Switzerland uses the pan-European emergency number 112 (works nationwide, including for foreign SIM cards) alongside dedicated national numbers: 144 for ambulance, 117 for police, and 118 for fire. A separate poison information hotline (145, Tox Info Suisse) and medical advice/on-call doctor lines organized cantonally round out the system; ambulance transport is not free and is billed to the patient's insurance with a co-payment.
Knowing 144 is the direct ambulance number (rather than only the generic 112) gets a faster, more targeted response, and understanding that ambulance rides are billed (not free even with basic insurance) avoids a surprise bill after an emergency.
Key Facts
112: pan-European general emergency number, works nationwide and from any phone including foreign SIMs.
144: ambulance/emergency medical services (Sanitatsnotruf/urgences sanitaires) — the direct number for medical emergencies.
117: police emergency.
118: fire brigade emergency.
145: Tox Info Suisse, the national poisoning emergency hotline.
Ambulance transport is billed to the patient (partially covered by basic insurance after deductible/coinsurance) — it is not a free service.
Steps
Save key numbers on arrival — Store 144 (ambulance), 117 (police), 118 (fire), and 145 (poison) in your phone.
Know your canton's on-call doctor line — Most cantons run a non-emergency medical advice/on-call doctor phone line for after-hours issues that don't need an ambulance.
Carry insurance card — Present your basic insurance card at any hospital or ambulance encounter for billing purposes.
Costs
Ambulance transport: Billed to patient; partially covered by basic insurance after deductible and 10% coinsurance
Required Documents
Basic health insurance card
Passport/ID
Common Mistakes
Assuming an ambulance ride is free — it is billed and subject to the same deductible/coinsurance rules as other medical costs.
Dialing only 112 out of habit when 144 (ambulance) may connect more directly for a medical emergency.
Not knowing the cantonal on-call doctor number, leading to unnecessary emergency room visits for non-urgent after-hours issues.