Before the railways, there were four common ways to travel:

• On foot (about 4–6 kilometres per hour)
• By horse-drawn vehicle (7–10 kilometres per hour)
• On horseback (10–15 kilometres per hour)
• By boat (speed varied depending on the waterway, vessel, and wind)

Walking was the most common means of transportation, as very few could afford anything else. The advantage was that individuals could determine their route and departure times. The downside was that you couldn’t carry much luggage, and the journey could take a long time.