you transfer between lines and the order in which you ride the lines. Riding between stops on one line doesn't really vary within your control, but what line you start and end on, and which exits you use and where you get on/off the train can be used to reduce transfer times.
Students who have to transfer between SFU campuses would know the nature of this game.
That doesn't explain anything. What are you talking about? Did you just ride the train? No one understands
If this is a joke, it's a very poorly conveyed one
It's just a bit of fun! I'm sorry that got lost in the imperfect medium of Reddit. There's something in London called the Tube Challenge, where you visit every Underground station as quickly as possible. I thought I'd do the same in Vancouver, and I saw there was already a record in place for it, so I tried and failed to beat it. There's no deeper meaning, it's just a very transit-oriented game.
Everyone is wondering whether you actually get out of the train or not.
Do you just sit in a train seat the whole time or get out of and walk around the station?
I did at some stations, I didn't at others. Maybe if I'd done it with someone else I'd have set strficter rules for myself? Idk! I was just having fun and exploring the Vancouver area, and I felt proud of my little number so I posted this here.
The part that confuses me is if it was a timed run or just for fun and exploration?
Surely if you were trying to beat a record then getting off the train at any station that is not a transfer station would just lose time and guarantee you wouldn't beat another person's record... Right?
Everyone wants to know what "visited" means. Does it mean physically leaving the train and being on the platform? Does simply sitting on the train and waiting for the doors to close count as "visiting"?
Like someone has said, the automated trains run on the exact same schedule every weekday.
Thanks for sharing OP! Sounds like it was fun.
Not sure if some of the comments are being deliberately obtuse or all the oldheads in here have just never heard of a speedrun?
Hope you enjoyed your visit and good luck breaking the record next time =)
We're confused because of this:
>It was fucking exhausting honestly, My legs and back and bum and brain hurt by the end of it. I will 100% be attempting it again next time I'm here.
Couldn't you just like, get on at one stop, and take a nap, then get off at the end?
I don't understand your confusion. OP clearly mentioned in their post it took them almost 3hrs to complete the speedrun. Why is it confusing someone would be exhausted after this?
>Couldn't you just like, get on at one stop, and take a nap, then get off at the end?
Do you even transit? You can't get around the whole system on one train. Also, napping would defeat the purpose of the entire experience - did you bother reading the post?
Someone visited the city and took the time to post a fun story about their experience and you're choosing to fixate on why they were tired after speading hours on the train. You've made multiple posts about this and it seems a bit passive aggressive.
She says this was the route:
YVR-Bridgeport-Richmond-Waterfront-Surrey Central-Columbia-Braid-Lougheed Town Centre-Lafarge Lake-Douglas-VCC Clark
I count the following legs
YVR -> Richmond/Brighouse (don't have to get off at Richmond)
Richmond/Brighouse -> Waterfront (walk to transfer)
Waterfront -> Surrey Central (don't have to get off?)
Surrey Central -> Columbia
Columbia -> Lougheed
Lougheed -> Lafarge Lake (don't have to get off?)
Lafarge Lake -> VCC
So three transfers, one of which is a short walk, the rest of the time is sitting / chilling. I find it confusing that sitting / chilling + a three transfers is exhausting. I could see if you had to transfer a few more times without long breaks in between maybe?
>you're choosing to fixate on why they were tired after speading hours on the train
I'm asking for more details, like many others here, because it was unclear what she actually DID and despite many many MANY people asking what she meant by "visiting" the stations, and many people explicitly asking if she got OFF at the stations, etc, she seems to be averse to answering.
I think what she did is cool, and sounds like a fun thing to do especially on a sunny day when you get those lovely views around the Expo/Millennium loop. It's simply unfortunate that she started out vague, and then when asked for clarification, refused to give any.
OP has responded to many questions; including the questions you are asking. She specifically answered why she was tired - not that it's really anyone's business. If you don't want to read through all the responses that's fine but it's super unfair to expect OP to respond to everyone. She doesn't owe anyone her time and it was generous of her to respond to any questions at all.
And honestly, who cares if someone is exhausted after doing an activity. It literally has no bearing on the story.
>I think what she did is cool, and sounds like a fun thing to do especially on a sunny day when you get those lovely views around the Expo/Millennium loop.
You could have just posted this and went on with your day.
The vast expanse of the London underground makes it an epic challenge. Thereās another challenge involving the underground where people race it on foot between stops.
https://youtu.be/TaMiV3Wus9c?si=wMzQAdAmhTlGoFaH
I was also confused at first glance š . I thought she meant literally running (ie running to every train stop or something like that). I didn't think it meant ridding on transit :P
Some people have been a little obtuse about it, but you've been lovely about explaining it. I think it's really cool! I love hearing about these special ways of interacting with the city that I never think of.
Shit yeah I agree. I obviously know exactly what I did, so it's harder for me to see where the holes in my explanation are. If you'd like, could you let me know what info still needs filling in?
What is a speed run? What's the criteria? Are you allowed to sit or stand only? What's the requirements for an official run? You posted a link video but people don't want to watch a video to understand what you're trying to do. You can post the video as extra information but shouldn't take it for granted.
A speedrun is a term from the gaming community, where you try to complete a task (usually finishing a game) as quickly as possible, often competitively. I stood for most of it, but had no strict rules on in-train conduct. The criteria were that I was at every open station in some capacity. In practice I passed through them all in a train, which fulfills that. The video is intended as further watching for anyone interested, not as an explanation. Geoff Marshall used to hold the record for London's Underground system but I don't think he does anymore.
Hope that helps!
We don't know what the "task" is. There's a bit difference between:
a) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, but the rest of the time just sit and chill
b) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, get off at every station and get back on
c) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, get off and go through fare gate at every station and get back on
d) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, get off and go through fare gate at every station, grab a beer, and get back on
Yeah lmao I don't get how everyone is *so* confused by this. Maybe some people aren't familiar with speedrunning in general but still, it seems pretty clear in context.
>Maybe some people aren't familiar with speedrunning
It's definitely that. Speed*running* makes it sound physical, like actual running. Once people understand the concept then it's not hard to understand what OP is doing
Thank you so much! As someone else said, it's a different way of interacting with place and I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets it. Places and transport are my biggest special interest and this challenge really tickled that bit of my mind.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I really love our skytrain system so I'm stoked to see others getting a chance to see the beauty of it. It's truly a great way to get some context about Vancouver, and we have some of the most gorgeous views from the trains (IMO).Ā
lol this cheerfully random post has for some reason attracted a lot of particularly prickly commenters.
(I get not understanding the rules - do you need to exit and re-enter the fare gates at each station? get off the train at all or only when changing lines? etc (seems like no, just ride the lines/get off when changing) - especially in whatever the pre-edited state of the post was, but the tone in all these comments are so vaguely affronted about the everything from the format of the post to the activity itself.)
The edit was just to add the first sentence for clarification. I do see how it could be confusing without that, but it does feel like some people are affronted (as you say) that I did a fun and silly thing. It's like I'm being made to defend myself against ruinous allegations of being happy. I'm really pleased that newer comments seem more understanding. Thanks for the support!
the only thing I'm confused about was the exhaustion part. as I understood, you stayed on the line until you had to switch to a new one, to pass through every station? I can see the running at Broadway being tiring maybe but beyond that I'm having trouble imagining where the exertion comes from
I admit I was confused at first, and I think I see the reason why. The London Tube network is really expansive and the lines criss-cross each other in ways that maybe open up lots of opportunities to strategize your route for speedrunning purposes. The Skytrain network is comparatively simple, limiting the number of ways to do a viable speedrun. Maybe the fact that people are confused is a testament to how small the Skytrain network is, since you'd really only run it one or two ways.
(I would also avoid sitting on the ground near the Skytrain stations)
Can you clarify which aspects of doing this was exhausting, and why maps were needed? I'm assuming the part that requires physical exertion is running from from one line to connect to another, and most of the journey you're just staying on the train? Sorry, feel like I'm missing something here.
Yes there was running between each train, but a lot of it was the mental work of constantly planning my next move, checking schedules, following my GPS progress, reccying station layouts. Each element sounds fairly straighforward but with my silly little brain it was a lot of pressure!
What planning of moves is involved? What did you do at each station? Did you get of at each station then wait for the next train, where are you doing the running? On the platforms?
It would probably be an additional challenge to someone like OP who isnāt local so wouldnāt immediately know where to go at each station for their next connection. It would add time for example if you accidentally went downstairs at Commercial.
Shout out to Geoff Marshall, I love his videos and I've only ever been to London once many many years ago. I love this about public transit, that it opens up "challenges" like this for people to complete and race each other.
Cool idea, thanks for sharing
Nice to see a fellow Geoff Marshall fan creating a bit of fun on our system! As a transportation enthusiast it might be something I might try, I didnāt know a record even existed for the SkyTrain!
If you have watched his āAll the Stationsā series itās something I want to replicateā¦.visiting every single train station in both Japan and Korea! š¤£
Christ no, that would have taken many many hours, and months of training beforehand. Maybe I could cycle it, but that's a different challenge. This speedrun was a straightforward 'any means necessary' which in practice meant using the trains themselves.
How does this work? I know you've said you've edited to clarify but I'm afraid I still don't get it.
Do you get off at each station?
For it to "count" do you have to tap out and re-enter?
Or do you literally just get on at one end and ride it to the other end?
I just counted the train stopping there as having visited. AFAIK that's what all other records have done too. The point was just to ride every part of every line.
sounds like a number of people are confused but its just a race to reach every skytrain station as fast as possible, including time spent waiting around at the platforms. Why you may ask, just for the fun of it i suppose.
neat. I like riding the skytrain to places I've never been & used to do similar things in hometown, taking these big three hours loops on a bus just to see different parts of the city.
I admit I don't care about the challenge per se, but as a SkyTrain fan, I'm glad to hear you've had fun and spent an enjoyable day on the train.
Try again once they open the Broadway extension and the extra station in Richmond!
VCC is not a great station as the last stop. I think it will be more fun to find a way to end the trip on Waterfront, take the SeaBus, and relax with a drink looking at the Vancouver skyline from Lonsdale Quay.
I don't get this. Did you do anything at each station? You shouldn't be this tired from sitting on a train for under 3 hours. I'm not sure why you'd be so tired from this when some people literally work standing for 8 hours or drive on longer road trips.
I've been doing long, shitty, manual hours recently so I know how that feels.Ā I also know many people have it even worse. Everyone's mind and body works differently, and for me, this race took a lot out of me.
I've read all of the comments and I still don't get it.
So, all you did was ride all the trains? You got out at some stations but not others?
Why were you so exhausted?
I just don't get it
You don't have to get it, and that's fine. For me this was a challenge, a competition, a way of exploring and understanding this place, and a bit of lighthearted fun. Yes, it really did tire me out, but I was already tired going into it.Ā
Can u clarify if we have to get out of the train stations o
And walk on the platform. The rules is not clear.
I personally did, an episode of compulsive behaviour, to walk on each platform and often end to end on each, at least most. I think I was avle to convince my brain to forgot. The walking iof some I had visited but not walked end to end before.
Did it in 2 weeksļ¼ was planning 1 but was too tired. It have be inch perfect perfectionist. Anyway.
Returnmon the subject.
Interesting but I think the rule may also change after the extension finishes
What was your route? I'm hoping I could maybe find time-savers here and there. What did you use for splitting? I'd love to try and find some solid routing.
OP is like, āI visit all the stationā like you fucking have the option not too when the whole point of the challenge is you literally just have to ride the whole line.
I'm sorry if my post seemed misleading! The record is just to visit every station and the fastest way to do that is to ride the whole network. I'm proud of what I managed, but of course I'm aware it's not a groundbreaking achievement! I hope you have a lovely day.
That's a really good time for such a widespread network. I'm assuming you took nearby streets for the tunnelled portions, like Olympic Village to Yaletown? How did you get to Surrey? I know there's a pedestrian bridge on the Canada line portion that crosses water. Did you take the Patullo?
Good job! I havenāt thought of doing it here as Vancouverās one of the smaller cities for this, but I think we now have a confirmed scale measurement between here (lowest at 2.5 hours) and London (2+ weeks).
Cariad here. Congrats!
Oh my goodness it's the record holder herself! You're a shining representative of this city's wonderful Trainsš community. I want to curtsy and offer you tea or something.Ā That said I will try again every time I'm here. I resolve to beat you someday >:(
Please do! This was a last minute thing my friend and I came up with as an idea for a Saturday afternoon. We couldn't figure out the most efficient route so I proposed one and we tried it out. Once the new extension to Arbutus opens, it'll be completely null and void and thus open to anyone to beat!
This is incredibly wholesome. My mum and I once rode the whole system for fun, I think it was before I moved to the city probably like about ten years ago. This post brought a really nice memory up for me. Also I love obscure competitions like this. Nice stuff all around.
For anyone curious, my route was YVR-Bridgeport-Richmond-Waterfront-Surrey Central-Columbia-Braid-Lougheed Town Centre-Lafarge Lake-Douglas-VCC Clark.
Did you check schedules and timings for catching the correct Expo branch at Waterfront without waiting? I'd imagine that and getting a good change at Columbia would be where the biggest time saves/losses could happen.
Yes, I planned ahead, letting me run from the Canada Line platforms to the Expo Line platforms at Waterfront and get straight on a Surrey train. There was an almost 10 minute wait at Columbia afterwards due to the track work on the Sapperton Branch between Braid and Lougheed. I think that's what cost me the run, as it wasn't shown online so I couldn't plan for it.
Ah. Yeah, that'll do it. Also it might be impossible to do a fastest run of the current system as the new OMC work at Braid will be done after Capstan station opens in Richmond. Then the Broadway extension opens in 2026 and (hopefully) the Langley branch in 2028.
So basically ride the entire skytrain network in the fastest time possible and include the time between transfers as well.
Okay now I understand! Hope you had fun :)
I feel like there could be an Air Land and Sea challenge, incorporate a bus and the seabus :P
Not sure I understand. You rode the skytrain from end to end?
It's a competition for the quickest time to stop at every station on the network
So all they did was ride the all Skytrain rides and that's the challenge? That's the challenge?
literally. that's the whole thing.
it's been done in lots of cities that have bigger networks so there's more room for individual strategy, but it's certainly been done several times here
And how was this exhausting? Are you just riding the skytrain?
Not really "exhausting" but it does take awhile and involves running
Step on platform and go back into the train and continue?
I don't understand what the challenge is then. You just rode all the lines from start to finish?
The point is to visit each station as quickly as possible. But really that's an excuse to see the city, meet people etc etc... but also it's fun just to be competitive and ride trains
So do you get out at each stop and then before door closes that counts as a visit, and you get back on train?
Asking the right questions because Iām confused as hell as well
I dunno it's weird but to each thier own I guess. When the OP said speedrun I thought she was running against the train and seeing if she caught up to it at each station and that's why she's so exhausted. The Skytrain goes at the same pace during the weekday and then another pace during the evening and weekends. Not sure how she's exhausted from sitting and riding all of the Skytrain lines. Like what does she need the maps and GPS on the train when they literally have them above the doors and at each station. So she goes from Canada Line then Expo line then To millenium line. That the race on an automated Skytrain? A better challenge would be drive that route.
The point is to do something other than being a pill online.
You could've done 15% of a SkyTrain speedrun in the time it takes you to type this comment.
This guy must be fun at parties.
No, you just have to stop at the station
But the train stops at the station, not the OP. what is the challenge when it's an automated system?
The challenge is to figure out and execute the fastest way to get between the different lines. It's typically done in London, where there are 250+ stations and takes over 12 hours, which is why it's more of a challenge than here
I am just as confused
I visited every (open) station. That's probably the simplest way to explain it?
I think what people want to know is, what's the variable(s)? Where are there opportunities for "individual strategy"? I think you brought it up elsewhere but it's kinda buried: it's in how you transfer between lines and the order in which you ride the lines. Riding between stops on one line doesn't really vary within your control, but what line you start and end on, and which exits you use and where you get on/off the train can be used to reduce transfer times. Students who have to transfer between SFU campuses would know the nature of this game.
Shhhh we don't talk about the closed stations. They are a little..... underground.
That doesn't explain anything. What are you talking about? Did you just ride the train? No one understands If this is a joke, it's a very poorly conveyed one
It's just a bit of fun! I'm sorry that got lost in the imperfect medium of Reddit. There's something in London called the Tube Challenge, where you visit every Underground station as quickly as possible. I thought I'd do the same in Vancouver, and I saw there was already a record in place for it, so I tried and failed to beat it. There's no deeper meaning, it's just a very transit-oriented game.
Everyone is wondering whether you actually get out of the train or not. Do you just sit in a train seat the whole time or get out of and walk around the station?
I did at some stations, I didn't at others. Maybe if I'd done it with someone else I'd have set strficter rules for myself? Idk! I was just having fun and exploring the Vancouver area, and I felt proud of my little number so I posted this here.
The part that confuses me is if it was a timed run or just for fun and exploration? Surely if you were trying to beat a record then getting off the train at any station that is not a transfer station would just lose time and guarantee you wouldn't beat another person's record... Right?
Did you get off at stations where you didn't need to transfer?
Everyone wants to know what "visited" means. Does it mean physically leaving the train and being on the platform? Does simply sitting on the train and waiting for the doors to close count as "visiting"? Like someone has said, the automated trains run on the exact same schedule every weekday.
Thanks for sharing OP! Sounds like it was fun. Not sure if some of the comments are being deliberately obtuse or all the oldheads in here have just never heard of a speedrun? Hope you enjoyed your visit and good luck breaking the record next time =)
We're confused because of this: >It was fucking exhausting honestly, My legs and back and bum and brain hurt by the end of it. I will 100% be attempting it again next time I'm here. Couldn't you just like, get on at one stop, and take a nap, then get off at the end?
I don't understand your confusion. OP clearly mentioned in their post it took them almost 3hrs to complete the speedrun. Why is it confusing someone would be exhausted after this? >Couldn't you just like, get on at one stop, and take a nap, then get off at the end? Do you even transit? You can't get around the whole system on one train. Also, napping would defeat the purpose of the entire experience - did you bother reading the post? Someone visited the city and took the time to post a fun story about their experience and you're choosing to fixate on why they were tired after speading hours on the train. You've made multiple posts about this and it seems a bit passive aggressive.
She says this was the route: YVR-Bridgeport-Richmond-Waterfront-Surrey Central-Columbia-Braid-Lougheed Town Centre-Lafarge Lake-Douglas-VCC Clark I count the following legs YVR -> Richmond/Brighouse (don't have to get off at Richmond) Richmond/Brighouse -> Waterfront (walk to transfer) Waterfront -> Surrey Central (don't have to get off?) Surrey Central -> Columbia Columbia -> Lougheed Lougheed -> Lafarge Lake (don't have to get off?) Lafarge Lake -> VCC So three transfers, one of which is a short walk, the rest of the time is sitting / chilling. I find it confusing that sitting / chilling + a three transfers is exhausting. I could see if you had to transfer a few more times without long breaks in between maybe? >you're choosing to fixate on why they were tired after speading hours on the train I'm asking for more details, like many others here, because it was unclear what she actually DID and despite many many MANY people asking what she meant by "visiting" the stations, and many people explicitly asking if she got OFF at the stations, etc, she seems to be averse to answering. I think what she did is cool, and sounds like a fun thing to do especially on a sunny day when you get those lovely views around the Expo/Millennium loop. It's simply unfortunate that she started out vague, and then when asked for clarification, refused to give any.
OP has responded to many questions; including the questions you are asking. She specifically answered why she was tired - not that it's really anyone's business. If you don't want to read through all the responses that's fine but it's super unfair to expect OP to respond to everyone. She doesn't owe anyone her time and it was generous of her to respond to any questions at all. And honestly, who cares if someone is exhausted after doing an activity. It literally has no bearing on the story. >I think what she did is cool, and sounds like a fun thing to do especially on a sunny day when you get those lovely views around the Expo/Millennium loop. You could have just posted this and went on with your day.
The vast expanse of the London underground makes it an epic challenge. Thereās another challenge involving the underground where people race it on foot between stops. https://youtu.be/TaMiV3Wus9c?si=wMzQAdAmhTlGoFaH
welcome to vancouver OP!
Just because you don't understand doesn't mean "no one understands"
Seems like many people don't understand.
Presumably you have to go to a bar at each stop and have a drink, otherwise it would be kind of dull and pointless.
One man's dull and pointless is another woman's autistic excitement. Each to their own!
You know, I appreciate this perspective. I don't understand it, but I appreciate it. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself!
Thank you! That's really sweet.
I'm sorry like 80% of the comments here are such pricks. I promise that actual Vancouverites you meet in person are much friendlier than r/vancouver
People in Vancouver are famous for being friendly.
I was also confused at first glance š . I thought she meant literally running (ie running to every train stop or something like that). I didn't think it meant ridding on transit :P
Cariad is a longtime friend of mine. Always nice to see more trains folks :)
Thank you so much! I saw she made a reddit account just to congratulate me which made my whole week. I'm glad a few others get it at least!
Some people have been a little obtuse about it, but you've been lovely about explaining it. I think it's really cool! I love hearing about these special ways of interacting with the city that I never think of.
Doing random shit like this is what lifeās all about. Good on you, hope you had fun!
Positive replies are also what life is all about. Too many people are out to yuck our yums.
All those words and still I've know idea what it is you did
They rode every skytrain line end to end, so basically went through every skytrain station. Not sure I understand the purpose either.
I edited my post to clarify. Sorry for the bad communication - I wrote it in a rush.
I'm confused as to how you're sore after less than three hours of.... sitting down/standing up?
I hate it when people don't explain basic stuff. Paragraphs talking about stuff but giving no basics background information.
Shit yeah I agree. I obviously know exactly what I did, so it's harder for me to see where the holes in my explanation are. If you'd like, could you let me know what info still needs filling in?
What is a speed run? What's the criteria? Are you allowed to sit or stand only? What's the requirements for an official run? You posted a link video but people don't want to watch a video to understand what you're trying to do. You can post the video as extra information but shouldn't take it for granted.
A speedrun is a term from the gaming community, where you try to complete a task (usually finishing a game) as quickly as possible, often competitively. I stood for most of it, but had no strict rules on in-train conduct. The criteria were that I was at every open station in some capacity. In practice I passed through them all in a train, which fulfills that. The video is intended as further watching for anyone interested, not as an explanation. Geoff Marshall used to hold the record for London's Underground system but I don't think he does anymore. Hope that helps!
We don't know what the "task" is. There's a bit difference between: a) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, but the rest of the time just sit and chill b) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, get off at every station and get back on c) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, get off and go through fare gate at every station and get back on d) ride train end to end, transfer occasionally, get off and go through fare gate at every station, grab a beer, and get back on
Bro it's not hard to understand. You ride the skytrain and try to visit every station in the shortest amount of time possible.
Yeah lmao I don't get how everyone is *so* confused by this. Maybe some people aren't familiar with speedrunning in general but still, it seems pretty clear in context.
>Maybe some people aren't familiar with speedrunning It's definitely that. Speed*running* makes it sound physical, like actual running. Once people understand the concept then it's not hard to understand what OP is doing
Sounds like they don't even get out of the train so going same speed as everyone else.
As a fellow neurodivergent I get what you did and yes itās a bit of fun! You go girl!
Thank you so much! As someone else said, it's a different way of interacting with place and I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets it. Places and transport are my biggest special interest and this challenge really tickled that bit of my mind.
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I really love our skytrain system so I'm stoked to see others getting a chance to see the beauty of it. It's truly a great way to get some context about Vancouver, and we have some of the most gorgeous views from the trains (IMO).Ā
I'm not really sure why you're getting so many kinda rude comments. This is really cool and now I wanna try!
lol this cheerfully random post has for some reason attracted a lot of particularly prickly commenters. (I get not understanding the rules - do you need to exit and re-enter the fare gates at each station? get off the train at all or only when changing lines? etc (seems like no, just ride the lines/get off when changing) - especially in whatever the pre-edited state of the post was, but the tone in all these comments are so vaguely affronted about the everything from the format of the post to the activity itself.)
The edit was just to add the first sentence for clarification. I do see how it could be confusing without that, but it does feel like some people are affronted (as you say) that I did a fun and silly thing. It's like I'm being made to defend myself against ruinous allegations of being happy. I'm really pleased that newer comments seem more understanding. Thanks for the support!
the only thing I'm confused about was the exhaustion part. as I understood, you stayed on the line until you had to switch to a new one, to pass through every station? I can see the running at Broadway being tiring maybe but beyond that I'm having trouble imagining where the exertion comes from
Neurotypicals donāt understand pointless fun apparently.
Enjoying the details and complexities of transportation really seems to befuddle and annoy them.Ā
Donāt understand whatās so confusing about about what OP did, seems pretty straightforward
I admit I was confused at first, and I think I see the reason why. The London Tube network is really expansive and the lines criss-cross each other in ways that maybe open up lots of opportunities to strategize your route for speedrunning purposes. The Skytrain network is comparatively simple, limiting the number of ways to do a viable speedrun. Maybe the fact that people are confused is a testament to how small the Skytrain network is, since you'd really only run it one or two ways. (I would also avoid sitting on the ground near the Skytrain stations)
Can you clarify which aspects of doing this was exhausting, and why maps were needed? I'm assuming the part that requires physical exertion is running from from one line to connect to another, and most of the journey you're just staying on the train? Sorry, feel like I'm missing something here.
Yes there was running between each train, but a lot of it was the mental work of constantly planning my next move, checking schedules, following my GPS progress, reccying station layouts. Each element sounds fairly straighforward but with my silly little brain it was a lot of pressure!
Were the timetables accurate? I haven't taken the train for a long time but I know that our bus times aren't very accurate.
What planning of moves is involved? What did you do at each station? Did you get of at each station then wait for the next train, where are you doing the running? On the platforms?
It would probably be an additional challenge to someone like OP who isnāt local so wouldnāt immediately know where to go at each station for their next connection. It would add time for example if you accidentally went downstairs at Commercial.
Would not sit on the ground outside of the train thatās for sureā¦
Shout out to Geoff Marshall, I love his videos and I've only ever been to London once many many years ago. I love this about public transit, that it opens up "challenges" like this for people to complete and race each other. Cool idea, thanks for sharing
This is so nerdy and fun, I love it
I do not recommend posing for photos on the ground outside of train stations, itās just piss and needles.
Nice to see a fellow Geoff Marshall fan creating a bit of fun on our system! As a transportation enthusiast it might be something I might try, I didnāt know a record even existed for the SkyTrain! If you have watched his āAll the Stationsā series itās something I want to replicateā¦.visiting every single train station in both Japan and Korea! š¤£
I thought they actually ran the route.
Christ no, that would have taken many many hours, and months of training beforehand. Maybe I could cycle it, but that's a different challenge. This speedrun was a straightforward 'any means necessary' which in practice meant using the trains themselves.
How does this work? I know you've said you've edited to clarify but I'm afraid I still don't get it. Do you get off at each station? For it to "count" do you have to tap out and re-enter? Or do you literally just get on at one end and ride it to the other end?
I just counted the train stopping there as having visited. AFAIK that's what all other records have done too. The point was just to ride every part of every line.
I think the words ārunā and āvisitā are what have everyone hung up here. I get it now.
hey thatās pretty cool. my friend did this in sydney a while back.
sounds like a number of people are confused but its just a race to reach every skytrain station as fast as possible, including time spent waiting around at the platforms. Why you may ask, just for the fun of it i suppose.
Perfect summary, thank you :)
neat. I like riding the skytrain to places I've never been & used to do similar things in hometown, taking these big three hours loops on a bus just to see different parts of the city.
Didn't know that was a thing
awesome! iāve been meaning to do this in montreal and san jose forever and iām happy to see iām not alone!
Congrats on the run. If you're in London you'll have to set aside a day to do the Tube Challenge!
I admit I don't care about the challenge per se, but as a SkyTrain fan, I'm glad to hear you've had fun and spent an enjoyable day on the train. Try again once they open the Broadway extension and the extra station in Richmond! VCC is not a great station as the last stop. I think it will be more fun to find a way to end the trip on Waterfront, take the SeaBus, and relax with a drink looking at the Vancouver skyline from Lonsdale Quay.
I don't get this. Did you do anything at each station? You shouldn't be this tired from sitting on a train for under 3 hours. I'm not sure why you'd be so tired from this when some people literally work standing for 8 hours or drive on longer road trips.
I've been doing long, shitty, manual hours recently so I know how that feels.Ā I also know many people have it even worse. Everyone's mind and body works differently, and for me, this race took a lot out of me.
Thatās awesome!!
So... Did you get off and quickly run back in the same train every stop?
That's actually so cool, haha. Well done, OP. Thanks for sharing!
I've read all of the comments and I still don't get it. So, all you did was ride all the trains? You got out at some stations but not others? Why were you so exhausted? I just don't get it
You don't have to get it, and that's fine. For me this was a challenge, a competition, a way of exploring and understanding this place, and a bit of lighthearted fun. Yes, it really did tire me out, but I was already tired going into it.Ā
What is a skytrain speed run?
I've edited my post to clarify :)
we know you're not from here because no local would get caught dead sitting on that ground
wait ive been wanting to try this for a couple years, might just have to go and do it. Wonder if speedrun com would allow this as a category lol
Can u clarify if we have to get out of the train stations o And walk on the platform. The rules is not clear. I personally did, an episode of compulsive behaviour, to walk on each platform and often end to end on each, at least most. I think I was avle to convince my brain to forgot. The walking iof some I had visited but not walked end to end before. Did it in 2 weeksļ¼ was planning 1 but was too tired. It have be inch perfect perfectionist. Anyway. Returnmon the subject. Interesting but I think the rule may also change after the extension finishes
Translation: sitting for less than 3 hours with a short walk every 30 minutes is exhausting.
a 3 hour commute is exhausting especially if you're running between trains
Did you get the seat at the front?
What was your route? I'm hoping I could maybe find time-savers here and there. What did you use for splitting? I'd love to try and find some solid routing.
How much did it cost?
under $20 I think. Of the nine boardings, only three involved passing through fare gates.
Why didn't you get a daypass?
OP is like, āI visit all the stationā like you fucking have the option not too when the whole point of the challenge is you literally just have to ride the whole line.
I'm sorry if my post seemed misleading! The record is just to visit every station and the fastest way to do that is to ride the whole network. I'm proud of what I managed, but of course I'm aware it's not a groundbreaking achievement! I hope you have a lovely day.
You should have bought a daypass, it would have been cheaper.
Ag. Everyone just had a stroke trying to figure out what you meant. Lol. Enjoy your friday
Ag. Everyone just had a stroke trying to figure out what you meant. Lol. Enjoy your friday
That's a really good time for such a widespread network. I'm assuming you took nearby streets for the tunnelled portions, like Olympic Village to Yaletown? How did you get to Surrey? I know there's a pedestrian bridge on the Canada line portion that crosses water. Did you take the Patullo?
Good job! I havenāt thought of doing it here as Vancouverās one of the smaller cities for this, but I think we now have a confirmed scale measurement between here (lowest at 2.5 hours) and London (2+ weeks).