Getting to school, work, and the hairdresser in 15 minutes? Few cities in Poland manage to do this.

• Szczecin stands out in Poland - for 40.6% of its residents it meets the criterion of a 15-minute city.
• Despite its low national result, Warsaw was among the TOP 3 metropolises in the region.
• Seniors are the most disadvantaged group - their daily journeys take the most time due to limited access to services and dependence on public transport.

The 15-minute city concept assumes that residents should be able to reach all essential services—work, school, shops, clinics, and recreational facilities—within 15 minutes on foot, by bike, or by public transport . This is intended to promote convenience, health, and sustainable development. Many cities, such as Paris, have declared their intention to implement this model.

However, the Friendly City Index study, conducted in nine Central and Eastern European countries, showed that in as many as 48 of the largest cities, daily journeys typically last longer than 30 minutes . Only a fraction of residents, primarily in smaller towns, reach all important destinations within 15 minutes.

In Poland, Szczecin is the leader , with 40.6% of residents meeting their daily needs within 15 minutes. Bydgoszcz, Lublin, and Białystok also fare well.

Surprisingly, Warsaw ranked last in the national rankings, although it was ranked in the top three alongside Prague and Bucharest in the regional metropolitan area. In the capital, only 15.8% of residents reach their daily destinations within 15 minutes , compared to 30.3% in Krakow and 26.8% in Wrocław.

Age also influences mobility. Over 40% of 18-24-year-olds reach their destination within 15 minutes, but this percentage is half that of those 65 and older. Seniors are the least likely to use a car (39%), opting for public transport more often, which lengthens their journeys.

Urban infrastructure and the distribution of services do not always meet the needs of the most vulnerable groups, such as seniors

- emphasizes Martyna Kurkowska, responsible for communication of Bolt in Poland, the project partner.

In the metropolitan category, Warsaw emerged as the regional leader (15.8%), ahead of Prague (13.8%) and Bucharest (13%). Riga fared worst, with only 9.8% of residents able to fit their daily commutes within 15 minutes.

Among large cities (500,000 - 1 million inhabitants) Polish centers dominate: Kraków (30.3%), Łódź (28.9%) and Wrocław (26.8%).

In the medium-sized segment (250,000 - 500,000), Split performed best (44%), followed by Szczecin (40.6%) and Bydgoszcz (37.5%).

In turn, among smaller towns, the leader was the Croatian Rijeka (53.3%), and among the smallest ones – Zadar (53.6%), Osijek (47.4%) and Prešov (47.3%).

While smaller cities often fare best, there are interesting exceptions.

Over 40% of Szczecin's nearly 400,000 residents meet their daily needs within 15 minutes. This proves that even large cities can be comfortable to live in.

- adds Kurkowska.

The Friendly City Index is the first initiative to analyze regional quality of life through the lens of the 15-minute city concept. The 2025 study covered 54 cities in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine, with 4,500 respondents participating.