Journey Planner Challenge – You need to visit 5 tube stations

https://edjefferson.com/journeyplannerchallenge/

by cronyn • 3 years ago

29 31 3 years ago

bearmode• 3 years ago

I take it you need to live in London for this? Else I don't understand how I'm supposed to figure it out?

elthran• 3 years ago

Yeah - to me it seems pretty much to rely on how well you've memorized the TFL network, and London's geography as a whole.

As someone that works, but doesn't live in London, I found this mildly fun, but can definitely appreciate that it would be near impossible for someone that doesn't visit frequently.

edit: It would also be nice to know some of the technical implementation details - Is the TFL journey planner data exposed via an API?

OJFord• 3 years ago

And also whether it's a familiar stomping ground - I got full marks on the first one (though not without a bit of thought) as it was right around where I went to university; next one I didn't have a clue.

darrenf• 3 years ago

Is the TFL journey planner data exposed via an API?

Sure is, complete with swagger UI. https://api.tfl.gov.uk/

londons_explore• 3 years ago

Most of their endpoints seem to be rate limited only if uncached in the CDN.

That means you can write bots as long as the bots stay mostly on cached stuff. You can tell if something was cached, because you get a response in tens of milliseconds rather than hundreds of milliseconds.

I've been polling some of their pages every second for many years now without issues since learning that.

There may be some more official way...

traceroute662• 3 years ago

Yeah - to me it seems pretty much to rely on how well you've memorized the TFL network, and London's geography as a whole.

Having had a (very quick) look at a few of the challenges, this appears to be a Zone 1 and 2 based challenge.

A true Londoner would never stoop so low as to need to refer to a printed map of Zones 1 and 2. Any Londoner worth their salt should be able to give you an immediate un-referenced answer as to how to get between two points in Zones 1 and 2.

Beyond zone two, other than the obvious (POIs, airports, terminal stations etc.) then most Londoners would likely need to refer to a map !

EDIT:

The implementation seems to have a few bugs, for example, proposed "solution":

Stamford Brook - West Brompton - Notting Hill Gate - Bermondsey - Stratford

Appears to be rather curious for more than one reason...

teh_klev• 3 years ago

Paging Geoff Marshall...!

jpl56• 3 years ago

He will eventually propose solutions where you exit trains and walk a short distance to get to an other line, instead of following the TfL map.

stuaxo• 3 years ago

Get a PDF copy of the tube map and have a stare at it, then graduate to doing it without the map.

https://tfl.gov.uk/maps/track/tube

Intermediate mode: make yourself a black and white copy of the map by printing it out.

donretag• 3 years ago

I assumed it had something to do with the color and tried to find patterns. Turns out you need knowledge of the London Metro system. It would be nice if the title reflected that.

TRiG_Ireland2• 3 years ago

Well, the title says "tube", which would be enough of a hint for most people, I think.

refrigerator• 3 years ago

This is super cool!

kulesh• 3 years ago

“ As an AI text model, I am unable to visually plot routes on a map. However, I can provide you with a suggested route to travel through all five stops in the fastest manner possible, assuming you're using the London Underground.

Start at Southwark station (Jubilee Line). Take the Jubilee Line towards Stanmore and get off at London Bridge station (1 stop). Continue on the Jubilee Line towards Stanmore and get off at Green Park station (4 stops). Change to the Victoria Line at Green Park station. Take the Victoria Line towards Brixton and get off at Westminster station (2 stops). Change to the Jubilee Line at Westminster station. Take the Jubilee Line towards Stanmore and get off at Bond Street station (2 stops). Please note that this suggested route is based on the information available up until 2021 and is subject to change due to any updates or closures on the London Underground network. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please use Transport for London's journey planner or a real-time map application.”

burkaman2• 3 years ago

Was this correct?

autopoiesis• 3 years ago

Sadly, it's mostly nonsense. It first tells you to travel in the wrong direction, then go back on yourself, then take a route that doesn't exist (Green Park to Westminster on Victoria, in 2 stops, when it would only take 1 on the Jubilee)...

willyt• 3 years ago

Full marks first attempt up to level 5... Just sayin'

tobylane• 3 years ago

It told me I did five levels in five attempts but it was more than that.

Similar, not mine: https://metrodle.com

smudgy• 3 years ago

So it's a boring version of Mornington Crescent?

Journey Planner Challenge – You need to visit 5 tube stations

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