In Vienna, pharmacies (red A sign) follow regular daytime hours. At night, on Sundays, and on public holidays there is no single fixed “night shop” — instead, an official Bereitschaftsdienst rotates duty groups across the city. The right place to go depends on urgency and time of day.
Regular pharmacy (daytime)
- Standard pharmacies have fixed opening hours — often Mon–Fri until evening, shorter on Saturday, many closed Sunday.
- Prescription medicines, advice on OTC products, and typical travel-health items.
- For everyday needs: pharmacy directory with the Open now filter.
- A closed daytime pharmacy does not automatically mean emergency — check the duty schedule first.
Bereitschaftsdienst (night, Sunday, holiday)
- The Apothekerkammer divides Vienna into 11 duty groups; several pharmacies are on duty at once for each date.
- See which group is active today in the 2026 Vienna night pharmacy schedule.
- Near me sorts today's duty pharmacies by distance.
- Call before you travel — opening windows and stock vary; schedules can change.
- Statutory surcharges apply: €3.80 between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. and €1.30 on Sundays and public holidays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. (on top of the medicine price).
When to call 1450, 144, or 112?
- 112 — life-threatening emergency, serious injury, unconsciousness → ambulance, not just a pharmacy.
- 144 — medical emergency needing ambulance → Austrian rescue (112 also works).
- 1450 — health advice, which pharmacy is on duty, non-urgent questions tonight.
- 141 — Vienna doctors' on-call service when you need a doctor but not an ambulance.
- Unsure? When in doubt, call 112 — operators will route you.
Tips for travelers
- Save 1450, 144, and 112 offline.
- Keep EHIC/GHIC and travel insurance handy — ambulance transport may not be free.
- Foreign prescriptions are not always filled immediately; duty pharmacies carry limited stock.
- More on the system: night pharmacies in Vienna guide.