The coach became a widely used form of transport during the eighteenth century when travel was a craze for those who could afford it. They wanted to see new countries and people and were prepared to cover long distances.

Kings, noblemen and the rich had their own personal coaches which were always elegant and comfortable. Their suspension was based on leather straps and later steel springs were introduced which were stronger and more comfortable. Another improvement was the introduction of windows so that the travelers could see and be seen.

These old coaches seemed to have room for everything. Apart from the passengers there was the baggage, their food, crockery and even a library of books to read on the journey. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a large variety of coaches were built, some had two wheels, other had four. One of the best known was the landau. This was a large, open carriage with four wheels and special seats for footmen and it had hoods which opened in the middle of the body and folded back to either end. The landau was used mainly to travel through the city or on short journeys. It was named after the German city of Landau where it was first made.

People who could not afford the luxury of a carriage of their own traveled with the postal services on coaches called diligences. These were public vehicles that could carry several passengers and ran on regular routes.