Find a pharmacy in Gliwice
Gliwice anchors the western edge of the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolia, and its pharmacy network reflects that role: 62 verified outlets serve roughly 175,000 residents plus a substantial commuter population drawn from Knurów, Pyskowice and the wider Silesian conurbation. Density is highest around the historic Śródmieście grid, the Plac Krakowski transit hub, and the residential estates of Sośnica, Trynek and Łabędy, with smaller neighbourhood apteki filling the gaps along ul. Zwycięstwa and near the Silesian University of Technology campus. The student population skews demand toward late-opening sites and generics, while an aging Silesian demographic sustains steady prescription volume for cardiovascular, diabetes and respiratory medicines — the last partly tied to the region's air-quality record.
The market is fragmented between independent operators and national chains. Mid-sized banners such as Apteka GEMINI and APTEKA DBAM O ZDROWIE compete on price near transport nodes, while Apteka Zdrowit maintains multiple outlets across the city — common in the Polish market where a single brand often clusters in one municipality. Independents like Apteka Corax, PHARMAKON and the long-established POD RÓŻĄ trade on continuity with local prescribers and compounding capability. APTEKA GŁÓWNA CENTRUM TANICH LEKÓW positions itself on discount pricing, a category that has grown sharply since the 2023 reimbursement reforms. Hospital-adjacent provision is anchored near Szpital Miejski No. 4 on ul. Zygmunta Starego and the oncology centre on Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej, with palliative coverage extended by Hospicjum Miłosierdzia Bożego.
Pricing & coverage
Out-of-pocket prices in Gliwice track national norms: a standard antibiotic course typically runs 15–40 PLN, common statins 8–25 PLN per month, and inhaled bronchodilators 30–80 PLN depending on device. Reimbursed medicines under the NFZ refundacja list carry fixed patient co-payments — 3.20 PLN, 5 PLN or 30% of limit — published monthly by the Ministry of Health. Pensioners aged 65+ and children under 18 access an expanded free-medicines list. Registration and quality oversight of products dispensed sits with the URPL (www.urpl.gov.pl), while pricing and reimbursement decisions are issued by the Ministry through the Obwieszczenie refundacyjne.
Emergencies & out-of-hours care
Gliwice operates a rotating night-and-holiday duty roster (dyżur nocny) published by the Powiat Gliwicki on its bulletin and posted in each pharmacy window — typically one or two apteki cover overnight hours from 22:00 to 08:00. For acute medical emergencies, the Szpitalny Oddział Ratunkowy at Szpital Miejski No. 4 handles adult cases, with paediatric SOR provision at the children's hospital on ul. Kościuszki. Dial 112 for life-threatening situations or 999 for ambulance dispatch directly. Non-urgent after-hours primary care falls under Nocna i Świąteczna Opieka Zdrowotna, contracted by NFZ.
Frequently asked questions
Do Gliwice pharmacies dispense medicines prescribed in other EU countries?
Yes. Under EU cross-border directive 2011/24/EU, a paper or e-prescription issued in another EEA state can be honoured, provided it carries the prescriber's details, patient identification and INN drug name. Practical realisation varies — Apteki near transport hubs handle these more routinely than suburban outlets. Reimbursement is not automatic: the patient pays in full and claims afterwards through their home insurer or NFZ's cross-border unit in Warsaw. Controlled substances and psychotropics require a specific cross-border form.
Can I get an e-prescription filled without a Polish PESEL number?
Yes, but the prescriber must record a substitute identifier — usually passport number — on the e-recepta. The four-digit code plus identifier is then entered at the pharmacy counter. Tourists treated at a Gliwice NFZ outpatient clinic or private GP under a paid visit receive this format. Most chain pharmacies — Gemini, Dbam o Zdrowie — process foreign-ID prescriptions without difficulty; smaller independents may take longer to locate the entry in the P1 national system.
Which Gliwice districts have 24-hour pharmacy access?
No single aptekа holds a permanent 24-hour licence in Gliwice; instead the duty rota assigns one outlet per night, usually rotating between Śródmieście and the larger residential estates. The current duty pharmacy is listed on gliwice.eu and displayed at every closed pharmacy door. For predictable late access, sites near Plac Piastów and along ul. Zwycięstwa typically open until 22:00 or 23:00 on weekdays.
Are compounded preparations (leki recepturowe) widely available?
Long-standing independents including POD RÓŻĄ and Apteka Corax maintain compounding rooms equipped for ointments, suspensions and paediatric dosing. Compounded items are partially reimbursed by NFZ when prescribed on a Rp. recepturowa form, with patient co-payment typically 15–25 PLN per preparation. Turnaround is usually 24–48 hours; urgent same-day compounding can be arranged by phone.
How does the free-medicines programme for seniors work locally?
Residents aged 65 and over present their ID and an active prescription marked "S" by any Polish physician; the pharmacist verifies eligibility through the NFZ system. The list covers around 4,000 products across cardiovascular, diabetes, neurological and respiratory categories. Coverage is national, so any Gliwice pharmacy connected to P1 — effectively all 62 in the directory — can dispense under the scheme.
Safety note
This directory is informational only and is not medical advice. Always consult a licensed pharmacist or physician at one of the listed Gliwice pharmacies for individual clinical decisions, dosing questions and prescription verification.