The horse-drawn carriage was the main mode of transportation in the early 19th century. This remained common, particularly in remote areas, even after the expansion of the railroads in the latter part of the century. In New England, the early 1800s saw greatly improved roads so that horses and carriages could travel more quickly. In London, horse-drawn omnibuses began running in 1829 and soon, other towns adopted this early public transportation.
Railways became popular modes of travel toward the middle of the century. They were faster than the horse and carriage and more protected from highwaymen. In 1840s America, the railroads grew quickly, soon dominating transportation east of the Mississippi. In America, state and national governments provided funding to the railroads and decreased the tax on railroad iron to assist in their development.
Large cities began to build underground railways, or metros, for use in the 19th century to avoid street-level traffic. In 1863, London built the first underground railway in Britain. Steam locomotives pulled carriages. The London underground began running electric trains in 1890. Work on the Paris Metro started in 1898 and began to open lines to the public in 1900. Construction of the New York City subway was in the 1870s and 1880s in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Ships provided long-distance travel between countries and continents. Sailing ships were common in the 19th century, though the steamship was quickly developing. The steamship was a new invention in the 1800s and did not regularly replace sailing ship until the invention of the steam turbine in 1897. Steamships were crossing the English Channel by 1815. In 1838, the steamship Sirius crossed the Atlantic in a record 19 days. Steamships also transported commercial goods along canals in America.