[majewsky]

Here in Germany (which once consisted of 100-or-so small states), the introduction of a unified timezone only happened when railroad systems were built, because people noticed for the first time that their clocks were off by a slight amount.

Until the unified timezone happened, timetables would be printed with multiple timezone information. So maybe your train would depart in Dresden at exactly 14:00 Saxonian time, take exactly three hours to drive to Berlin, and arrive there at 17:06 Prussian time.