Residents of Slovakia spend the least time traveling to shops, schools, work, and basic services among 11 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. However, within the country itself, the situation is uneven: in terms of everyday mobility convenience, the capital significantly lags behind regional centers.
These conclusions are contained in the Friendly City Index 2026 study, conducted by Syno International agency on behalf of Bolt company. Experts analyzed how quickly city residents reach necessary daily destinations and how they assess the quality of the urban environment.
Slovakia — regional leader, and Žilina (a city) — in the top 10 cities
Overall in Slovakia, 34.2% of respondents reach main daily destinations within 15 minutes, and 84.8% — within half an hour. For comparison, the average among all 11 studied countries is only 23.8% (within 15 minutes) and 72.1% (within 30 minutes). In neighboring Czechia, 22.8% of residents reach destinations within 15 minutes, and 75% within half an hour.
However, comparison among Slovak cities revealed a noticeable contrast:
Regional centers outperform the capital: in Košice, Prešov, Nitra, and Žilina (cities), a total of 40.6% of residents reach needed services within 15 minutes.
Bratislava (capital) lags behind: in the capital, this figure is only 26%.
International ranking of 62 cities: Žilina took a high 7th place, Košice ranked 12th, while Bratislava was only 30th.
The author of the “15-minute city” concept, well-known urbanist Carlos Moreno notes that accessibility of shops, schools, services, and workplaces near home is key to comfortable living. At the same time, such transformation requires long-term urban planning, quality infrastructure, and active development of pedestrian zones, bike lanes, and public transport.
High loneliness among youth despite convenient infrastructure
Besides transport and service accessibility, the survey revealed a serious social problem. Often or very often feeling socially isolated and disconnected from society are 30.8% of Slovaks — the second highest rate among all 11 countries studied.
The most vulnerable group turned out to be youth:
among respondents aged 18 to 24 years, 43% reported frequent feelings of loneliness;
among people aged over 55 years, this figure is much lower, about 14%.
According to Carlos Moreno, despite total digital connectivity, modern societies increasingly suffer from lack of live communication. Open public spaces, cultural events, and local services within walking distance can help people restore social connections.
The Friendly City Index 2026 study covered 6,500 respondents in 11 Central and Eastern European countries. In Slovakia, 600 residents of Bratislava, Košice, Prešov, Nitra, and Žilina participated. The authors note that the results reflect residents’ subjective perception of accessibility, not actual measured travel times.
