Which European countries offer Australians free medical treatment?

September 26, 2025 — 5:00am

My husband and I are heading to Europe next May and I have heard that Australians may be entitled to medical treatment without cost in some European countries, but which ones?
A. Hackworth, Newcastle, NSW

While you can get free healthcare in the Netherlands, you must get a certificate of eligibility first.iStock

Australia has reciprocal health care agreements with 11 countries – 10 of them in Europe – but the ones on that list where Australians are most likely to seek treatment are the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Ireland. In general, those agreements mean that some of your medical costs in the country’s public health system will be covered. You may need to pay for prescribed medicines, tests and an ambulance if required. You will need to produce your Medicare card and passport.

The terms vary from country to country and it’s advisable to consult the Services Australia website to check the conditions in your destination country. In the Netherlands for example, Australians need to apply to the Dutch health insurance company, Zilveren Kruis, to get an A111 Certificate of Eligibility. In some countries, the public health care system is overburdened. In that case, you might prefer to seek private health care, as some European citizens are doing. However, be aware that you might not be able to make a claim under your travel insurance policy, since your insurer will insist you should have sought free treatment under the reciprocal health care agreement.

Our Mediterranean cruise finishes at Civitavecchia, Port of Rome, in May and we need to fill in a day before our flight back to Australia. Is there a left luggage facility at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport?
I. Levine, Kew, Vic

The Baths of Caracalla ruins in Rome.iStock

There’s a left luggage facility on the ground floor in Terminal 3 of International Arrivals, close to the bus station at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, but you don’t need it. A better option is to take either the train or the shuttle bus from Civitavecchia to Termini, Rome’s main station, and drop your bags off at one of the left luggage facilities close to the station. Stow Your Bags is one option and Radical Storage is another. Termini is not the most attractive part of the capital, although the Baths of Caracalla are amazing and close at hand. If this is your first time in Rome, you could take a walk starting from the Trevi Fountain, followed by the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and across the Tiber to the incredible Basilica of St Peter. The Leonardo Express takes just 30 minutes to reach Fiumicino Airport from Termini, with departures every 15 minutes.

We’re planning a family visit to Europe in December 2026 to take in Christmas markets and the Northern Lights with some skiing. Is Iceland better than northern Scandinavia for viewing the lights?
J. Saunders, Springvale, Vic

Finland offers great Northern Lights viewing experiences.Visit Finland

Northern Scandinavia offers prime viewing of the Northern Lights, however this region is subject to clouds and stormy weather until mid-December. You would be better off leaving the experience until the end of your journey. Iceland also offers prime viewing but it’s expensive to reach and to stay, and activities are limited at this time of year.

Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland in northern Finland, has good air connections with Helsinki, and this could be a prime choice for your Northern Lights experience. For the Christmas markets and skiing, Austria’s Innsbruck is a great fit. Set on the floor of the Inn Valley on the banks of the Wipptal River and ringed by the snow-covered peaks of the Nordkette mountains, Innsbruck observes wonderful Christmas traditions. Its narrow laneways are patrolled by princesses, giants and beasts from the Austrian fables while glittering trees light up Maria-Theresien-Strasse, the city’s main boulevard.

A few days before Christmas the city stops for the Christkind Parade featuring hundreds of little angels and herdsmen. One of the best of the city’s Christmas markets takes place on the cobblestones of the Old Town’s main square. A must-do trip is the ride aboard the spectacular Hungerburg funicular to the Christmas market high above the city. Traditional components of the Austrian Christmas include cheese dumplings, hot doughnuts and spicy gluhwein. Innsbruck has hosted the Winter Olympics twice and the city’s Olympia Ski World has nine world-class ski resorts with varying terrain suitable for skiers of all abilities.

My wife and I have a week to spare at the end of a trip to the UK. We’re looking for somewhere to base ourselves from where we can do some country walks, with cosy pubs and classic British villages, within easy reach of Gatwick Airport if possible.
V. Henning, Baulkham Hills, NSW

Arundel might be just your cup of tea. Located to the west of Brighton, tucked into the southern rump of South Downs National Park, Arundel has fine walks close at hand including along the South Downs Way as well as easy strolls along the Arun River. You’re also within easy reach of Brighton and Bognor Regis by public transport, and right on your doorstep, a castle, pubs galore and a choice of self-catering, B&Bs or hotels. The Arundel Valley train line takes you on a one-hour journey through postcard English scenery, with plenty of reasons to stop at Horsham and Amberley. You’ll magnify your options many times over if you have a vehicle. Travel time to Arundel from Gatwick Airport is 45 minutes by train.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances

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