We know there are boats, airships and trains but the question is which one is most popular in the empire? Also Will you be able to build bustling fishing ports? Busy air docks that trade in all sorts of products? Train stations that become the epicenter of a colony? What kind of transportation is everyone most exited for?
i would guess that trains are only good for offmap/export uses on civilized continents, zeppelins mostly when there are other refueling stations nearby, and ships as the longest range transport, with steam driven ''car'' being limited to your own colony.
I'm guessing at start it would be horse and auroch and then extend to whatever wildlife that can be domesticated in the area, and finally steam-cars, trains and airships.
Wait, you're saying there's no horses? I know you guys are going for the fantasy and steam-punk thing, but no horses is a bit much? (It's no biggy since Auroch cavalry is just as good.)
I bet you can find and tame anything BUT horses. I count on giant rat cavalery (or aligators. Goblisn on aligators once sieged my castle in DF and made all the flooded trenches pointless).
One must always use the Premium Dark Mushrooms for transporting oneself, for it allows the safest travels with the fewest side effects. ...oh wait, you mean traveling in the physical realm? No clue. Sherpas?