We study the role of historic transportation in Urban Economics. First, we summarize the literature on transport cost before the Industrial Revolution and how they have influenced the shape and location of cities until today. We collect corresponding travel speed parameters from the literature for antiquity and the middle-ages for different transport modes that suggest limited to no improvements in travel time. We then discuss the sparse literature on transportation, sorting and agglomeration within the pre-industrial city. Lastly, we conclude by highlighting open questions and opportunities for future research.

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14 May 2026

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Regional Science and Urban Economics 2026

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DOI: 10.1016/j.regsciurbeco.2026.104233

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166046226000438

This Journal article is published under the centre's Urban programme.