Exploring cultures and communities – the slow way

So you thought the idea of a discount railcard was something new? Think again - the Swiss Halbtax card was introduced in the 19th century.

article summary —

Luxembourg’s idea of offering free rail travel (see the previous article) is certainly novel, but many countries across Europe have experimented with allowing discounted travel for travellers prepared to invest in a special card. Such schemes are often regarded as a feature of the modern era, with many cards becoming available in the 1970s as state-owned railways moved away from rigid distance-based tariffs.


This is just an excerpt. If you are a subscriber to hidden europe magazine, you can log in to read the full text online. Of course you can also read the full article in the print edition of hidden europe 60.

About the authors

hidden europe

and manage hidden europe, a Berlin-based editorial bureau that supplies text and images to media across Europe. Together they edit hidden europe magazine. Nicky and Susanne are dedicated slow travellers. They delight in discovering the exotic in the everyday.

This article was published in hidden europe 60.