Is 15 minutes enough to reach the places you visit daily?
The Friendly City Index (FCI) is an international study based on the daily experiences of residents. The survey for this project was conducted by Syno International in partnership with Bolt. It covers a wide range of topics—from the accessibility of transport and services to financial well-being and mental health. The goal is to identify the challenges residents face and determine what aspects of urban life need improvement.
So, what is a "15-minute city"? The core idea behind this concept is that work, education, shopping, healthcare, and leisure facilities should be located close to home, thereby reducing the need for long trips to meet daily needs. Carlos Moreno, the urbanist who developed the concept, described it in an interview with C40 (a global network of mayors taking collective action against climate change) as a "compact and sustainable city where distances are short."
In 2025, the study covered 54 cities across nine countries. By 2026, the project’s scope had expanded to 11 countries and 62 cities. This year, Baku, Sumgayit, Khirdalan, and Ganja—all in Azerbaijan—were included in the study for the first time.
One of the index’s rankings assesses whether residents can reach their daily destinations within 15 minutes. Among the four Azerbaijani cities surveyed, Khirdalan leads: 27% of respondents there reported being able to reach their destinations within that timeframe. In Baku, this figure is 14%, while in Sumgayit and Ganja, it stands at 13%.
In an international comparison, Pula (Croatia) and Ogre (Latvia) rank at the top; in both cities, 60% of respondents indicated that they could reach their daily destinations within 15 minutes. They are followed by Kohtla-Järve (Estonia), with a figure of 56%.
Across the four cities in Azerbaijan, the most frequently cited travel time by respondents is 30 minutes—a response chosen by 40% of the participants. Overall, 14.6% of respondents reported reaching their daily destinations within 15 minutes, while approximately one in ten spends 45–60 minutes in transit.
The results also vary by age and employment status. Among respondents aged 18–24, one in five reaches their daily destination within 15 minutes—the highest proportion across all age groups. For full-time employees, students, and the self-employed, approximately 42–45% typically spend 30 minutes on their journeys.
Differences are also observed based on marital status. Among respondents with children, 24.7% reported reaching their daily destinations within 15 minutes. This figure was 14.4% for single respondents, and 9.4% for those who are married or living with a partner. “Our rankings are simple and transparent: in each ranking, cities are ordered based on residents' responses to the same question. Our goal is to bring the voices of residents to a wider audience. We invite the media, experts, and city leaders to consult these results from time to time and use them in discussions regarding urban life,” stated Nigar Kazimova, Public Relations Manager for Bolt in Azerbaijan.
