The aim of this paper is to extend and develop research surrounding the links between transport and
urban regions. An understanding of transport activity has long involved the use of spatial frameworks,
seen in the idea of a gateway city (with its surrounding hinterland) and in the identification of hubs or
nodes. The particular framework used here is the global city region, a build-out from the much
researched global city, and acknowledged as the most prominent feature of spatial development in the
global economy. As these areas can accommodate important sea and airport infrastructure, the global city
region can be expected to play a significant role in global logistics. Whether that significance extends just
from the physical realm, as reflected in the infrastructure, or whether it is embedded in the scale and
complexity of the advanced business services sector within the global city, is the issue that lies at the
heart of the research. The research has set out to answer the question: ‘‘How important are these regions
in logistics activity?”. The question has relevance in the context of transport geography as it provides an
urban structure perspective on what is commonly seen as separate port or airport activity. Its relevance is
enhanced as its answer relies upon a simultaneous analysis of both sea and air freight activity. Results
show these regions counted for a substantial and growing share of sea and air freight between 1996
and 2006. In accounting for that outcome the research explores the particular effect of infrastructure
(showing that global city regions with multiple seaport and airports play a special role) and also isolates
the links with global city functions. The paper concludes with some insight on the special challenge these
places create for strategic urban planning policy