Cities: the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, the Seoul metro Maastricht bikes

The British magazine “Time Out” has prepared a list of the coolest neighbourhoods to live in in the world in 2023. It was based on the responses of 12,000 city residents and local experts who considered entertainment, food, culture, community and enterprise, access to open and green spaces and street life. Laureles in Medellín, Smithfield in Dublin, Carabanchel in Madrid, Havnen in Copenhagen, Sheung Wan in Hong Kong, Brunswick East in Melbourne, Mid-City in New Orleans, Isola in Milan, Amsterdam-West and Tomigaya in Tokyo top the list.

The Seoul subway plans to introduce trains with seatless carriages to reduce congestion during peak hours. It should reduce the congestion level on the two selected lines from 193% and 164% to 153% and 130%. Perhaps thanks to that initiative, the popular term jiokcheol – combining the words “hell” and “subway”, which reflects the frustration of people commuting on Seoul’s trains – will be forgotten. The Seoul Metro is one of the world’s busiest and most significant urban rail systems. It transports an estimated 7 million people and consists of nine lines and 275 stations.

The Maastricht authorities in the Netherlands are fighting the scourge of “wild parking” of bicycles by confiscating illegally parked bicycles and increasing penalties for returning them. The city has a network of bicycle storage facilities, and cyclists are prohibited from parking anywhere except bicycle racks. From January, people whose bikes have been confiscated must pay EUR 50 to get them back.