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In a medical emergency in Turkey, call 112. It is the single emergency number for ambulance, police and fire, and works from any phone. Give the exact address first, say what happened, follow the operator's instructions and send someone to meet the ambulance. Then bring the patient's passport, medicines and insurance details to hospital.
The signs that skip every other step
Some situations need an ambulance immediately, without phoning anyone else first:
- Chest pain or pressure, especially spreading to the arm, jaw or back
- Difficulty breathing, choking or blue lips
- Signs of a stroke: a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech
- Collapse, unconsciousness or a seizure
- A severe allergic reaction with swelling of the face, lips or throat
- Heavy bleeding or a serious injury, including a fall from height or a road accident
- Sudden severe pain, confusion or extreme drowsiness
What happens when you dial 112
A trained operator answers and asks questions to send the right help. Some operators speak English, but not always, so keep sentences short and simple.
Say clearly:
- "Ambulans lazım" (I need an ambulance), then switch to English if needed
- The address, as precisely as you can
- What happened and what you can see: "not breathing", "chest pain", "bleeding"
- The patient's approximate age
Stay on the line. The operator may give instructions, such as how to position the person or start chest compressions. Follow them until help arrives. If a Turkish speaker is nearby, such as hotel staff, a neighbour or a shop owner, ask them to talk to the operator.
The address is the real bottleneck
Ambulance crews lose the most time looking for the right door. Have the address ready before you need it:
- Hotel or building name
- Street name (sokak or cadde) and building number
- Neighbourhood (mahalle) and district (ilçe), for example Fatih, Beyoğlu or Beşiktaş
- Flat or room number and floor
- A nearby landmark, mosque or tram stop
Save your accommodation's address in your phone on day one. On a mobile phone you can also share your live location with a companion who is on the line.
If you are the companion
Your job is to make the ambulance's arrival as fast as possible and to keep the patient safe.
- Unlock the door and turn on the lights.
- Tell reception or the host immediately; hotels can hold the lift and guide the crew.
- Send one person to the street or lobby to meet the ambulance.
- Collect the patient's passport, phone, medicines and a list of allergies and conditions.
- Do not give food or drink unless the operator says so.
At the hospital, international patient staff or an interpreter may help in private hospitals; in public hospitals a translation app is useful. Our guide to private and public hospitals for tourists explains the differences.
Going yourself instead of waiting
If the situation is serious but not life-threatening, for example a possible broken wrist, a taxi to the nearest hospital emergency department (look for Acil) may be quicker than an ambulance. Never drive yourself or let the patient walk if they are faint, confused or in severe pain; call 112 instead.
For problems that are urgent but not emergencies, such as a high fever or vomiting, an urgent doctor visit at your hotel is often more practical than a hospital queue.
While you wait for the ambulance
The minutes before help arrives feel long. Follow the operator's instructions first; in general:
- Unconscious but breathing: turn the person on their side, with the head tilted back slightly to keep the airway open, and stay with them.
- Not breathing normally: start chest compressions if the operator tells you to, pressing hard and fast in the centre of the chest, and keep going until help arrives or the operator says stop.
- Heavy bleeding: press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth and keep pressing.
- Severe allergic reaction: use the person's adrenaline auto-injector if they have one, as the device instructs.
- Seizure: move hard objects away, cushion the head and do not put anything in the mouth.
Keep the person warm and calm, and note the time symptoms started; the ambulance team will ask.
Preparing on day one
A few minutes after check-in can save precious time later. Save the full address in Turkish in your phone and take a photo of the hotel card. Note your insurer's assistance number and your policy number. Keep a short medical note for each traveller with conditions, medicines and allergies, and tell your companions where it is. If anyone in your group has a serious allergy, asthma or a heart condition, make sure everyone knows where their medicines are kept.
Useful emergency words
- Yardım edin! Help!
- Ambulans çağırın: call an ambulance
- Nefes alamıyor: he or she cannot breathe
- Bayıldı: he or she has fainted
- Kalp krizi: heart attack
- Kanama: bleeding
Emergencies away from your accommodation
If something happens on a tour, a ferry or in a restaurant, staff are usually the fastest help: they know the exact address and can speak to the operator in Turkish. On a ferry or at a museum, tell a crew member or guard at once; they have procedures for calling help and guiding the ambulance to the right entrance. In the street, look for a shop or pharmacy and ask them to call 112 while you stay with the patient. Note a landmark, the street name and the nearest tram or metro stop, and share your live location with a companion if you can.
If you are on your own and become unwell, call 112 first, then message a friend or family member with your location. Unlock the door if it is safe to do so, so the crew can reach you.
What to bring and what to do afterwards
What to bring to hospital:
- Passport or ID
- Travel insurance details and the assistance number
- Medicines in their packaging, plus a list of allergies and conditions
- Phone, charger, some cash and a card
Afterwards:
- Call your travel insurer's assistance line as soon as you can; many insurers want to know about hospital admissions early. Remember the EHIC and GHIC are not valid in Türkiye.
- Ask for the discharge summary, test results and an itemised invoice; see travel insurance documents after a doctor visit.
- For a serious illness, injury or death, your country's embassy or consulate can help with contacting family and practical arrangements.
Related Services
- Urgent Doctor Visit — same-day care for urgent problems that are not emergencies.
- Hotel Doctor in Istanbul — an examination at your hotel, Airbnb or residence.
- Post-Treatment Care — nursing support after hospital discharge.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the emergency number in Turkey?
- The number is 112. It covers ambulance, police and fire, and works from any phone.
- Do 112 operators speak English?
- Some do, but not always. Keep sentences short, say "Ambulans lazım" and ask a Turkish speaker nearby to help if possible.
- Will I have to pay for an ambulance or emergency care in Turkey?
- Payment depends on the hospital and your insurance. The EHIC and GHIC are not valid in Türkiye, so contact your travel insurer as soon as you can. Never delay emergency care because of cost.
- Can a hotel doctor help in an emergency?
- No. Life-threatening emergencies need 112. A hotel doctor is for urgent problems that are not emergencies.
If you need help after an emergency, such as follow-up care at your accommodation, send a WhatsApp message with your situation and where you are staying.