Find a pharmacy in Eindhoven
Eindhoven anchors the Brainport region in North Brabant, and its 27 verified pharmacies in the PillsCard directory reflect a city shaped by technology workers, university students, and a large international community drawn by ASML, Philips, and the TU/e campus. Coverage is dense across the central districts of Stratum, Strijp, Woensel, Gestel, and Tongelre, with additional outlets serving the northern residential expansions around Blixembosch and the Meerhoven district near the airport. Many pharmacies operate inside or alongside huisarts (GP) group practices, especially the SGE-linked centres that coordinate primary care for a substantial share of the city. English-speaking staff are common given the high expatriate population, and several pharmacies maintain dedicated counters for international assignees and cross-border patients from Belgium.
The market is fragmented between independents and national chains. Apotheek SGE Woensel and Apotheek SGE Stratum sit within Stichting Gezondheidscentra Eindhoven's integrated primary-care centres, dispensing for affiliated GP rosters in the north and south of the city. Independent neighbourhood operators such as Apotheek Jansen, Apotheek de Gender in Gestel, and Apotheek Blixembosch serve established residential catchments, while Apotheek Lingmont and Service Apotheek Tongelre cover the eastern districts around Tongelre and Lakerlopen. National chain presence comes through Benu, which runs branches near transit hubs and supermarkets. Specialist compounding and oncology dispensing are concentrated around Catharina Ziekenhuis and Máxima Medisch Centrum, with hospital outpatient pharmacies handling complex therapies referred from the wider Brainport catchment.
Pricing & coverage
Under the Zorgverzekeringswet, every resident must hold a basisverzekering, which reimburses prescription medicines on the GVS-listed formulary administered through the CBG-MEB. Patients typically pay the annual eigen risico (€385 in 2024, rising in subsequent policy years) before reimbursement begins. Common out-of-pocket costs in Eindhoven pharmacies include a dispensing fee of roughly €6–€8 per prescription line, generic antibiotics at €5–€15, a standard inhaler at €20–€45, and travel vaccinations such as hepatitis A at around €55–€75 per dose. Over-the-counter paracetamol, contraceptives outside the basic package, and cosmetic dermatology products fall outside basisverzekering and are paid in full.
Emergencies & out-of-hours care
Outside standard hours, Eindhoven operates a duty rota coordinated through the Dienstapotheek Eindhoven, located on the Catharina Ziekenhuis campus on Michelangelolaan. It handles urgent prescriptions issued by the Centrale Huisartsenpost during evenings, nights, weekends, and public holidays. Patients should first contact the huisartsenpost by phone before travelling, as access requires a referral or verified electronic prescription. For life-threatening emergencies — chest pain, anaphylaxis, severe bleeding, suspected stroke — call 112 directly; ambulance crews triage to Catharina Ziekenhuis or Máxima Medisch Centrum in nearby Veldhoven depending on specialty needs.
Frequently asked questions
Can I transfer a foreign prescription to an Eindhoven pharmacy? EU/EEA prescriptions issued on the cross-border template are generally accepted, though pharmacists may verify the prescriber's registration before dispensing. Prescriptions from outside the EEA usually require a Dutch huisarts to reissue them locally. Controlled substances under the Opiumwet face stricter limits regardless of origin, and quantities may be reduced to align with Dutch dispensing rules.
Which Eindhoven pharmacies are best for English-speaking expats? Pharmacies near the High Tech Campus, TU/e, and Strijp-S routinely serve international workers and stock English-language patient information. SGE-affiliated centres and Benu branches in the centrum tend to have multilingual staff, reflecting the roughly 40,000 international residents and students concentrated in those districts.
Are weekend pharmacies open in Eindhoven? A limited rotation operates on Saturdays in central districts, typically with shortened hours. On Sundays and public holidays, only the Dienstapotheek at Catharina Ziekenhuis handles urgent dispensing. The rota is published weekly by the Eindhoven pharmacy association and posted on individual pharmacy doors.
How do I register with a local pharmacy? Most Eindhoven pharmacies ask for your BSN, basisverzekering details, and a one-page medication history form. Registration is usually completed in person at first visit, after which repeat prescriptions can be ordered online or via the pharmacy app linked to your huisarts.
Do Eindhoven pharmacies deliver? Many independents — including several SGE centres and neighbourhood apotheken in Blixembosch and Woensel — offer free home delivery within set postal codes for repeat medication, particularly for chronic conditions managed under integrated GP-pharmacy care pathways.
Safety note
This directory is informational only and is not medical advice. Patients should consult a licensed pharmacy or their huisarts for individual clinical decisions, dosage queries, or interaction checks.