Cities and transportPaíses Baixos
Why Amsterdam’s canal houses are narrow and lean forward
The hooks on top of Amsterdam’s canal houses were cranes. How the hijsbalk worked, why plots were narrow, and what to look for on a canal walk.
Cities and transport
How cities are organized and how to get around them.
Articles on this topic
Cities and transportGibraltar
Gibraltar’s runway: the road that used to cross it
Gibraltar’s only road to Spain once crossed the airport runway and closed for every flight. How it worked, what changed in 2023 and what walkers can do.
Cities and transportItaly
Italy’s ZTL: the fine that arrives months after your trip
ZTLs close the historic centre of about 350 Italian cities and fine by camera. How the ticket reaches a rental driver and how to avoid it.
Cities and transportWorld
Why some countries drive on the left and others don’t
About 35% of the world drives on the left. Where the rule comes from, how Sweden switched sides in one morning and why Samoa switched in 2009.
Cities and transportLondon, United Kingdom
The Knowledge: the test behind London’s black cabs
To drive a black cab in London you must memorise 25,000 streets without a map. How the test works, what changed in 2025 and why there are fewer cabbies.
Cities and transportJapan
Train late in Japan? The railway gives you a certificate
In Japan, a delay of about 5 minutes earns an official certificate, the chien shōmeisho, to show at work or school. Here's how it works.
Cities and transportUnited Kingdom
Why you stand on the right on London escalators
On the London Underground you stand on the right and walk on the left. Where the rule came from, the trial that tested it and what other cities do.
Cities and transportJapan
Tokyo’s train pushers: what’s left of the oshiya
White-gloved staff shoving commuters onto trains belong to another era. How crowded Tokyo’s trains really are now, and how to avoid the crush.
Cities and transportCosta Rica
Why Costa Rica gives addresses by landmark
In Costa Rica, an address starts at a church, a pharmacy or a tree that may not exist anymore. How the system works and how to find your way around it.
Cities and transportJapan
Why most streets in Japan have no name
Japanese addresses point to a block, not a street. How the system works, and how to find a place in Tokyo without getting lost.
