WORKING AND SHIFT HOURS

There are no 24-hour pharmacies in Northern Cyprus, but there is a clear and efficient system of on-duty pharmacies, known in Turkish as Nöbetçi Eczane. Thanks to this system, even at night, on weekends, and on public holidays, residents and tourists can purchase the necessary medicines at one of the on-duty pharmacies in their area.

• General pharmacy working hours
• Working hours by region
• What the “On-Call” system is
• Where to find up-to-date information

General pharmacy working hours

Winter schedule period: from September 22, 2025 to May 3, 2026. The schedule was approved by the Association of Pharmacists of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (Kıbrıs Türk Eczacılar Birliği) and published in the official bulletin No. 183 dated September 12, 2025.

Regular pharmacies in Northern Cyprus operate according to the following schedule:

• Monday–Friday: 08:00 – 17:30
• Saturday: 08:00 – 13:30
• Sundays and public holidays — closed (only on-duty pharmacies operate).

Pharmacy working hours by region

Lefkoşa, Famagusta, Girne, Güzelyurt
Weekdays — 08:00–17:30
Saturday — 08:00–13:30
On-duty pharmacies — 08:00–00:00

Mesarya region
Monday–Friday — 08:00–19:00
Saturday — 08:00–13:30
On-duty pharmacies — Saturday 13:30–19:00
Sundays and holidays — 08:00–19:00

Karpaz region
Monday–Friday — 08:00–17:30
Saturday — 08:00–13:30
On-duty pharmacies (including weekends and holidays) — 08:00–20:00

Lefke region
Monday–Friday — 08:00–17:30
Saturday — 08:00–13:30
On-duty pharmacies — 08:00–22:00, followed by the “On-Call” system from 22:00 to 00:00
Sundays and public holidays — 08:00–22:00 + On-Call after 22:00

İskele region
Monday–Friday — 08:00–17:30
Saturday — 08:00–13:30
On-duty pharmacies — 08:00–22:00 daily, including public holidays

Pharmacies outside on-duty zones
Monday–Friday — 08:00–19:00
Saturday — 08:00–16:00
Sundays and holidays — closed

What the “On-Call” system is

The On-Call system (duty on call) operates in smaller towns. After the pharmacy closes (usually at 22:00), the pharmacist remains available by phone and can come to the pharmacy if there is an urgent need. A phone number for emergency contact is posted on the door of such pharmacies. This is especially important for residents of Lefke and remote areas.

Where to find up-to-date information

A daily list of on-duty pharmacies is published on the official website of Kıbrıs Türk Eczacılar Birliği.

You can also use the official mobile app of the Association — Kıbrıs Türk Eczacılar Birliği, available in the App Store. It shows current on-duty pharmacies, their addresses and phone numbers, and allows you to build a route on the map.

The Nöbetçi Eczane Telegram channel is also updated daily, where information is published for all cities of Northern Cyprus — Nicosia, Famagusta, Girne, Güzelyurt, İskele and Lefke — as well as on our website in the pharmacies section.

If necessary, you can call the pharmacy directly or уточнить the address via Google Maps by clicking the link in the app or Telegram channel. Pharmacists often speak English, so communication problems usually do not arise.