What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Bratislava?
Emergency number
112
Police: 158.
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: bratislavaguide.com, visitbratislava.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- 112 is the number to remember by default — it works from any phone (even without a SIM card), is free, and operators can generally handle the call in English.
- If you know exactly what you need, dialing the direct line (158 police, 150 fire, 155 ambulance) can occasionally be marginally faster since it skips a transfer step.
- Slovakia doesn't appear to have an official standalone '112' emergency app the way some other EU countries do — just save 112, 155, 158, and 150 as phone contacts rather than relying on an app.
- If you're uninsured and call an ambulance, treatment will not be refused in a genuine emergency, but expect a bill afterward — carrying proof of travel/health insurance can speed things up.
- EU/EEA and Swiss citizens with a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) get emergency care free of charge in Slovak public hospitals, under the same terms as locals.
- Non-EU/EEA visitors are billed directly for emergency department visits and any further treatment, so travel medical insurance is strongly recommended.
- At the four main university hospitals (Ružinov, Kramáre, Staré Mesto, Antolská) most doctors speak English, which helps in an emergency.
- Bory Hospital's emergency department treats adults only — anyone under 18 needs the Children's University Hospital in Kramáre instead.
- For genuinely serious or complex cases, some foreign missions (including the U.S. Embassy) have advised their staff to consider traveling to Vienna, about 1 hour away, for higher-level specialist care.
- Dial 112 (EU-wide emergency number) or 155 (ambulance-specific) — English-speaking operators are generally available.
Hospitals
Emergency department open 24/7
- Phone
- +421 2 4823 4111
- Name
- Univerzitná nemocnica Bratislava – Nemocnica Ružinov (University Hospital Bratislava – Ružinov)
- Address
- Ružinovská 6, 826 06 Bratislava
- Trauma Level Designation
- Slovakia does not use a North American-style Level I–IV trauma designation system. Ružinov is widely described as the main public hospital serving the city centre/Old Town area with a full-service 24-hour emergency department covering surgery, internal medicine and trauma.
- Notes
- Multiple sources describe this as the primary go-to hospital ER for visitors/tourists staying in central Bratislava. A paid car park (about €1/hour) sits directly in front of the main building.
Emergency service available 24 hours a day
- Phone
- +421 2 5729 0111
- Name
- Univerzitná nemocnica Bratislava – Nemocnica Staré Mesto (University Hospital Bratislava – Old Town)
- Address
- Mickiewiczova 13, 813 69 Bratislava
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal trauma-level system used; hospital covers surgery, neurology, psychiatry, ophthalmology, dermatovenereology and stomatology, with 24/7 urgent care.
- Notes
- Located in the Old Town itself, about a 15-minute walk from the main pedestrian zone — the most central of the university hospitals.
Univerzitná Nemocnica Bratislava – Nemocnica Akademika L. Dérera (Kramáre)
- Phone
- +421 2 5954 1111
- Hours
- Emergency service available 24 hours a day
- Address
- Limbová 5, 833 05 Bratislava, Kramáre
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal trauma-level designation, but this campus houses dedicated injury/trauma surgery (traumatológia), neurosurgery and toxicology clinics alongside general emergency admission.
- Notes
- Also the site of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and the National Institute of Children's Diseases (separate pediatric ER, see below).
+421 2 6867 1111 (urgent admission line: 02/6867 2135)
- Name
- Univerzitná nemocnica Bratislava – Nemocnica sv. Cyrila a Metoda (Antolská, Petržalka)
- Hours
- Central Admission Department (Centrálne prijímacie oddelenie) runs continuously, 24/7
- Address
- Antolská 11, 851 07 Bratislava, Petržalka
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal trauma-level system; the Central Admission Department provides continuous emergency care spanning internal medicine, surgery, trauma surgery, ENT, gynecology, ophthalmology and psychiatry.
- Notes
- One of the newer university hospitals in the network, on the Petržalka side of the Danube.
Národný úStav Detských Chorôb / Children's University Hospital (Kramáre)
- Phone
- Contact via central Kramáre hospital switchboard
- Hours
- Pediatric outpatient/emergency service operates evenings and around the clock for urgent cases; treats roughly 15,000 child patients a year at its emergency clinic
- Address
- Limbová 1, 833 40 Bratislava, Kramáre
- Trauma Level Designation
- Not a designated trauma center in the US sense, but this is the only dedicated 24-hour emergency facility for patients under 18 in Bratislava following closure of the Petržalka pediatric clinic.
- Notes
- This is the sole pediatric emergency option in the city — all under-18 emergencies in Bratislava are routed here.
Nemocnica Bory (Bory Hospital, Penta Hospitals Group)
- Phone
- Contact Centre: +421 950 105 510 (weekdays 7:00–17:00)
- Hours
- Emergency department open 24/7, every day including public holidays
- Address
- Ivana Kadlečíka 2, Lamač, 841 03 Bratislava
- Trauma Level Designation
- No official trauma-level designation, but it is the newest and most modernly equipped ER in the city, with two high-threshold resuscitation 'crash rooms' for patients with failing vital functions, an isolation unit, and extensive point-of-care ultrasound and radiology capability.
- Notes
- Located in Lamač, a western suburb — noticeably further from the city centre than the university hospitals above (roughly 20+ minutes by car/transit), so it is included here mainly because of its trauma/resuscitation capability rather than central proximity. It treats adults only; a €10 urgent-care fee applies for standard walk-in care (€2 if referred immediately from outpatient emergency services).
Public System
- Coverage
- GP visits, specialist referrals, hospitalisation, emergency care, and basic prescriptions
- Waiting Times
- 2–8 weeks for specialists in public system
- Description
- Universal coverage funded through mandatory insurance contributions (employee 4%, employer 11% as of 2024). All legal residents are covered.
Major Hospitals
University Hospital Bratislava (Old Town)
- Address
- Mickiewiczova 13, Bratislava
University Hospital Bratislava (Ružinov)
- Address
- Ruzinovská 6, Bratislava
University Hospital Bratislava (Kramáre)
- Address
- Limbová 5, Bratislava
- Specialties
- Neurology, transplant surgery, pediatrics
University Hospital Bratislava (St. Cyril and Methodius)
- Address
- Antolská 11, Bratislava
Private Healthcare
- Description
- Growing private sector popular among expats and medical tourists. Faster access, modern equipment, English-speaking staff.
Costs
- Dental Crown
- €200
- Dental Filling
- €40
- Dental Cleaning
- €30
- GP Consultation
- €40
- Specialist Consultation
- €60
Major Providers
- Nemocnica Bory (opened 2024, Slovakia's most modern hospital)
- Medicover
- Canadian Medical
- ProCare
- St. Michael Hospital
Emergency Numbers
- Nuisance Call Penalty
- €1,660
Slovakia sanctions unnecessary or hoax calls to 112 with a significant fine, so the number should only be used for genuine emergencies.
- Uninsured Ambulance Call Cost
- €120
If you call an ambulance without any insurance, it will still arrive and provide care, but the call is not free and can cost around this amount.
Safety Apps
- Mountain Rescue App
- The Horská záchranná služba (Mountain Rescue Service) offers an official app for one-button emergency alerts, GPS location sharing, and chat with dispatch, but it is designed for hikers/mountain areas rather than city use, so it has limited relevance for a nomad based in central Bratislava.
- Official National 112 App
- No dedicated official nationwide '112' smartphone app (of the kind some EU countries, like Finland, offer) was found for Slovakia at the time of research — the standard advice from Slovak authorities is simply to dial 112 directly rather than rely on an app.
- Android iOS Built In Tools
- Both Android and iOS have built-in emergency features (e.g. Android's 'Emergency SOS'/emergency location sharing) that automatically share your location with responders when you dial 112, which is worth enabling.
Other Useful Lines
- Gas Emergency
- 0850 111 727
- Children Safety Line
- 116 111
- Electricity Emergency
- 0800 123 332
- Mountain Rescue Service
- 18 300 (relevant mainly for trips outside the city, e.g. High Tatras)
How To Call 112 Tips
- Be ready to answer: what happened, where it happened, who needs help, and give your name and phone number.
- Stay calm, speak slowly and clearly, and do not hang up until the operator tells you to.
- Operators should be able to handle the call in English, though having a Slovak speaker nearby can speed things up if available.
- Do not use 112 for non-emergencies — Slovakia sanctions unnecessary or hoax calls, and hoax calls are treated as a criminal offense.
Service Specific Numbers
- Police
- 158
- Fire Brigade
- 150
- Municipal City Police
- 159
- Ambulance Medical Emergency
- 155
- Note
- These dedicated lines are useful if you already know which service you need, and operators on each line are specialists in their field. All of these can also be reached via 112, which will route the call appropriately.
Universal Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- Official Source
- Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic (minv.sk)
- Language Support
- Calls to 112 in Slovakia are answered on average within 9 seconds, and in addition to Slovak, calls are also answered in Czech, English, and in some areas Russian, Polish or Hungarian.
- Description
- Slovakia uses 112 as its single pan-European emergency number, connecting callers to police, fire, and ambulance services. It is free, available 24 hours a day from landlines, mobile phones, and public telephones, including from a mobile without a SIM card.
Slovakia has a mixed public-private healthcare system. Public healthcare is based on mandatory social health insurance through three insurers: Všeobecná zdravotná poisťovňa (VšZP, state-owned, largest), Dôvera, and Union (both private). Public care is largely free or low-cost; private clinics offer faster access and modern facilities with English-speaking staff.
Key Contacts
- Emergency Unified
- 112
- Ambulance First Aid
- 155
- Emergency Outpatient
- Available at hospitals or dedicated emergency clinics (e.g., Sancova Street 110 or Strecnianska 13)
Non EU Citizens
Must cover full cost of medical care unless insured. EHIC holders from EU/EEA get emergency coverage at reduced rate.
English Availability
English widely spoken in private clinics in Bratislava; less common in public hospitals
Pharmacies
- Language
- English widely spoken in city centre pharmacies; language support less reliable outside Bratislava
- Overview
- Pharmacies (lekáreň, identified by green cross) are widespread and plentiful in Bratislava. All medications require physical dispensing—no mail order from pharmacies.
- Restrictions
- Medications cannot be purchased at petrol stations or supermarkets; pharmacy-only sales
Medications
- Antibiotics
- Tightly controlled; prescription required, not issued without doctor consultation
- Insurance Copay
- €0.50
- OTC Cost Range Low
- €2.00
- OTC Cost Range High
- €8.00
- Insurance Copay High
- €5.00
- Prescription Required
- Majority of medications require prescription issued by doctor
OTC Common Items
- Ibalgin (ibuprofen)
- Paralen (paracetamol)
- Antihistamines
- Cold and flu remedies
- Vitamins
- Topical creams
- Some oral contraceptives
Major Chains
- Dr.Max
- Benu
Prescriptions
- Transferability
- Not tied to specific pharmacy; valid at any licensed pharmacy nationwide
- Foreign Prescriptions
- Slovakia only accepts EU-issued prescriptions. Email printouts do not suffice; must be official hardcopy or translated to Slovak/Latin pharmaceutical names
- Bringing Medication From Abroad
- Bring 2–3 month supply with detailed letter from home doctor explaining diagnosis, medication, and dosage. Letter should be in Slovak or accompanied by certified translation.
Standard Hours
- Saturday
- 7:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Weekdays
- 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Notes
- Larger shopping centre locations may stay open later
Emergency Pharmacies
- Hours
- Open until 10:00 PM – 22:00
- After Hours
- For life-saving medication after 22:00, visit hospital A&E department
- Availability
- Selected emergency pharmacies in Bratislava open until 22:00 daily under Bratislava Region rules. No 24-hour pharmacies currently operate in the city.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Bratislava
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.