Cartographica Helvetica

Summary

Marc Imobersteg:

The 'First Post and Steamship Travel Map of Switzerland'

Cartographica Helvetica 12 (1995) 42–44

Summary:

Until the 19th century, horse-drawn stagecoaches were the only means of public transportation. In 1837 the first steamboat travelled on the Upper Rhine to Basel on a regular schedule. Seven years later, the railway line from Strassbourg to Basel was opened. Through the fast development of this modern transportation facility, the stagecoaches were replaced and remained in use only on secondary routes. The Post-Reisekarte of Switzerland was published for the first time in 1840 by Hieronymus Rumpf, the postal inspector of Basel. A revised second edition was printed in 1844 and now depicted the new steam-driven railroad engine. Timetables and fees are engraved in the margins of the geographic map.

Bibliographic note

Also published as: Die «Erste Post & Dampfschifffahrt Reise Carte der Schweiz». In: Bulletin IVS 15, 1 (1999) pp. 50–52.