Prague's hospitals: which one treats what, and whom to call first

Newcomers usually ask "which hospital should I go to?" The answer depends on the problem, the time of day and the address. Prague does not have one main hospital. It has a network of large university hospitals scattered around the city, which were built at different times for different purposes, and a medical rescue service that decides where to take an emergency patient.

This explainer describes the major facilities in general terms and recommends no individual doctors or departments. For the structure of the health system itself, see how the Czech healthcare system is organised.

The university hospitals

Most of the large hospitals in Prague are teaching hospitals (fakultní nemocnice) linked to the faculties of medicine of Charles University. They are generally state institutions under the Ministry of Health (as of 2026; check the Ministry of Health), funded mainly through public health insurance. The principal ones are the following.

Motol University Hospital (Fakultní nemocnice v Motole), in Prague 5, is commonly described as the largest hospital in the country. It includes a children's hospital.

The General University Hospital (Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice, VFN), in the New Town in Prague 2, is a long-established central hospital linked to Charles University.

Královské Vinohrady University Hospital (FNKV), in Prague 10 near Vinohrady, is linked to Charles University's third faculty of medicine.

Bulovka (Fakultní nemocnice Bulovka) is in Prague 8, in the north of the city.

Thomayer University Hospital (Fakultní Thomayerova nemocnice) is in the Krč area of Prague 4, in the south.

The Military University Hospital (Ústřední vojenská nemocnice) in Střešovice, Prague 6, is run by the Ministry of Defence, treats civilians as well as military personnel and is covered in the profile of Břevnov and Střešovice. The Na Homolce Hospital in Prague 5 is also among the large facilities.

Alongside them are smaller municipal and private hospitals and clinics.

How emergencies work

In a medical emergency, call 155 for the medical rescue service (zdravotnická záchranná služba) or 112, the single European emergency number, which also connects to the police and fire service. Prague has its own medical rescue service, which dispatches crews and decides which hospital to take a patient to based on the condition and the capacity of the facilities. State the address clearly, and have someone wait at the building entrance if possible. Check with the rescue service which languages operators handle.

It is generally better to call than to take a taxi to a hospital in a serious emergency, because the crew starts treatment on the spot and alerts the right department in advance.

Hospitals have emergency departments (urgentní příjem), but they are meant for urgent cases. For problems that are not life-threatening but cannot wait for your GP, evenings and weekends are covered by an out-of-hours first-aid service (lékařská služba první pomoci), which operates in designated places; ask your GP or check Prague City Hall for the current arrangements.

The route through the system

For most non-emergency matters, the entry point is the general practitioner. A GP can treat many problems, issue sick notes and refer you for tests or to specialists. Hospital outpatient clinics often see patients on referral, and the rules for direct access vary between specialties and insurers. Our guides to registering with a GP and finding an English-speaking doctor cover the practical side.

Registration matters in the public system. Most people in Czechia are covered by public health insurance, either through employment or as residents; if you are not, you may need commercial insurance, depending on your residence status. See public health insurance in Czechia: who pays and when and health insurance for foreigners. For visitors from the EU, the European Health Insurance Card covers medically necessary care under the same conditions as for insured residents of Czechia, and travellers from outside the EU should hold travel insurance.

Some services, such as certain dental work and cosmetic procedures, fall outside public insurance, and some hospitals offer paid services alongside insured ones. Ask before treatment what is covered.

Language and practicalities

Many doctors in the larger hospitals speak English, but not all, and forms and discharge letters are usually in Czech. A Czech-speaking friend or an interpreter can help. For anything important, such as consent forms or medication instructions, ask staff to write down the key points.

Pharmacies (lékárna) dispense prescriptions, and a number operate extended hours. The system has electronic prescriptions, which your doctor can issue; ask how to collect them.

Getting there matters too. Motol is served by metro A, and several other hospitals have tram stops nearby. Planning a route in advance is worthwhile for a scheduled appointment; see Prague's public transport system, and use a taxi if you need to; see taxis and ride hailing.

Children, dentists and pharmacies

Hospitals are only one part of the system, and families soon meet the others. Children are normally registered with a paediatrician (praktický lékař pro děti a dorost) instead of a general practitioner, and the paediatrician handles vaccinations and check-ups. The Motol hospital includes a large children's hospital for more serious problems. Our piece on registering with a GP explains the principle of registration, which applies to paediatricians as well.

Dental care works through private dentists who contract with the insurance companies, and patients register with a dentist of their choice. Some treatments are fully covered, others partly, and some are paid by the patient. There is an emergency dental service for urgent problems outside the usual hours; ask your dentist or check Prague City Hall for where it operates.

The practical details of insurance and costs are in health insurance for foreigners.

Which door to knock on

If you are unsure where a problem belongs, a simple rule helps. Urgent and dangerous goes to the emergency number. Urgent but stable goes to the out-of-hours service or a hospital emergency department. Everything else starts with the GP or the paediatrician, who can arrange the rest. The hospital you eventually attend depends on the specialist the doctor chooses, the address and the available beds, not on your personal preference, though in planned care you can often ask for a particular hospital and your doctor will advise.

Frequently asked questions

Which hospital is the biggest in Prague?

Motol University Hospital is usually described as the largest in the country.

What number do I call in an emergency?

155 for the medical rescue service, or 112 for the European emergency number.

Can I walk into a hospital emergency department?

Yes for genuine emergencies, but a call to 155 or 112 is better for serious cases. For non-urgent problems, contact your GP or the out-of-hours service.

Does the EHIC work in Prague?

It covers medically necessary state-provided care for EU visitors under the same conditions as insured Czech residents. Check what your own insurer and card cover.

Save 155 and 112 in your phone, and keep your home address written down in Czech.