Ground ambulance transfers
Most medical repatriations begin and end on the road: from the hospital to the airport, then from the airport to the receiving hospital. Ground ambulances link the flight to both hospitals, and some shorter journeys between neighbouring countries can be made entirely by road.
[Service to be confirmed by the company]
Three kinds of ground transfer
Hospital to airport
The patient is collected from the ward with their medical file and medicines, and taken to the airport at the time agreed with the airline or the air ambulance crew.
Airport to hospital
At arrival, an ambulance waits for the patient and takes them straight to the receiving ward, where a bed has been confirmed.
Road transfer between countries
For some shorter journeys between neighbouring countries, the whole transfer may be made by road. Each request is assessed case by case.
Authorised ambulance services
Ambulance services must be authorised by the health authorities of the country where they operate, and the rules differ from one country to another. Two examples show what this means in practice.
- France. Any company carrying out patient transport must first be approved by the director general of the regional health agency (ARS). An ambulance carries one patient lying down, while a light medical vehicle (VSL) carries up to three seated patients. An ambulance crew has two members, at least one of whom holds the state ambulance diploma (diplôme d’État d’ambulancier), as the practical guide of the ARS Grand Est explains. Vehicles undergo an annual technical inspection, and a cleaning and disinfection protocol is applied between transports.
- Spain. Patient transport by road requires an administrative authorisation, with a technical and health certification for each vehicle used. Under the royal decree on road ambulances, a basic life support ambulance has a driver and an assistant who both hold the emergency medical technician qualification (técnico en emergencias sanitarias). An advanced life support ambulance has a qualified driver and a nurse, plus a doctor when the care requires it.
The ambulances used for our transfers are [to be confirmed by the company: own vehicles or partner ambulance services].
Care during the drive
The ambulance crew drives and handles the stretcher. In a bed-to-bed transfer, the doctor or nurse who will fly with the patient also travels in the ambulance, so that monitoring continues without a break between the ward, the aircraft and the receiving hospital.
The vehicle and equipment are chosen according to the patient’s condition, the distance and the waiting time that may occur at the airport. Access to the aircraft is arranged in advance with the airport, the airline or the air ambulance operator.
Road transfers between neighbouring countries
For some journeys between nearby countries, an ambulance can take the patient from one hospital to the other without a flight. Whether this is reasonable depends on the distance and duration, the patient’s condition, the stops needed on the way, the border formalities and the rules that apply to ambulances in each country crossed.
Our medical team assesses each request with the treating doctor. On a long route, a flight with an ambulance at each end may be shorter and less tiring for the patient: see air ambulance and stretcher on a scheduled flight. [Countries between which the company organises road transfers.]
Cost
When the transfer is part of a repatriation, the ground ambulances at both ends appear in the same quote as the flight. For a road-only transfer, the price depends mainly on the distance, the time needed, the crew and the medical team on board. Our page on medical repatriation costs explains how a quote is built, and how it works describes each step.
Important
This page gives general information only and does not replace the advice of the treating doctor, who decides with our medical team how the patient can travel. In an emergency, do not wait for a transfer to be organised: call the local emergency number (112 in the European Union).
Questions about ground ambulances
Is an ambulance always necessary?
No. A patient who can sit and needs little care may travel by other means, for example a light medical vehicle (VSL) in France. The medical assessment decides.
Can the ambulance drive up to the aircraft?
It depends on the airport. Access to the aircraft is arranged in advance with the airport and the airline or the air ambulance operator, and the procedure is part of the planning.
Can a relative travel in the ambulance?
It depends on the space available and on the rules of the ambulance service. Tell us when you make your request so that we can plan for it.
Do you also arrange ambulances outside Europe?
Ground ambulances are part of every transport we organise, at departure and on arrival, including in Africa. Wherever the patient is, the ambulance service must be authorised by the local health authorities.
A ground transfer to arrange?
Tell us where the patient is, where they need to go and how they can travel: seated, lying down or under close monitoring. We reply with a written quote.