It was 1873, and a spirit of adventure was bubbling throughout Europe. There was a thirst for worldwide adventure, and intrepid explorers were pushing the boundaries to explore unseen worlds.

It was this same year that Jules Verne published his classic adventure novel; a sensational tale of an Englishman named Phileas Fogg, who takes a bet that, with the opening of a new Indian railway, he can circumnavigate the globe in 80 days.

Around the World in 80 Days may have been published almost 150 years ago, but two centuries on, this iconic story is still capturing imaginations, and inspiring new generations to reattempt the challenge.

But what if, with today’s technological advancements, I made you a bet that you could take Jules Verne’s same route in, say 80 hours?!

Around the World in 80 Hours is an interactive guide which plots out realistic routes for those wanting to explore the world by car, train, plane or boat … check it out!

Around the World in 80 Hours? Here’s the Route to do it!

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The 80 Day Challenge

Since publication in 1873, Around the World in 80 Days has inspired countless attempts to re-create the same journey (and achieve it in less than 80 days).

The main character, Phileas Fogg primarily travels by train and steamer, beginning and ending in Central London. While most of the train routes he took were imaginary, the above guide shows you how to stick as closely as possible to his original route with other travel methods.

You may wish to take more than 80 hours to truly appreciate each new place, though if you’re up for the challenge, you can leave London on a Friday and be back at work by Monday, having taken only 3.3 days to travel completely around the world!

You’ll travel from London – Suez  (Egypt) – Bombay – Calcutta – Hong Kong – Japan – San Fransisco – New York – London. As you can imagine, traveling overland leads to incredible adventures along the way!

Popular Culture

While the original book is a must read (buy it here), the first person to successfully complete the route in real life was Nellie Bly in 1889; she completed Verne’s journey in 72 days.

She actually met Jules Verne in Amiens (France) during her expedition, and went on to write a travel memoir called Around the World in Seventy-Two Days. 

Michael Palin then went onto become a modern day Phileas Fogg, when in 1988 he produced a BBC TV series of the journey. While he didn’t complete it as quickly as Nellie Bly, he still beat the 80 days, finishing in 79 days and 7 hours.

The story has also been turned into film, with adaptions in 1919, 1963, 1956, 1988, 1994, and most recently in 2004, with big Hollywood money, starring Jackie Chan and Steve Coogan.

So, are you up for the challenge?!

How long will you take to circumnavigate the globe?!

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Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.