Why is it that kids always seem to get sick at the most inconvenient times? Night falls, the weekend begins, or it’s a holiday—and suddenly, your little one has a fever. And if they do get sick on a regular weekday, it feels like every paediatrician in town is fully booked!

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Luckily, Geneva has plenty of options for urgent pediatric care. Based on recommendations from the amazing Parentville Instagram community, here’s a guide to help you navigate where to go when your paediatrician is unavailable.

Top Pediatric Care Centers and Emergency Services in Geneva

These centres provide professional pediatric care, often for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions. Some of the are walk-in clinics, some require booking an appointment first.

1. Garde Pédiatrique des Eaux-Vives
Pediatric Walk-in and Appointment Service

This place offers out-of-hours pediatric consultations (ages 0-18) on weekday evenings, weekends, and holidays. They handle common childhood illnesses and minor accidents. Appointments open 1 hour before consultation times and can be booked online or by phone.

Address: Avenue de la Gare-des-Eaux-Vives 3, 1207 Geneva
Opening Hours: Weekday evenings (19:00-22:00), weekends & public holidays (09:00-22:00)

Appointment required. Call 0844 022 022 or +41 22 737 47 57. Online booking available.

More information: Pediatric out-of-hours service.

2. Onex Medical Centre
Pediatric Walk-in and Appointment Service

The pediatric emergency center at Cité générations in Onex welcomes children under 16 without an appointment, 7 days a week from 9:00 AM to 9:30 PM. It offers direct access to radiology and laboratory services for quick diagnoses, as well as a plaster room for orthopedic care. The medical team provides high-quality care in a safe environment. The center is accessible by tram (line 14) and has paid parking available.

Address: Route de Chancy 98, 1213 Onex
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday (07:30-18:00), Saturday (08:00-12:00)

Both walk-in and by appointment. Call 0844 022 022 or +41 22 737 47 57. Online booking available.

More information: Pediatric emergency in Onex.

3. Clinique des Grangettes

The pediatric emergency service at Clinique des Grangettes in Geneva is the largest private pediatric emergency service in Switzerland, offering comprehensive care with specialists in various fields, and an on-site pediatric radiology.

It features a large aquarium to distract children and uses virtual reality to ease pain and anxiety during procedures.

Open to all patients, including those with basic insurance, the clinic focuses on early pain management. For non-urgent cases, contact 0848 333 999 for a specialist.

Address: Chemin des Grangettes 7 , 1244 Chêne-Bougeries

Opening Hours:

• Emergency consultations: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
• Urgent consultations: 7 days a week, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, plus weekends all day.

More information: Clinique des Grangettes.

4. Garde pediatriqe Lancy

GPL Garde Pédiatrique Lancy provides daytime medical consultations for children aged 0 to 18 years. They offer comprehensive care, including growth check-ups and treatment for illnesses or accidents, ensuring timely and professional pediatric services.

By appointment. Call 0844 022 022 or +41 22 737 47 57.
Address: Route du Pont-Butin 70, 1st floor, 1213 Petit-Lancy
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 22:00.

More information: GP Lancy.

4. La Tour Hospital (Meyrin)

The pediatric emergency service at Hôpital de La Tour offers round-the-clock care for children, with no appointment needed. This 24/7 service is designed to handle urgent medical situations for children of all ages.

No appointment necessary.
Address: Avenue J.-D. Maillard 3, 1217 Meyrin
Opening Hours: 24/7

More information: Hopital La Tour.

5. Hopital des Enfants – HUG

The pediatric emergency service at the Hôpital des Enfants  is part of the HUG – the most important and the largest hospital in Geneva. It provides 24/7 care for children from birth to 16 years. It treats a range of urgent cases. The team stabilizes conditions with advanced diagnostic tools and collaborates with emergency responders when needed. Parents can access real-time updates and symptom guidance through the InfoKids app, now integrated with InfoMed.

No appointment necessary.
Address: Avenue de la Roseraie 47, 1205 Geneva
Opening Hours: 24/7

More information: Pediatric Emergency at HUG

Attention:

At the Hôpital des Enfants (HUG) emergency service, waiting times are based on the severity of cases. Children with critical conditions are treated first, which may lead to longer waits for those with minor illnesses. While this can be frustrating, it’s a sign that your child’s situation isn’t life-threatening. Being seen immediately would indicate a serious emergency—something no parent ever wants (I learnt the hard way… twice). Understanding this can help make the wait feel a little more manageable, knowing that every child is receiving the care they need based on urgency (those brought by ambulances are absolute priority).

Home visit services (for older kids).

These companies provide home visits to adults and older children. The wait time is sometimes few hours, but at least it means waiting at home. The dispatcher will assess if they can help or if you should seek medical help elsewhere. Doctors who come can perform basic tests (draw blood, urine tests etc.) and have medications on them (eg. they will provide the first dosage of the antibiotic so you don’t need to run to the pharmacie).

• Genève-Médecins (GE-MED): Offers 24/7 urgent medical house calls. They provide care for children aged 2 years and up, handling common ailments like colds and fevers. Call: 022 754 54 54.
• SOS Médecin: Available 24/7, 50 doctors provide home visits for general, emergency, trauma, pediatric, and psychiatric care. Dispatchers use geolocation technology to efficiently coordinate assistance. Call: 022 748 49 50.

Book Pediatric Appointments Online

OneDoc is an online platform where you can find and book medical appointments with healthcare professionals across Switzerland, including pediatricians. It’s a convenient solution for parents seeking quick access to care.

Useful apps and websites

The InfoMed app provides parents with real-time updates on wait times at the HUG pediatric emergency room, symptom guidance, and follow-up care instructions. It helps reduce stress during visits by offering relevant information throughout the care process.

Additionally, « Mon enfant est malade » is a user-friendly website designed to help parents understand common childhood illnesses and injuries. It offers advice on symptoms, first aid, and when to seek medical help, supporting parents in making informed decisions at home.

Pharmacies

• Pharma24: Located at 2 Boulevard de la Cluse, 1205 Geneva, this pharmacy is open 24/7, providing round-the-clock service.

• Amavita Genève Gare: Situated within Cornavin Train Station at Place de Cornavin 3, 1201 Geneva, it operates Monday to Saturday from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, and on Sundays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

• Sun Store Genève Aéroport: Located at Route de l’Aéroport 25, 1215 Le Grand-Saconnex, this pharmacy is open daily from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

You can find other pharamcies open at night and on weeknds at: Pharmacies de Garde.

When your pediatrician is unavailable, Geneva offers a range of reliable medical services to support you. Instead of relying on advice from well-meaning parents on social media, it’s best to turn to these trusted resources.

Whether it’s a late-night pharmacy, a home consultation, or a 24/7 emergency room, knowing your options can reduce the stress of caring for a sick child.

Thanks to the Parentville community, you now have a clear guide on where to seek help. Always confirm details before visiting, and for life-threatening situations, call 144 or go straight to the nearest hospital.

Wishing your little ones a speedy recovery!