Find a pharmacy in Krefeld
Krefeld, a city of roughly 227,000 in North Rhine-Westphalia, supports a dense pharmacy network of 39 verified outlets listed in PillsCard's directory. The catchment extends well beyond the city limits, drawing residents from Meerbusch, Tönisvorst and Willich who commute in for work or specialist appointments at the Helios Klinikum. Concentrations cluster around the Hauptbahnhof and the pedestrianised Hochstraße in Stadtmitte, with secondary clusters in Uerdingen near the Rhine and in the residential districts of Bockum and Fischeln. The historical silk-weaving heritage shapes an older demographic in the central wards, while Turkish and Polish communities in Dießem and Lehmheide rely on multilingual counter staff. Cross-border traffic from the nearby Dutch border at Venlo brings occasional walk-ins seeking EU-recognised prescriptions.
The market in Krefeld is fragmented rather than chain-dominated, reflecting Germany's restriction on pharmacy ownership to licensed pharmacists. Independents such as Rosen Apotheke and Hansa Apotheke anchor the Stadtmitte trade, while Burg Apotheke Linn serves the historic Linn quarter near the moated castle. Suburban shopping-centre pharmacies fill the gap for weekly-shop customers — MAXMO Apotheke im E-Center Am Röttgen operates in the Hüls retail park, and Apotheke im LCC trades inside the Linner Carré shopping centre. Wiesen-Apotheke and Park Apotheke cover the leafier districts north-east of the centre, while Apotheke im Kempener Feld handles the growing residential pocket near Kempen. None of the pharmacies are formally hospital-affiliated; Helios Klinikum dispenses inpatient medication through its own internal pharmacy.
Pricing & coverage
Prescription medicines dispensed under GKV cost a flat co-payment of €5 to €10 per item, capped at 2% of annual gross income (1% for chronic conditions). Over-the-counter analgesics such as ibuprofen 400mg typically run €3–€7 for a 20-tablet pack, while a flu vaccination administered in-pharmacy ranges from €15 to €25 and is reimbursable under most GKV schemes for eligible groups. Private (PKV) patients pay the full retail price upfront and claim reimbursement. Medicine pricing is regulated nationally by the Arzneimittelpreisverordnung; the federal regulator BfArM maintains the authoritative drug approval and safety database.
Emergencies & out-of-hours care
Krefeld pharmacies operate a rotating Notdienst (emergency duty) covering nights, Sundays and public holidays — the rota is posted on every pharmacy door and searchable via the postal-code lookup at aponet.de. At any hour, the duty pharmacy in Krefeld is reachable through the national hotline 22833 from a mobile. For acute medical emergencies, dial 112 for ambulance dispatch; the central A&E is at Helios Klinikum Krefeld on Lutherplatz, with paediatric emergencies routed there as well. The non-urgent medical advice line 116 117 covers GP out-of-hours triage.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an English-speaking pharmacist in Krefeld?
Most pharmacists in central Krefeld speak conversational English, particularly those near the Hauptbahnhof and Hochstraße shopping zone. Turkish is widely spoken in Dießem and Lehmheide branches, and Dutch comprehension is common in pharmacies near Hüls and Uerdingen due to cross-border traffic from Venlo. For complex consultations involving dosage adjustments or interaction queries, calling ahead to confirm staffing is advisable, especially outside standard 09:00–18:30 weekday trading hours.
Are Dutch prescriptions accepted in Krefeld pharmacies?
Yes, EU prescriptions issued in the Netherlands are honoured under the cross-border healthcare directive 2011/24/EU, provided they carry the prescriber's full credentials, the patient's date of birth and the standard EU prescription format. Krefeld pharmacies frequently process these for residents of Venlo and Roermond. Controlled substances (Betäubungsmittel) require additional documentation and may not be dispensable without a German equivalent prescription verified through the Apothekenkammer.
Where is the nearest 24-hour pharmacy to Krefeld city centre?
No single pharmacy in Krefeld trades 24 hours; instead, the Notdienst rotation guarantees at least one pharmacy is open through the night within a short drive. The duty pharmacy may be in a neighbouring suburb such as Fischeln or Uerdingen depending on the date. Check the door notice of any closed pharmacy — it lists that day's Notdienst location and address — or use the aponet.de search with postcode 47798.
Do Krefeld pharmacies deliver to home?
Many independents including those in Bockum and Fischeln offer same-day delivery within a 5km radius for housebound patients, typically free for prescription orders above €20. Mail-order pharmacies regulated under German law (DocMorris, Shop Apotheke) also serve Krefeld addresses for non-urgent repeat prescriptions, with delivery in 1–3 working days. Cold-chain medicines and Betäubungsmittel require collection in person or a signed handover.
Safety note
This directory is informational only and is not medical advice. Patients should consult a licensed pharmacy or physician for individual clinical decisions.