Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Nowadays, traveling is not only a favored hobby, but a necessity, too, for some people, who can probably no longer remember their life without it. But whether it’s vacation time or a business trip, they have plenty of options to choose from to get themselves from point A to point B. Even if the destination is on the other end of the world, they can get there in roughly a day, which was once a thing difficult to imagine.
Clearly, many things seemed impossible at a certain point in time; but, thanks to the development in technology and engineering, quite a few have become reality. If you’re curious to take a step back in time and see what travel looked like back in the 19-20th centuries, you’re in luck, as today we’re focusing on the period between 1830-1955.
On the list below you will find some fascinating pictures, as shared by the ‘Golden Age Of Travel 1830-1955’ Facebook group that depict everything from the first subway ride in New York, to German monorails, and much more. You will also find Bored Panda’s interview with the founder of the group, Bill, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about it. So wait no longer, scroll down to browse the pictures and make sure to upvote your favorites!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
1905 Woods Electric Car
WindySwede 1 year ago
Imagine where we could be with EVs if they just had continued with this!
RELATED:
#2
Jefferson County Mobile Library, Texas' First Mobile Library
#3
200-Year-Old Wooden Bridge In Dagestan, Built Without The Use Of A Single Nail
“The Golden Age of Travel” is the group’s name for a reason; its description states that the phrase is often used to describe the period between the 1830s and the early 1950s (excluding the two world wars).
The description also states that the posts should relate to where vacationers went, what they saw, or how they got there, and they can include “posters, old photos (or modern, if they depict interesting passenger transportation or beautiful old buildings, such as castles), advertisements” and similar formats.
#4
Bmw Isetta Bubble Car Custom Conversion, 1950s. And, Of Course, A Picnic Basket
Aileen Grist 1 year ago
My grandad got knocked down by someone in a bubble car. He sprained his ankle - and the car was a write-off. He wasn't a big man
#5
Native Americans In 1908
Javelina Poppers 1 year ago
I slept in teepee for a week in the dead of winter in Colorado some years back. They are amazingly comfortable with a small fire in the middle of the floor hence the opening at the top to let smoke out.
Currently boasting close to 630k members, the group was created back in 2018. Talking about how it all started, its founder Bill told Bored Panda that as a world traveler and author, he always enjoyed reading about early travelers.
“I thought it would be fun to join such a group, but I was surprised to find that none existed. When I started it, I published many vintage posters and old travel photos,” he said, adding that after creating the group, his sister joined the endeavor.
#6
New York Central “Mercury” 1936
#7
A Bicycle For The Whole Family, 1949
#8
London In The 1920s. A Policeman In A London Street Giving Directions To The Three Children On A Bicycle. The Bicycle Is Specially Made For Three Persons
Bill shared that in order to be posted on the group’s page, the pictures have to be from within the time frame of the 1830s to the 1950s. But other than that, members are quite welcome to expand the limits of the group’s field of interest.
“Members have caused the group to evolve and grow. They introduced archeological finds, vintage cars, modern pics of vintage buildings,” the founder noted.
#9
The First Subway Ride In New York City History, 120 Years Ago. Original, 1904
#10
Alweg Monorail Train In Cologne, Germany, 1952
#11
1931 The German Schienenzeppelin Hits Max Speed Of 120 Mph (230 Kmh)
Research into the golden age of travel suggests that while the roots of travel go back to the 18th century, back then it was still a novelty for the general masses. However, the situation started changing from the 1930s onwards, as the growing availability of the motor car—and later the development of the aircraft—made traveling increasingly available to certain classes of people, reportedly especially in Europe.
#12
Baby Strollers Strapped To The Front Of The Bus In Opawa, New Zealand (1950s)
#13
Car Seats Were Not Equipped With Any Straps To Keep Baby Seat On The Seat. Instead, These Seats Depended On The Mother Extending Her Arm To Prevent The Baby From Toppling Forward. 1958
#14
Boat Ride, 1920s
Nowadays, many people can’t imagine their lives without traveling. Though the pandemic had brought it to a halt for a moment there, it seems to be picking up speed again, at least based on the leisure tourism spending worldwide, which was consistently rising between 2019 and 2023. Last year, such spending worldwide added up to over $5,100 billion US dollars.
#15
A Victorian Home Being Moved Via Horse Power In San Francisco, 1908
#16
An Amazing Capture Of Changing Times In Transportation By Photographer O. Winston Link
#17
A Sleeping Berth On An Imperial Airways Aircraft In 1937
HTakeover 1 year ago (edited)
This was a press photo of one of their last plane models they made (before being bought out by another airline) - the Short Empire aka Flying Boat. With features like a couple of sleeping berths, adjustable leather seats, cigar lounge, champagne of course, etc. These ran passenger service from Southampton England to Cape Town South Africa, with stops in France, Italy, Greece, Sudan, Uganda, and several others. Which took about 6 days ish with 5 overnight stops. A year later they would expand to go from England to Australia. Those took about 10 days, with 9 overnight stops. Cost of the flight from England to Australia was equivalent to about $20,000 give or take. Which was a steal considering other planes/routes cost upwards $40k and didn't have lounges.
When asked how he felt about the response the group receives from the online community, Bill admitted feeling surprised and delighted. In his opinion, “The Golden Age of Travel” and similar groups provide people with entertainment and allow them to delve deeper into history and art, which can benefit quite a few curious minds out there.
If you’re one of such curious minds, looking to delve deeper into all things travel or history, browse Bored Panda’s list of lesser-known travel destinations next, or check out these fascinating pictures from the past for more similar content.
#18
Chief Iron Tail, Cranking An Early Automobile, 1915
#19
1950s, “Flying Cars” Amusement Park Ride. The Drum Rotated And You Controlled A Brake In The Car. The Cars Would Go Completely Up And Over The Loop
Jrog 1 year ago (edited)
It was closed and went out of fashion as a ride style over safety concerns, but if properly done it's not even that dangerous, no more than a rollercoaster. The cars are retained to a rail (visible in the photo), and the passengers have seatbelts. There is no risk of collision and the speed is moderate, barely 50 km/h. The accidents happened due to shoddy installation -the embankment built for leveling the ground failed- and from lack of surveillance (passengers not fastening the belts). All of these could be prevented my modern safety mechanisms.
#20
Salvador Héctor Sarida, Little 6-Year-Old Motorcyclist. Buenos Aires, 1936
#21
Titanic Launch Into Belfast Harbour (1911)
#22
Food Delivery In The Future
#23
1949 Nash Airflyte. First Sleeper Car
#24
Traditional Cod Fishing In Lofoten ( Nordland, Norway) In 1928
hese "åttring" boats with four (sometimes five) pairs of oars represent a continuous boat building tradition from the pre-Viking Age.
My restoration and digital hand colorization of Anders Beer Wilse´s
photo in the Norsk Folkemuseum archive.
#25
New York, USA - 1960: French Cellist Maurice Baquet Trying To Open His Car Covered With Snow During A Snow Storm
Final score:
60points
#26
Berlin, Circa 1905
#27
Georges Tairraz II ( 1900 - 1975 ). Two Climbers Traversing The Aiguille Du Midi And Aiguille Du Plan, Chamonix, France 1932
#28
A Family Getting Ready To Cruise In Their 1903 Cadillac Model A Tonneau
#29
Old Train. 1940s
#30
Interior Of Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation
Data1001 1 year ago
Finally, an accurate photo of aircraft interiors from that era. Most of what you see these days are not actually taken inside an airplane but were promotional photos on a specially-designed soundstage of sorts. That's why they always looked like they had space for days. (I mean, they did have more space than today's flights, but not quite as crazy as is often depicted.)
#31
Man Standing On Lap Of Colossal Figure Of Ramses, 1856
#32
Golden Gate Bridge Painter Walking To Work
#33
An Austin 7 Driven By B. Sparrow Loses Control At Donington Park On May 13, 1933
Richard Graham 1 year ago
The Austin 7 was nicknamed "The Chummy" because it was so small, passengers were squeezed together.
#34
A Coca Cola Delivery Van In Oslo In 1938
Norway was, in addition to Australia, Austria and South Africa, one of the countries where Coca Cola was introduced in that year. (Neighboring country Sweden had to wait until 1953.) My partial colorization of Anders B. Wilse´s photo in the Norsk Folkemuseum archive
#35
A Barge Maneuvering Under The Michigan Ave Bridge, Chicago In 1953
S. E. in Indiana 1 year ago
That's a big barge to be on the Chicago River right there at that bend,
#36
New York City After A Snowstorm In 1888
#37
Frozen Niagara Falls, 1911
#38
Titanic Compared To A Modern Cruise Ship
#39
1946 Hey Mister, I Can Fix That Tire For A Coke,a Cap Gun,five Army Men And A Hula Hoop
#40
A Photograph Taken Infront Of Rome's Colosseum, Circa 1897
#41
Passengers On Board The Staten Island Ferry In 1895
#42
Times Square, New York City 1936
#43
1951 Airline Ad By Harold Anderson
#44
A Train Passes Through Densely Packed Housing Along Kensal Rise, London, England. March 1921
#45
Subway Car In Manhattan In The 1950s
#46
Passengers On Eastern Airlines In 1935
Planes were so loud back in the day that the cabin crew had to use megaphones so the passengers could hear them. Flights from the UK to Australia took 11 days. The plane could drop 100's of feet randomly thus motion sickness bowls were placed beneath the seats.
#47
Cycle Engineer Riding The World’s Smallest Bicycle Through The City, London, August 1937
WindySwede 1 year ago
Stuff made here, made his own version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqywL9PkM2s
#48
1920s Passengers Waiting For A Thrill Of A Lifetime!
#49
Camp Of Scientists In The Sands Of The Karakum Desert. Turkmen Ssr, 1953
#50
Queensboro Bridge (Aka 59th Street Bridge) Under Construction In 1905
#51
A Match Day, 90 Years Ago. Tram In The Barça Field Along Carrer Anglesola (1933)
#52
Azafatas (Stewardess) De Avión, 1940s
#53
Henry Giulio's Airship, The Yellow, 1903 Old Photos From The 19th Century Give Us A Glimpse Into The Achievements Of The Industrial Revolution
#54
People Waiting For The Bus. Paris 1958
#55
The Empire State Building's Top Was Initially Planned To Be A Docking Station For Airships In The Late 1920s
Investors believed airships would soon be used for cross-Atlantic travel, and the building's top seemed perfect for docking.
The plan was for airships to land at the top, secure quickly, and let passengers walk into the building's top floor. Then, they could take an elevator down to Manhattan, arriving within seven minutes of landing. A docking mast was even built on the building.
However, engineers couldn't figure out how to safely dock an airship on a 1,250-foot building with strong winds. Airship companies considered the idea too risky, and interest waned. Still, a private blimp did dock for three minutes in September 1931, causing traffic jams below, but no unloading occurred.
The era of cross-Atlantic airships ended with the 1937 Hindenburg disaster, when the world's largest airship caught fire while landing in New Jersey.
#56
Daytona Beach In 1904
#57
Munich, Germany, May 1949 Of A Man And His Two Boys Riding On Their Daily Commute
Final score:
23points
#58
Maintenance Worker Painting The Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia, 1945
#59
1899 Vintage Bicycle Built For Two
#60
A Train Driver At Euston Station In London Talks To Two Young Girls On The Platform. April 1936
#61
New York 1918 Hotel Astor Automobile Salon
#62
Women Fishing In A Dock, 1908. Toronto
#64
1939 Packard 8 Door
David 1 year ago
I remember something similar to this. Maybe same? Back in the 70s a small town high school (near mine) had a super long multi-door sedan they sometimes used to haul the sports team(s). Especially for a parade or homecoming, stuff like that. At the time I just thought it was a custom job. But even in the 70s is had a very old timey look like it was modeled after old time cars. Except now seeing this I'm wondering if it WAS an old time car. I wish I had a picture to compare to see if it was one of these.
#65
The Triborough Bridge In New York City In 1937
#66
The 1938 Brazilian National Team Training On The Ship. Players Were Thin Compared To Today
#67
Firefighters Trying To Stop Fire At The Equitable Life Building During A Snowstorm, Manhattan, 1912
#68
Legless Woman Poses On A Motorcycle At The Wall Of Death Motordrome C1940s
#69
1929 - Mulholland Dam Reinforced With Tons Of Dirt Shortly After The St. Francis Dam Disaster
Following the 1928 St. Francis Dam failure, the Mulholland Dam was reinforced with tons of dirt on the downstream side as a precautionary measure. Later studies confirmed that the St. Francis Dam disaster was due to geological instability, not a design flaw
#70
Palm Beach Airport, 1955
#71
A Great Look At An Officer With His Indian Motorcycle In 1924, Washington D.c
#72
John Cobb Set A New World Land Speed Record Of 353.30 Mph On The 15th September 1938 In The Railton Mobil Special, Becoming The First Driver To Exceed 350mph
The vehicle was powered by two supercharged Napier Lion VIID (WD) W-12 aircraft engines. These engines were the gift of Marion 'Joe' Carstairs, who had previously used them in her powerboat Estelle V. Coupled together, these two engines made 2,700 hp (2,013 kW) @ 3,600 rpm, and 3,939 lbft (5,341 Nm) torque.
With the huge powers thus available, the limitation was in finding a transmission and tyres that could cope. Reid Railton found a simple and ingenious solution to this by simply splitting the drive from each engine to a separate axle, giving four wheel drive.
The vehicle weighed over 3 tonnes and was 28 ft 8 in (8.74 m) long, 8 ft (2.4 m) wide and 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) high. The front wheels were 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) apart and the rear 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m). The National Physical Laboratory's wind tunnel was used for testing models of the body
On 16 September 1947, the wind had picked up considerably and the course was still less than ideal, but the car was ready. Cobb decided to make a record attempt.
Setting off to the south, Cobb shifted into second gear at around 120 mph (193 km/h) and hit third at around 250 mph (402 km/h). The Railton shot through the measured mile (1.6 km) at 385.645 mph (620.635 km/h).
The tires were changed and fluids refilled. On the run north, Cobb covered the mile (1.6 km) at 403.136 mph (648.785 km/h). The two-way average of the runs was a new LSR at 394.197 mph (634.399 km/h).
And so it was that a 47-year-old man in a 10-year-old car with 20-year-old engines established a new Land Speed Record
David 1 year ago
As incredible as that speed is for a ground vehicle, it has since been almost doubled. Imagine breaking the sound barrier in a "car". == "The current holder of the Outright World Land Speed Record is ThrustSSC driven by Andy Green, a twin turbofan jet-powered car which achieved 763.035 mph - 1227.985 km/h - over one mile in October 1997. This is the first supersonic record as it exceeded the sound barrier at Mach 1.016."
#73
Delta Gamma Girls Singing In A Bus Which Is Taking Them Through The Snow And Mud To The Talent Show. North Dakota, May 1950
#74
1949 Brooklyn Ice Cream Truck
#75
1910, A Day At The Beach
#77
1920s – The Mulholland Dam Before The Hollywood Reservoir Was Filled, With The Hollywoodland Sign Visible In The Background
#78
Return By Bus. Buenos Aires 1942
#79
Five Female Journalists Smile As They Walk On The Airport Runway To Board A Vacation Flight After Winning The Annual 'Prettiest Newspaperwoman' Contest
#80
A Woman Passenger Reads A Magazine On Board A Boeing Airliner, Circa 1955 Advertising
#81
Passenger Aboard An American Airliner Enroute From Washington To Los Angeles. Photograph By John Collier In 1941
S. E. in Indiana 1 year ago
Look at that spread. Not the plastic boxes and c**p they serve today.
#82
Los Angeles, Bus And Two Women. 1955. By Vivian Maier
David 1 year ago (edited)
This looks like a bus I used to ride sometimes in the 70s. There was a small town (pop about 6,000) and about 15 miles away was our local "large" city, pop about 75K. At that time there was no county bus system and most of the shopping was in the larger city. The small town had one old bus that went between the town. The fare was a quarter.
#83
The Greyhound Bus Company Might Have Been Founded In 1914, But It Didn't Adopt The Greyhound Name Until 1929
#84
Dunkin Donuts In The 1950s
Trisec Tebeakesse 1 year ago
Dunkin Donuts #1 on Quincy Shore Drive (MA) still looks like this.
#85
Brooklyn Bridge, New York. Then vs. Now
Add New Image
You May Like 203 History Trivia Questions To Remind You Of High School 49 Fascinating Photos Revealing What The World’s Capitals Looked Like Way Before Modern Times 25 Before-And-After Photos Of Famous Cities That Are So Mind-Blowing They Feel Like Real-Life Time Travel
Eligijus Sinkunas
Viktorija Strelciunaite
Mariia Tkachenko
Related on Bored Panda
