Phileas Fogg is a wealthy English gentleman living a solitary life in London. Despite his wealth Fogg lives modestly and carries out his habits with mathematical precision. Very little can be said about his social life other than that he is a member of the Reform Club where he spends the best part of his days. Having dismissed his valet for bringing him shaving water at a temperature slightly lower than expected Fogg hires Frenchman Jean Passepartout as a replacement.

On the evening of 2 October 1872 while at the Reform Club Fogg gets involved in an argument over an article in The Daily Telegraph stating that with the opening of a new railway section in India it is now possible to travel around the world in 80 days. He accepts a wager for £20000 half of his fortune from his fellow club members to complete such a journey within this period. With Passepartout accompanying him Fogg departs from London by train at 8:45 p.m. that evening; to win the wager he must return to the club by this same time on 21 December 80 days later. They take the remaining £20000 of Fogg's fortune with them to cover expenses during the journey.