Olten is located at the intersection of the north-south Basel-Chiasso and west-east Geneva-St.Gallen railroad lines. In addition, the national highway interchange is also located in the immediate vicinity. The central location of Olten, situated in the canton of Solothurn, is legendary and the Bahnhofbuffet Olten is considered a meeting place that is equally close to all Swiss. Due to its easy accessibility, the city became a popular location for industry and commerce early on.