Italy
Health & Medical Emergencies
Last verified August 15, 2026
Written for U.S. passport holders
Emergency Numbers
- Dial 112 for ambulance, police, or fire, the EU-wide number, which works throughout Italy and routes to the right service. 118 is the older, still-commonly-used direct line specifically for ambulance and medical coordination.
- Operators generally answer in Italian and English, with English support especially reliable in major cities and tourist areas.
- For U.S. consular emergency assistance (a detained or hospitalized American, coordinating care, notifying family), call the State Department's Overseas Citizens Services from anywhere in the world: +1-888-407-4747 (from the U.S. or Canada) or +1-202-501-4444 (from overseas). This is separate from the local emergency number and won't dispatch an ambulance itself, but it's the number that gets the U.S. government involved.
Getting Treated as a Foreigner
- As with the rest of the EU, the reciprocal free-care system covering EU nationals doesn't extend to U.S. citizens. Expect a bill for hospital treatment and plan to handle it through your own travel insurance.
The Gotcha
112 and 118 both work for a medical emergency in Italy, and you'll see both numbers referenced depending on the source, 112 as the newer EU-wide standard, 118 as the older, still-active dedicated ambulance line. Either one gets you help, so don't waste time deciding between them if you can only remember one.
Sources
This page was drafted from the primary sources below. Rules change, so check the linked page directly before relying on any of this.
- Medical Emergencies while in Italy (U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Italy)
- Help Abroad (Overseas Citizens Services) (U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs)