In the first year of the Friendly City Index, Prague ranked second among Central and Eastern European metropolises.

Yet only 13.82% of residents can reach most daily destinations – work, schools, shops, or healthcare – within 15 minutes. The best metropolises in the region remain closer to “30-minute cities.”

Young Czechs are closest to the ideal: 34% of those aged 18–24 said they can reach everyday destinations within 15 minutes. Middle-aged people, especially 45–54, scored the worst at 14.7%.

Smaller Czech cities outperform Prague. Olomouc (36%), Ostrava (29.7%), and Brno (21.8%) all ranked better in their categories. Compact urban structures and shorter distances explain much of this advantage. Polish cities also dominated the rankings, including Krakow, Szczecin, and Lublin.

Among metropolises, Warsaw leads with 15.9%. In other categories: Krakow (30.3%), Split (44%), Rijeka (53.3%), and Zadar (53.6%). Riga ranked worst at 9.8%, while Zagreb scored only 20%.

The smaller the city, the better the accessibility

Around 10–15% in metropolises, 30% in large cities, 40%+ in medium-sized cities, and over 50% in small cities. Even cities with metro systems like Prague or Bucharest show little improvement, confirming that compactness and urban structure matter more than infrastructure alone.

Transport habits

In Central and Eastern Europe, 46% rely on cars and 27% on public transport. In Czechia, the split is nearly even: 42.6% drive, 42.4% use public transport. Among 18–24-year-olds, more than half (51.1%) rely on public transport. Alternative mobility options such as bikes, scooters, and carsharing remain marginal.

Urban planner Peter Bednár explains: “The point is not that all journeys must be short, but that most daily activities can be done without a car. Achieving this requires higher density and a mix of functions. Without enough services and destinations nearby, the most practical walk still leads to the parked car.”

About the index

The Friendly City Index is an international survey on quality of life and urban development. In 2025, it covered 54 cities in nine countries with 4,500 respondents, including 500 in Czechia. The study was carried out by Syno International in partnership with Bolt.

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