The speed of a horse-drawn carriage is usually between 10 and 20 kilometers per hour. The specific speed is affected by factors such as the condition of the horse, road conditions and load. The speed limit in ancient cities may be as low as 4 kilometers per hour, while the theoretical maximum speed can reach 60 kilometers per hour (short-distance sprint).
Regular speed range
Daily driving speed: Most historical data show that the average speed of a horse-drawn carriage is 10-20 kilometers per hour. For example:
The speed of a horse-drawn carriage in the early French steam car era was about 10 kilometers per hour;
The converted carriage speed in Baidu test questions (330 meters per minute) is equivalent to 19.8 kilometers per hour.
Ancient city speed limit: The Han Dynasty stipulated that the speed of horse-drawn carriages in the city during the day should not exceed 4 kilometers per hour (based on the law of "four hundred steps in the middle of the day"), mainly for safety reasons.
Limit and theoretical speed
Single horse speed: A horse can reach 25-60 km/h when running alone, but the actual maximum speed of a carriage is significantly lower than this value due to load and structural limitations.
Short-distance sprint: A lightly loaded carriage may reach nearly 20 km/h on a flat road for a short distance.
