Germany's first locomotive was built in 1816 and was based on designs Prussian officials had brought back from England. But when it was finished and placed on the tracks of Prussia's horse tram railway (back then, trains were pulled along rails by horses), the locomotive didn't fit on the tracks – so the wheels were dismantled, and it was used as a steam engine. Germany had to wait a few more years for its first working railway. It did not happen until 1835. Operation of the first railway line began with a steam locomotive built in England and an English driver.

The railway network developed quickly after that. There were 550 kilometers by 1840, more than 6,000 by 1860 and nearly 20,000 kilometers 10 years later. By around 1880, all the major cities in Germany were connected by rail. Around the turn of the century, there was a station within two-and-a-half hours walking distance from practically anywhere in the country. These days, many of the smaller and less-frequented stations have been shut down. But thanks to the well-developed public transportation network, there's no need for a long hike. It's easy to hop on a bus, tram or subway to the next railway station.