Pharmacies in the Black Forest for English speakers

Good to Know

The Black Forest is rural, and that changes the pharmacy equation. Every town of any size has an Apotheke (pharmacy), marked with a red A sign. In a small village or between towns, the nearest one might be a drive away. Freiburg is the main city on the edge of the Black Forest and has plenty. Smaller towns like Triberg, Titisee, and Gengenbach each have at least one.

We stocked up in Freiburg before heading deeper into the forest. The Black Forest is in a tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) risk area, and ticks are active from spring through autumn. Every Apotheke sells Zeckenschutz (tick repellent), and the pharmacist can tell you about tick protection. Children's paracetamol is sold as ben-u-ron or Paracetamol ratiopharm Saft (syrup). For after-hours emergencies, the Notdienst (emergency duty) system means one Apotheke in the area stays open at night on a rotation. The website www.aponet.de/notdienst shows which one is on duty by postcode. German Apotheken are strict about what requires a prescription, so don't expect to get antibiotics without seeing a doctor first.

English varies. Pharmacists in tourist areas like Freiburg, Baden-Baden, and Titisee speak reasonable English. In smaller villages, German is all you'll get. Write down the medication name or active ingredient.

German pharmacies (Apotheke) stock children's paracetamol (ben-u-ron) and children's ibuprofen (Nurofen). These are two different medicines. The pharmacist can advise on dosing. Baby formula and diapers are cheaper at DM or Rossmann drugstores than at the pharmacy. For specialized infant needs, stock up in Freiburg before heading into the villages.