180 competitors line up for 1,200-mile Race Across Europe by bus, train and ferry from London to Tirana

Exclusive: Trans-European public transport race has mystery checkpoints to prevent participants planning in advance

Journey’s end: Tirana, the capital of Albania (Simon Calder)

London to the Albanian capital, Tirana, using only public transport: that is the challenge facing the 180 participants lining up to speed across the continent in the second annual Race Across Europe.

The trans-European competition, organised by Lupine Travel of Wigan, begins at Trafalgar Square in the UK capital at 10am on Saturday 17 August.

Travel by bus, train and ferry is permitted, but flying and hitchhiking are banned.

Racers from 16 different nations have up to a week to reach Tirana – a direct distance of 1,200 miles from London.

Pre-planning is impossible. The organisers say: “On the start line, each entrant will be handed a race pack with details of several themed checkpoints along the way.

“Checkpoints will vary from things such as a selfie in front of a particular landmark, or they may be manned by Lupine staff.”

Participants have told only that the first checkpoint will be in the Belgian city of Bruges. They are allowed to book their first journey from London – probably on Eurostar via Brussels, or by international bus if they are going for the cheapest trip.

The giant international coach company, FlixBus, is providing discounted tickets – but rail, where available, is likely to be much faster.

The entrants’ ages range from 13 to 71; under-18s must travel with an adult. The gender split is roughly even.

The fastest five will win cash prizes. There is also an award for the traveller who spends the least on their journey, though this cannot involve cheap or free transport procured by contacting companies.

Another award is for the participant who visits the most countries. Luxembourg is a popular route for the latter category, and it also has free public transport.

But Lupine Travel says: “Passing through a country on a train or coach does not count as visiting that country. You must make a connection and provide ticketed proof of your visit.

“For this event we will be using UN member states plus Kosovo and the Vatican City as our list of eligible countries.

“There will also be a bonus point for a visit to Transnistria.” This is the breakaway region of Moldova bordering Ukraine.

The winner may avail of some of the options available for travel within cities, including taxis and rental bikes. “Personal transport such as a folding bike, skateboard or rollerblades for travel within a city is allowed,” say the organisers. Thirty-three of the participants took part in the inaugural competition in 2023. It was limited to 100 racers between London and Istanbul.

In a sprint finish at Sultanahmet Square in Turkey’s largest city, Eleanor Parker, 32, beat Bram Houtenbos, 38, by one minute to claim the prize: £2,000 worth of expeditions with Lupine Travel, the competition organiser. The pair had taken just under 57 hours to cross Europe from London.

Winning smile: Eleanor Parker in Istanbul after triumphing in the inaugural Race Across Europe (Eleanor Parker)

The direct distance in 2024 is shorter, but the journey is more complicated than reaching Istanbul – requiring either an Adriatic ferry from Italy or a long journey through Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro.

Contestants must fund their own trips. Lupine Travel says: “For our 2023 race from London to Istanbul, we found that most people spent around £400-500 on transport, with some going as low as £200 by using mostly coaches and buses.

“Accommodation costs are up to you. Our most frugal entrants in 2023 opted for overnight transport to save on accommodation.”