Rules of the DLR Challenge

Last updated: 03rd June 2024

Stations to be visited:

All 45 stations served by the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) system.


**To all challengers attempting this challenge and finishing at either Bank or Tower Gateway, please read and follow rule 7 carefully to ensure your time is valid. There has been several instances recently where this rule has NOT been adhered to resulting in the attempt being rejected due to incorrect procedures being followed when departing the last required station.**

General rules:

  1. The aim is to visit all 45 DLR stations in the fastest time.
  2. To "visit" a station means to arrive at or depart from (or both) all 45 DLR stations on a DLR train. You are NOT required to get off at every station but you can of course alight at any station to change branches or transfer to a nearby station. If a station is temporarily closed for any reason e.g. security alert, rebuilding etc. then a "pass through" of the station is accepted.
  3. Please be aware that trains FROM Bank TOWARDS Lewisham do not stop at West India Quay. However trains from Poplar or any train from Canary Wharf still do call at West India Quay as normal. A non stop of the station on the Bank to Lewisham trains will NOT be accepted as a visit.
  4. Transfers between stations must only be undertaken on foot or by scheduled, timetabled public transport (bus, Underground, riverboat or NR trains). The use of private transport such as cars, bicycles, taxis or roller skates are not permitted.
  5. Challengers may compete in the DLR challenge as an individual (solo) or in small teams up to 5 people.
  6. Your time starts when all the train doors are locked closed ready for departure on the first train you board at the start station and the challenge ends when the first member of your team physically sets foot on the platform at your finishing station. The stopwatch must be continuously counting between your start and finish stations. Timings must be noted down in hours, minutes and seconds.
  7. If you finish by running/transferring to or departing from your last required station, or if your last required station is a "pass through" closed station, you must keep the stopwatch going until you arrive at the NEXT station in any direction.
  8. In order to verify your attempt (and for your time to appear on the leaderboard) it is requested that challengers keep a journey log of their challenge showing your start and finish stations, route and interchange points with arrival and/or departure times for each as appropriate. The logging of arrival and departure time at every intermediate station is not required (but can do so if you wish).
  9. This is not an official record as such, but is fully recognised by the Tube Challenge community.

General Advice:

  1. Although this is a race against time (and each other) and I know you want to do your best but please be vigilant when doing inter-station runs along corridors and escalators, other members of the public may not be as easy on their feet or know the system as well as we do!
  2. Please do not hold the train doors open for an excessive amount of time, if your team mates are too far behind, let the train go and wait for them to catch up.
  3. By entering yourself into the DLR challenge you abide by these rules..

For any questions, clarifications or to submit a time for the leaderboard, please contact the webmaster via email.
Tangy (Webmaster).