Old Pictorial Map of Switzerland by Gauchet, 1931: Railway connections, Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Alps

2026-04-11T04:09:21+01:00

Price: 0.00 - 1975.00 (33 variants)

Map Showing The International Railway Connections of Switzerland is a spirited celebration of European mobility at the dawn of the 1930s. Issued in 1933 (from an original 1931 design) by the Swiss Federal Railroads Commission in Berne and realized by the Art. Institut Orell Fussli, it bears the unmistakable pictorial verve of artist P. Gauchet. Conceived to entice travelers from the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, it pairs precision with charm: a cartographic stage upon which Switzerland assumes its starring role as Europe’s crossroads. Displayed with bright, confident lines and rollicking illustrations, the composition presents a confident nation—neutral, efficient, and hospitable—offering the promise of Alpine panoramas, cultured cities, and seamless onward journeys to the continent’s great destinations.

The map’s structural drama lies in its web of red railways radiating from Swiss centers—Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Basel, Lausanne, and Lucerne—toward every horizon. Arteries thread west to Lyon, Dijon, Marseille, and Nice; north to Stuttgart, Frankfurt, and Munich; south to Turin, Milan, Florence, and Venice; and eastward to Vienna. Geography informs the routes: mountain ranges corrugate the background, guiding the rails through valleys and across high corridors toward foreign gates. Switzerland becomes the hinge on which Europe swings, every crimson line a ribbon of schedules and steel promising quick passage, cosmopolitan encounters, and the reassuring cadence of station clocks.

P. Gauchet enlivens the technical skeleton with theater. Whimsical characters and scenic vignettes frolic across the landscape—tourists in alpine reverie, comic figures along the margins—transforming a network diagram into an irresistible invitation. Decorative borders sprinkled with sailing ships and playful personages allude to the broader romance of travel beyond frontiers, reframing rail not merely as conveyance but as narrative. The color, the wit, and the sense of movement belong to the golden age of publicity art, when artistry and infrastructure conspired to turn timetables into dreams and maps into passports of the imagination.

Context heightens its charm. In early twentieth-century Europe, rail was the dominant medium of international travel, and Switzerland—compact, neutral, mountainous—had perfected the art of crossing space with civility. This map distills that interwar moment: when streamlined expresses stitched together winter resorts and summer lakeshores, and borders felt like thresholds rather than barriers. Its emphasis on international through-connections declares a cosmopolitan ideal—an orderly lattice pulling London’s holidaymaker toward Riviera sunlight, Tyrolean peaks, Lombard cities, and German metropolises, all via Swiss hospitality and precision.

Topography is treated not as obstacle but spectacle. Mountain chains rise in stylized serrations; valleys and lakes open corridors where the rails glide toward neighboring realms. Major cities are crisply lettered along the lines, anchoring the eye to an itinerary that feels both inevitable and exhilarating. The decorative flourishes along the frame—ships under sail, comedic figures—echo the inner playfulness, while the disciplined geometry of the red routes preserves clarity. The result is a rare synthesis: a map that explains and enchants, positioning Switzerland as both a destination of sublime scenery and the indispensable pivot of continental travel.

Cities and towns on this map

Switzerland: Zurich; Geneva; Bern; Basel; Lausanne; Lucerne

France: Lyon; Marseille; Dijon; Nice

Germany: Munich; Stuttgart; Frankfurt

Italy: Turin; Milan; Florence; Venice

Austria: Vienna

Notable Features & Landmarks

Web of international railway connections shown in red lines

Illustrative vignettes depicting whimsical characters and scenery

Decorative borders featuring sailing ships and comedic figures

Mountain ranges and notable geographical features illustrated

Major cities and towns labeled along the railway lines

Historical and design context

Name: Map Showing The International Railway Connections of Switzerland

Creator/Publisher: Art. Institut Orell Fussli; published by the Swiss Federal Railroads Commission in Berne

Creation date: 1933 (originally published in 1931)

Artist: P. Gauchet

Purpose: Promote tourism in the UK and other English-speaking countries by illustrating Swiss connections to European cities

Topics/Themes: Emphasizes Switzerland’s railway network with whimsical illustrations and Swiss scenery

Geographical coverage: Centers on Switzerland, radiating to France, Germany, Italy, and Austria

Design/Style: Pictorial and thematic; colorful, whimsical artwork alongside detailed railroad lines

Historical significance: Reflects the importance of early 20th-century European rail travel and Switzerland’s role as a travel hub

Please double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.

This map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x16in (40x40cm) version of this map.