We have already covered health insurance here, including registering with the CCSS and CNS, obtaining your EHIC, medical reimbursements, insuring family members, and whether supplementary insurance is worth considering.
That is only the first step in the healthcare process, though. Unless you are fortunate enough never to need medical care, most residents will eventually have to see a doctor. Knowing how to arrange appointments and where to turn in urgent situations can save time and stress.
This guide covers finding a general practitioner (GP), seeing a specialist, emergency services, out-of-hours care, pharmacies, and hospitals in Luxembourg.
You should not need to travel far to find a GP, regardless of where you live in Luxembourg. While a simple internet search may help, it is not always the most reliable option.
The official register of doctors is maintained by Luxembourg’s medical board. While comprehensive, it is not particularly user-friendly and does not always indicate the languages spoken by practitioners.
In practice, many residents use appointment platforms such as Doctena. These have the added advantages of, first, allowing you to search by language as well as location and specialisations, and in some cases you can book an appointment online through the website.
Another option is to check through your embassy, who may be able to provide a list of doctors and health care professionals who speak English and/or another preferred language.
A final option is to check Editus or Yellow, Luxembourg’s yellow pages, which can be useful for locating nearby practices.
The usual route to a specialist is via a GP, who can recommend and refer you if necessary. However, Luxembourg does not operate a strict gatekeeping system. You are free to consult most specialists directly without a referral.
That said, a specialist may refuse treatment if they consider the intervention medically unnecessary. In some cases, seeing a GP first can also help ensure that consultations and treatments are reimbursed smoothly by the CNS.
You can find a guide to your rights as a patient here.
Lists of specialists are available through the medical board and on platforms such as Doctena.
Luxembourg’s emergency number is 112. This single number connects you to police, fire, and medical emergency services.
You should call 112 in any life-threatening situation or if you are unsure where to turn. Operators can also provide guidance on urgent out-of-hours care, including directing you to emergency departments, on-duty pharmacies, or out-of-hours GP services.
For non-urgent medical issues outside normal surgery hours, Luxembourg operates a network of out-of-hours GP clinics known as maisons médicales.
These services are intended for urgent but non-life-threatening problems when GP practices are closed.
Opening hours (general rule):
After midnight, patients should call 112, which will assess the situation and advise whether a home visit is possible or whether hospital emergency care is required.
The three maisons médicales are located in:
Exact addresses and current opening times can change and should always be checked via official health portals or by calling 112.
Prescriptions can be filled at any pharmacy in Luxembourg. A full, searchable list of pharmacies by town or postcode is available via pharmacie.lu.
Opening hours vary considerably. Some pharmacies open early, others later, and some close during lunchtime. Always check opening times before visiting.
Many pharmacies also offer online prescription services. You can upload your prescription, select your preferred pharmacy, and collect your medication once it is ready.
Pharmacies operate a rotating on-call system to ensure coverage outside normal opening hours, typically from 8pm to 8am the following morning.
The pharmacy on duty for any given day can be found via here or by calling 112.
Luxembourg has a small but well-distributed hospital network. Emergency services and specialised care are provided across several sites, depending on the region and type of treatment required.
CHEM operates a network serving the south of the country.
A future consolidated hospital (‘Südspidol’) is planned to centralise services in Esch-sur-Alzette in the upcoming years.
CHdN serves the northern region and has multiple sites.
