Emergency Numbers in Croatia: Stay Safe & Know Who to Call

Emergency contact numbers are important to have handy when you travel in Croatia or any foreign country. Hopefully you won’t need any of them, but it’s better to be prepared.

Here I will outline a complete list of the most important emergency numbers you should know for your safety!

112 - All emergencies
192 - Police department
193 - Firefighters
194 - Ambulance
195 - Search and rescue at sea
1987 - Road Assistance(HAK)
116000 - Missing child help-line

112 - All emergencies
You can call 112 for free, 24/7 from any telephone booth, mobile or landline phone in Croatia. It’s like dialing 911 in North America.

When you call this number you should tell operator what, when and where the emergency happened, are there any injuries, what the injuries are, what kind of help you need, who is calling etc.

Based on this information, the operator will connect you to police assistance, emergency medical care, firefighters, Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS), accident assistance, or search and rescue at sea.

The advantage of calling 112 is efficiency, since one call alerts several emergency services needed in a particular case. Also, operators filter out any fake calls, so they won’t occupy any emergency service landlines.

The most important thing for all visitors in Croatia is that the call can be made in English, Italian, Hungarian, Slovakian, Czech language.

In Croatia there are other specific, direct, emergency numbers you can call if you find yourself in danger:

192 - Police department
If you want to call the police directly, you can dial 192 which has been in use since 2011. The number will connect you to the nearest police station.

For all visitors or foreigners in Croatia, the following numbers could also be useful:
+ 385 1 3788 955 - Border Crossing Information - Road Border Crossings
+ 385 1 3788 384 - Border crossing information - Maritime ports and airports

195 - Search and rescue at sea

In the event of an accident or incident at sea you can call 195. This toll-free number is for the National and Central point for search and rescue offshore coordination. You can also ask for help through naval VHF radio channel 16.

If you call 195 you should tell the operator as accurately as possible where you are, provide information about the vessel in danger (name and registration number), the number of persons on board and whether there are any injured persons and what types of injuries are involved. They will also ask what kind of accident has happened (sinking vessel, fire, stranded at sea…)

1987 - Roadside Assistance(HAK)

If your car breaks down on the road in Croatia, a lifesaving number could be HAK (Croatian Auto Club). The phone number you should dial is (+385 1) 1987.

HAK is a non-profit association of auto clubs, citizens, drivers and owners of motor vehicles. At the moment, 70 auto clubs from the entire territory of Croatia have joined the Croatian Auto Club.

Their response is pretty quick, especially if your car does not break down in the middle of tourist season. If you become a member of HAK they offer plenty of advantages for drivers, too.

116000 - Missing child help-line

In the case of a child missing in Croatia as well as in any of the 28 EU member states, you can call 116000.

You can use this number to report a child missing. This service also provides guidance and support to the families of the missing children.

Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS)

If you are stuck or lose your way in the Croatian mountains, you should call the general emergency number 112. The operator will connect you with Croatian Mountain Rescue Service whose main responsibility is the prevention of accidents and rescue in the mountains and other inaccessible areas in extraordinary circumstances.

HGSS is a voluntary, professional and humanitarian association of public importance in Croatia. Throughout the years, they have bravely saved the lives of many people who have found themselves in trouble.

Safe travels!

If you’re interested in reading a few of our other posts about Croatia:

• 25 Strange Things Croatians Do (And Would Never Do)!
• Croatian Culture, Etiquette & Social Norms: A Complete Guide!
• My Kids Don't Speak English: Raising Bilinguals is Tough!
• 15 Places in Croatia You've Probably Never Heard Of!
• 50 Insanely Spectacular Photos of Croatia: Start Packing!
• Croatia’s Best 20 Beaches: Sandy, Pebbly & Hidden Gems
• Is Croatia Safe? Read Our 20 Useful Safety Tips for Tourists
• 5 Reasons Croatian Grannies are Cuter than Kittens
• 8 Reasons You Should Never Swim in the Adriatic
• Top 10 Day Trips From Zagreb, Within 1hr Drive
• Croatian Money: KN or EURO, Exchanging $, and Daily Costs
• How I Learned to Speak Croatian as an Adult (in 7 Steps)
• Driving in Croatia (A Helpful Guide With Practical Tips)
• 38 Local Tips & Mistakes to Avoid When Traveling to Croatia
• Travel to Croatia With a Toddler or Baby (From Experience!)
• Tipping in Croatia: A Complete Guide With Suggested Amounts!