Emergency numbers in Germany: the complete card
Who to call when: 112 medical/fire, 110 police, 116117 out-of-hours doctor, poison control, pharmacy night service, dentist emergencies and English support.
Last updated: July 13, 2026
What are the emergency numbers in Germany?
112 for life-threatening emergencies (ambulance, fire) - free, works from any phone, English-capable dispatchers. 110 for police emergencies. 116117 for urgent-but-not-emergency medical care outside office hours, including home visits. Poison control runs per-state numbers; pharmacies post their night-service rotation on every door.
What this guide covers
The full card (print/save version)
| Number | For | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | Ambulance, fire, life danger | EU-wide, location-transmitting, English works |
| 110 | Police emergency | Crimes in progress, danger |
| 116117 | Ärztlicher Bereitschaftsdienst | Nights/weekends: fever, infections, "should someone see this today?" - dispatches doctors' visits, runs urgent-care Portalpraxen |
| Poison control | per-state (Berlin 030-19240, ...) ⚠️ full table at build | 24/7, child-dose questions welcome |
| Apotheken-Notdienst | aponet.de / door notices | The rotating night pharmacy |
| Dental emergency | per-city Zahnärztlicher Notdienst ⚠️ table | Weekend abscess protocol |
| 115 | Non-emergency government questions | The Amt hotline |
| Sperr-Notruf 116116 | Blocked cards (bank/ID theft) | One number kills all cards |
| Violence against women 116016 / Telefonseelsorge 0800-1110111 | Crisis lines | Multilingual support |
Using 112 well
State: WHERE (address, floor - the dispatcher's first need), WHAT, HOW MANY affected, answer their questions (they dispatch DURING the call), don't hang up first. German callers learn "Wo-Was-Wie viele-Warten" - the W-Fragen protocol. Ambulance costs: GKV covers emergency transport minus €10; the "is this 112-worthy?" hesitation kills - when in doubt for chest pain/stroke signs/breathing, CALL.
The in-between cases (expat confusion zone)
Sick child at 22:00: 116117 (or the Kindernotdienst clinics in big cities ⚠️ list at build). Cut needing stitches: Notaufnahme or 116117's Portalpraxis. Psychiatric crisis: 112 for acute danger, the Sozialpsychiatrischer Dienst daytime ⚠️ per-city. Locked out: a Schlüsseldienst (€80-150 daytime is FAIR, €400 at 3am is the scam - agree price BEFORE they drill; the consumer-protection classic).
Frequently asked questions
Will 112 really cope with English?
Dispatch centers handle English routinely; state your language need first sentence ("English please - emergency at...").
ER vs 116117 wrong choice - punished?
Never for good-faith emergencies; the Notaufnahme's 6-hour wait IS the triage verdict for the ambulatory.
Do I pay for police calls?
No; misuse (prank/false report) is prosecuted - the German literalism applies.
The Warntag sirens/alerts?
Nationwide test days (phones scream via Cell Broadcast) - not the apocalypse, calendar-checkable.
Related guides
Keep going: these guides continue where this one ends.
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