Emergency numbers by country: a complete reference

The universal numbers to remember first

112 — works in every EU country and many more

112 is the official emergency number across the entire European Union, plus most of Europe, parts of Asia, and several non-EU countries. It's free, works from any phone (including no-credit and no-SIM), and reaches an operator who will route you to police, ambulance, or fire. Operators in major tourist destinations usually speak English; some smaller countries do not. If you remember nothing else, remember 112.

911 — works across North America

911 is the emergency number in the United States, Canada, and most of the Caribbean. Routes to local 911 dispatch.

119 — many parts of Asia

Japan (fire and ambulance), Sri Lanka (police), South Korea (fire and ambulance), and several other Asian countries use 119 for at least one emergency service. Always check the country-specific listing below.

000 — Australia

Australia's single emergency number for police, fire, and ambulance.

What "tourist police" means

About 25 countries operate a tourist police service — officers specifically trained for traveler issues (lost passports, scam reports, language-supported assistance). Tourist police are usually friendlier and more English-capable than regular police, but they are NOT a substitute for normal emergency response. Use them for non-life-threatening incidents.

Country reference

The table below lists police, ambulance/medical, fire, and tourist police numbers where they exist. All numbers should work from mobile phones in the country. Some countries route through a single number (e.g., 112 across EU members); others have separate numbers per service. Numbers in bold are the most common single-dial emergency number for that country.

Country	Police	Medical	Fire	Tourist police
Argentina	911	107	100	+54 11 4346 5748 (Buenos Aires)
Australia	000	000	000	—
Austria	133	144	122	112 (EU)
Belgium	101	112	112	112 (EU)
Brazil	190	192	193	DEAT (Rio): +55 21 2332 2924
Bulgaria	166	150	160	112 (EU)
Canada	911	911	911	—
China	110	120	119	12301 (national tourism complaints)
Colombia	123	123	123	+57 1 337 4413 (Bogotá tourism)
Croatia	192	194	193	112 (EU)
Czech Republic	158	155	150	112 (EU)
Denmark	112	112	112	112 (EU)
Egypt	122	123	180	126 (national tourist police)
France	17	15	18	112 (EU)
Germany	110	112	112	112 (EU)
Greece	100	166	199	171 (national tourist police)
Hungary	107	104	105	112 (EU)
India	100	102	101	1363 (national tourist helpline, 24/7)
Indonesia	110	118	113	+62 21 386 7066 (Jakarta tourism)
Ireland	112 or 999	112 or 999	112 or 999	112 (EU)
Israel	100	101	102	—
Italy	113	118	115	112 (EU)
Japan	110	119	119	050 3816 2787 (Japan Visitor Hotline, 24/7 EN/CN/KR)
Mexico	911	911	911	078 (CPTM tourist assistance, dial in MX)
Netherlands	112	112	112	112 (EU)
New Zealand	111	111	111	—
Norway	112	113	110	112
Peru	105	116	116	+51 1 574 8000 (national tourist police)
Philippines	911	911	911	151-TOUR (Tourist Assistance Call Center)
Poland	997	999	998	112 (EU)
Portugal	112	112	112	112 (EU); PSP tourist support in Lisbon
Romania	112	112	112	112 (EU)
Russia	102	103	101	112 (works from mobile)
Saudi Arabia	999	997	998	930 (Ministry of Tourism)
Singapore	999	995	995	+65 6736 6622 (STB hotline)
South Africa	10111	10177	112 (cell)	083 123 2345 (tourism crisis line)
South Korea	112	119	119	1330 (KTO tourist hotline, 24/7 multilingual)
Spain	091	061	080	112 (EU); SATE in Madrid/Barcelona
Sweden	112	112	112	112 (EU)
Switzerland	117	144	118	112
Thailand	191	1669	199	1155 (tourist police, EN/JP/KR/CN)
Turkey	155	112	110	+90 212 527 4503 (Istanbul tourist police)
UAE	999	998	997	901 (non-emergency police, EN)
United Kingdom	999	999	999	101 (non-emergency police)
United States	911	911	911	311 (non-emergency, many cities)
Vietnam	113	115	114	1800 1559 (Vietnam Tourism)

Numbers verified against country foreign-ministry pages and EU directive 2009/136/EC for 112 coverage. If you spot an error, please report it. Reviewed and last updated May 15, 2026.

What to say when you call

Most emergency dispatchers in tourist destinations speak some English. Many EU 112 dispatchers have access to translation services for major languages. To get help fast, give the information in this order, slowly and clearly:

1. Your location. Address if you have it; major intersection or landmark if not. \"I am in front of the Hotel X on Main Street, near the central train station.\"
2. What service you need. Police, ambulance, or fire. If you don't know, say what's happening: \"There has been a car accident.\"
3. What's happening, in one sentence. \"A man is having a heart attack.\" \"I have been robbed.\" \"There is a fire on the third floor.\"
4. How many people are involved or injured.
5. Your name and phone number. Stay on the line until the dispatcher says you can hang up.

If you don't speak the local language and the dispatcher doesn't speak English, say \"English\" clearly and wait. In EU countries, you'll usually be transferred to an English-speaking operator within 30 seconds. Outside the EU, ask a passing local to talk to the dispatcher for you.

When to call your embassy instead

Local emergency services handle immediate physical emergencies. Your embassy or consulate handles consular emergencies. The two are different and sometimes you need both. Call your embassy for:

• Lost or stolen passport.
• Arrest or detention by local authorities.
• Death or serious illness of a citizen abroad.
• Major crisis evacuation (war, disaster).
• Confirmation of welfare for a family member at home worried about you.
• Notarization of documents that must be filed in your home country.

Embassies generally do NOT: bail you out of jail, pay your medical bills, provide legal representation, or get you out of justified deportation. They DO: provide emergency travel documents, recommend local lawyers and doctors, contact your family, and intervene in cases of mistreatment by local authorities.

Save your country's embassy phone number for your destination before you travel. It's usually on the foreign-ministry website under \"embassies and consulates.\"

Frequently asked questions

Does my phone work for emergency calls without a SIM?

In most countries, yes. GSM phones can dial emergency numbers (112, 911) even without a SIM card, without credit, and with any unlocked carrier. The call routes through whatever network is strongest. This is standardized in EU and many other countries. Some countries' newer networks may require a SIM — check your destination's specifics if this matters.

If I call 112 in a non-EU country, will it work?

Often yes — it depends on the country. Russia, Turkey, Thailand, and many others accept 112 from mobile networks. Some redirect it to the local emergency number. If 112 doesn't work, try the country-specific number. If neither works, dial 0 and ask the operator.

What about non-emergency situations — do I still call the emergency number?

No, please don't. Tying up emergency lines for non-emergencies delays response to actual emergencies. For non-emergency police (filing a report, asking for help with directions, reporting suspicious activity that isn't currently dangerous), use the non-emergency number where listed (101 in UK, 311 in many US cities, tourist-police numbers above) or visit a police station.

Will the dispatcher locate me automatically?

In EU countries with eCall and AML (Advanced Mobile Location) infrastructure, modern smartphones automatically transmit GPS coordinates to the dispatcher. In other countries, you may need to describe your location. If you have a smartphone with map apps, you can also share your live location with the dispatcher via SMS in some countries.

What if I'm in remote area with no cell signal?

A personal locator beacon (Garmin inReach, ZOLEO, ACR ResQLink) is the right tool. These devices send SOS messages via satellite and connect to emergency-response services worldwide. For hiking, motorbiking, sailing, or any trip outside cell coverage, consider one. Roughly $200–500 device cost plus subscription.