The history of pneumatic tube systems can be traced back to the 1850s. The first operating system was built by engineer Josiah Latimer Clark and went into operation at the London Telegraph Office in 1853. Shorter paths for rapid transport were created: Letters, telegrams and even parcels were put in cylindrical containers and sent through the tubes. Colored markings served as identification for the various shipments.

Particularly for the stock market, it was an important and, above all, fast method of communication at that time: if messages were not delivered in a timely manner, speculators ran the risk of losing a fortune. More and more pneumatic tube systems were also used in retail trade, banks, and the chemical and automotive industries – mostly to transmit production samples to laboratories. High quality was ensured.

In the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, the air system became established in other cities besides London. Mail was sent by the Prague tube network until 2002 – the longest time an air system was used for mail deliveries. However, transport through the underground became increasingly difficult over the years. More and more disruptions occurred, individual tube sections shifted underground and maintenance work became more complicated.

Today, the system is mostly used for fast and reliable intralogistics. The goal remained the same as in the past: Overcoming distances with fast and safe transport.