The urgent care department building of the National Institute of Children’s Diseases in Bratislava (source: TASR - Jaroslav Novák)
If your health suddenly takes a turn for the worse and your general practitioner is unavailable, you should seek help at an emergency outpatient clinic.
Known in Slovak as ambulantná pohotovostná služba or pohotovosť (outpatient emergency service), these clinics are meant for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions. These may include severe pain, a high fever that will not subside, a mild allergic reaction, sudden back pain or fainting. In children, non-stop crying may also be a reason to visit.
In Bratislava, there are several emergency outpatient clinics for adults, but just one for children. Following the closure of the children’s clinic in Petržalka on Antolská Street, the only facility treating under-18s is located at the Children’s University Hospital in Kramáre (Národný ústav detských chorôb – NÚDCH). Dental emergencies are handled separately, with a number of dental clinics operating across the city.
In the event of a life-threatening condition or serious injury, patients must go directly to a hospital emergency department, or urgent in Slovak, which operates 24/7. In Bratislava, urgent care is available at hospitals in Ružinov, Kramáre, Antolská, and Bory Hospital.
Below is a summary of where to seek emergency medical assistance in the capital:
Children’s emergency clinic in Kramáre
The only outpatient emergency service for children in Bratislava is located at NÚDCH in Kramáre, which treats approximately 15,000 child patients each year.
Parents are advised to take their children to this clinic only when their paediatrician is unavailable and the condition cannot wait until morning. A symbolic €2 fee applies for each examination.
Waiting times at the Kramáre clinic vary depending on the severity of the case and the time of day. Peak hours are typically during public holidays, long weekends and weekends in general.
A pharmacy is located on the ground floor of the NÚDCH polyclinic and is open daily until 22:00, providing convenient access to prescribed medication.
Opening hours
Weekdays: 16:00 to 20:00
Weekends and public holidays:
First shift: 8:00 to 16:00
Second shift: 12:00 to 20:00
A full schedule of shifts is available on the e-VÚC website.
Address
National Institute of Children’s Diseases (NÚDCH)
Limbová 2643/1
833 40 Bratislava – Nové Mesto
Parking
Parking is available directly on the hospital grounds. The rate is €2.50 per hour, with a maximum daily charge of €20. A nearby parking garage also offers the same rates.
Emergency clinics for adults in Bratislava
Emergency outpatient services in Bratislava are intended for patients whose health condition has suddenly worsened but who cannot visit their general practitioner because it is outside regular office hours. A standard €2 fee is charged for visits.
In the capital, there are only two outpatient emergency clinics for adults – one in Ružinov and the other in Petržalka.
1) Ružinov emergency clinic
The Ružinov clinic is located within the University Hospital Bratislava – Ružinov and serves patients from the following city boroughs: Staré Mesto, Ružinov, Podunajské Biskupice, Vrakuňa, Nové Mesto, Rača and Vajnory.
There used to be a 24-hour pharmacy next to the clinic, but since autumn 2024, it is open daily from 7:00 to 19:00 only.
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 16:00 – 22:00
Weekends & public holidays: 7:00 – 22:00
A schedule of doctors on duty is available at the e-VÚC website.
Address:
University Hospital Bratislava – Ružinov
Ružinovská 4810/6
821 01 Bratislava – Ružinov
Parking:
There is a paid car park directly in front of the hospital’s main building, with a rate of €1 per hour. The PAAS parking system also applies in the surrounding area.
2) Strečnianska emergency clinic in Petržalka
The second clinic is located at Poliklinika Strečnianska in Petržalka and serves patients from Petržalka, Jarovce, Rusovce, Čunovo, Karlova Ves, Dúbravka, Lamač, Devín, Devínska Nová Ves, and Záhorská Bystrica.
To reach the emergency entrance, walk from the car park under the footbridge and look for door number 0021.
On weekdays, the clinic treats around 15 to 30 patients. During weekends and public holidays, the number rises to 30 to 80.
“The maximum waiting time at Strečnianska is 45 minutes, even during flu season. Otherwise, patients are examined continuously,” said Renáta Oríšek, managing director of MED STAR, s.r.o., which operates the clinic.
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 16:00 – 22:00
Weekends & public holidays: 7:00 – 22:00
A full schedule is available on the e-VÚC website.
Phone contact: +421 2 622 509 44
Address:
Poliklinika Strečnianska
Strečnianska 13
851 05 Bratislava – Petržalka
Parking:
Patients can park directly in front of the clinic or use the shared parking area near the BILLA supermarket.
Dental emergencies in Bratislava
If you are dealing with sudden dental pain or swelling, several emergency dental clinics across Bratislava offer urgent care during evenings, weekends and public holidays. While opening hours vary, all services are designed for acute issues rather than routine check-ups.
Be prepared to pay an emergency fee, as not all services are covered fully by insurance.
1) DENTA Group – Drieňová
Located on the ground floor of a health centre in Ružinov, this clinic has contracts with all Slovak health insurers and serves patients from across Bratislava, Malacky, Pezinok and Senec. The entrance is accessible from outside the building.
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 17:00 – 23:00
Weekends and public holidays: 10:00 – 22:00
Phone: 02 / 4342 3433
Address: Drieňová 80/38, 821 02 Bratislava – Ružinov
2) SK Dental – Jarabinková
This clinic offers emergency care every day, including holidays. Free parking is available next to the clinic at Jarabinková 8G—just validate your parking ticket at reception.
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 17:00 – 22:00
Weekends and public holidays: 9:00 – 21:00
Phone: +421 911 566 056
Address: Jarabinková 10, 821 09 Bratislava – Ružinov
3) STOMAMED – Laurinská
Located in the heart of the Old Town, this dental emergency centre is best accessed on foot or via public transport. Parking is available at designated spots in the city-run PAAS system.
Opening hours:
Weekdays: 19:00 – 22:00
Weekends and public holidays: 15:00 – 22:00
Phone: +421 901 901 000
Address: Laurinská 16, 811 01 Bratislava – Staré Mesto
4) Krížna emergency dental clinic
Serving Ružinov residents, this clinic has some of the longest weekend hours.
Opening hours:
Monday–Thursday: 17:00 – 22:00
Friday: 17:00 – midnight
Saturday: 8:00 – midnight
Sunday: 8:00 – 22:00
Phone: +421 907 797 347
Address: Krížna 44, 821 08 Bratislava – Ružinov
5) 24 Dental – Bajkalská
This clinic offers extended weekend and holiday coverage. Free parking is available directly in front of the entrance.
Opening hours:
Monday–Friday: 17:00 – 22:00
Weekends and public holidays: 8:00 – 22:00
Address: Bajkalská 9, 831 04 Bratislava – Ružinov
Emergency pharmacies in Bratislava
Bratislava currently has no 24-hour pharmacy in operation. Instead, three pharmacies take turns providing emergency out-of-hours services, including two BENU branches—one on Jantárová cesta and another in the VIVO shopping centre—as well as the University Pharmacy in Bratislava. Of the three, BENU at VIVO stays open the longest, until 21:00 daily.
Emergency pharmacy services in the Bratislava Region are also supported by the in-house pharmacy at the National Institute of Children’s Diseases (NÚDCH), which remains open every day until 22:30 under a regional agreement.
A daily schedule of on-call pharmacies, including opening hours, is available on the e-VÚC website.
© SME
