Emergency numbers Netherlands 2026: 112, police, ambulance and crisis lines

Table of contents

112 is the single European emergency number. One number, all three services: police, ambulance and fire brigade. Free from every phone including locked phones, foreign SIM cards and pay phones. The operator asks two questions, in this order:

1. Where are you? (Give the address or nearest landmark. If you don't know, they can locate your mobile phone.)
2. What kind of help do you need? (Say "police", "ambulance" or "fire brigade" - say all three if unsure.)

When to call 112

• Anyone is unconscious, seriously injured or having trouble breathing.
• You witness a serious crime in progress or a car accident with injuries.
• There is a fire, or you smell strong gas.
• Chest pain, symptoms of a stroke (face droop, arm weakness, speech difficulty), severe bleeding or a suspected overdose.
• Someone is in immediate danger from another person.

Key facts about 112 in the Netherlands

• Operators handle English calls. If your Dutch is limited, say "English" and they will switch.
• 112 also works across all EU/EEA countries, the UK and Switzerland with the same rules.
• If your own network has no coverage, your phone will use any available network to reach 112.
• If 112 is unreachable for network reasons, dial the regional common dispatch centre directly. Government.nl lists all regional back-up numbers.

Official source: Government.nl 112 hub.

Filing a police report (aangifte)

For non-urgent crimes you can file a report either by phone on 0900-8844, online at politie.nl (for many common offences), or in person at a police station. Bring ID (passport or residence permit). Most stations in the Randstad handle English; smaller stations may need to arrange a translator. Insurers usually require a signed aangifte before they will process theft claims.

Source: politie.nl contact page.

Dutch healthcare uses your registered huisarts (GP) as the gatekeeper for most non-emergency care. During office hours you call your own GP. Outside those hours, evenings, nights and weekends, you call your regional huisartsenpost (GP after-hours post). Every part of the Netherlands has one.

How to find your local huisartsenpost

• Search "huisartsenpost" + your city or postcode.
• Your registered GP's answering machine or website usually lists the after-hours number.
• In Amsterdam: multiple posts across the city, coordinated by huisartsenposten Amsterdam.
• In Rotterdam: Rijnmond has a single main after-hours line.

When to skip the GP and call 112

• Chest pain lasting more than a few minutes.
• Stroke symptoms (face droop, arm weakness, slurred speech).
• Severe uncontrolled bleeding.
• Breathing difficulty or choking that does not resolve.
• Unconscious or unresponsive person.
• Suspected overdose or serious poisoning.
• Serious head injury or high-impact accident.

For anything else - high fever, a broken finger, worrying but stable symptoms - call the huisartsenpost first. They triage and either advise you over the phone, book you in that evening, or send an ambulance if warranted. See our Dutch healthcare in practice guide for the full care pathway.

113 Zelfmoordpreventie is the Dutch national suicide prevention helpline. Free, anonymous, 24/7. Call 113 or chat online at 113.nl. Both the phone line and the chat are staffed by trained volunteers and mental health professionals.

• The 113 phone number only works from within the Netherlands for technical reasons.
• Chat is available worldwide via 113.nl.
• Anonymous: they do not ask for your name.
• If someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others, call 112 instead - they will dispatch a GGZ crisis team.

For ongoing mental health care and English-speaking therapy, see our online therapy in the Netherlands guide and our burnout prevention guide.

Official source: 113.nl English page.

Veilig Thuis (Safe at Home) is the national advice and reporting point for domestic violence, child abuse and elder abuse. Free national line 0800-2000, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call anonymously.

Call Veilig Thuis if

• You are being abused or feel unsafe at home.
• You suspect a neighbour, family member or friend is being abused.
• You are worried about a child's safety.
• You are unsure whether something counts as abuse and want to talk it through.
• You are worried an older relative is being neglected or exploited.

Veilig Thuis is not for situations of immediate danger. If violence is happening right now, call 112. Official source: Veilig Thuis English page.

The Nationaal Vergiftigingen Informatie Centrum (NVIC) at UMC Utrecht is the 24/7 national poison control hotline. Number: +31 88 755 8000. Website: vergiftigingen.info.

Call NVIC if:

• Someone has swallowed a household chemical, medicine or unknown substance.
• A child has ingested something you are not sure about.
• Someone was exposed to fumes, chemicals or plant toxins.
• Suspected overdose where the person is still conscious.

For unconscious people, seizures, or serious breathing problems, call 112 first, then NVIC. NVIC advises callers on whether emergency care is needed and what to do until help arrives.

Pets: for animal poisoning, call your vet or the emergency vet line. See our vet costs guide for finding an emergency vet.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impediment, you cannot call 112 by voice. The Netherlands provides two accessible routes.

112NL app

Free official app for iOS and Android. Lets you send a location-tagged alert to 112 without speaking. Download and register in advance - you cannot register during an emergency.

Tolkcontact mediation service

• Written 112 contact: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You explain the situation in writing and Tolkcontact forwards to 112 immediately.
• Dutch Sign Language interpreter for 112: 7 days a week, 07:00 to 20:00.

Register with Tolkcontact ahead of time via their website. Both routes are free. Official source: Government.nl 112 accessibility page.

Frequently asked questions

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