China Emergency Numbers for Tourists 2026

Short answer

Save these four numbers before you land

These national emergency numbers are free to call and work from any phone with signal. Operators primarily speak Mandarin — Shanghai's 110 line is reported to offer service in eight foreign languages including English; elsewhere, a translation app or help from a Chinese speaker (your hotel front desk works well) bridges the gap.

110

Police

Crime, theft, immediate danger

119

Fire

Fire emergencies

120

Ambulance / first aid

Medical emergencies

122

Traffic police

Traffic accidents

See all six numbers and when to use them →

What to say when you call — and who actually answers

Operators are primarily Mandarin-speaking. Shanghai's 110 line is a reported exception, offering service in eight foreign languages including English; in most other cities, plan on a translation app or a bystander/hotel front desk to help bridge the language gap.

✓Give your location first — your hotel or accommodation's name and address in Chinese characters (a screenshot from your booking app works well) is usually the first thing an operator needs.
✓State what's wrong in a few plain words — "accident," "fire," "someone is hurt" — before adding detail.
✓Stay on the line if you can. If your Chinese is limited, a translation app or anyone nearby who speaks English can help relay details.
✓These are voice calls, not app messages — generally, any phone with signal can dial them, including a foreign phone on international roaming; you don't generally need a local SIM registered just to make the call.

You don't need a local SIM registered to make the call

These are voice calls, not app messages — a phone with signal, including a foreign phone on international roaming, can generally reach 110, 119, 120, and 122 without any extra setup.

China's emergency and service numbers at a glance

Situation	Free to call?	Number	Notes
Police	Yes — free	110	Crime, theft, immediate danger
Fire	Yes — free	119	Fire emergencies
Ambulance / first aid	Yes — free	120	Medical emergencies
Traffic police	Yes — free	122	Traffic accidents
City service hotline (non-emergency)	Yes — free	12345	Available in major cities; foreign-language support varies by city
National Immigration Administration	Yes — free	12367	Visa and entry questions; English service widely reported

Beyond the emergency numbers: who else can help

Non-emergency

City service hotline — 12345

Available in major cities for non-emergency civic issues — a complaint, a lost item, general questions that don't need police or an ambulance. Foreign-language support is reported to vary by city.

Visa & entry

Immigration hotline — 12367

The National Immigration Administration service line for visa and entry questions. English-language service is widely reported here.

Lost passport / arrest

Your embassy or consulate

The backstop for a lost passport or an arrest — not for medical emergencies. Find and bookmark your own country's China embassy page before you fly; we don't list specific numbers because they vary by nationality and city.

Medical costs

Travel insurance

Ambulance transport and hospital care in mainland China are paid services. Insurance is the practical way to plan for that cost before you need it, not something to work out mid-emergency.

Which contact do I need?

Danger, injury, crime, fire → 110 / 119 / 120 / 122
Annoying but not urgent → 12345 city hotline
Lost passport or arrest → your embassy or consulate

Quick compare: who to contact for what

110 / 119 / 120 / 122 — genuine emergenciesFree, immediate

12345 — non-emergency city hotlineLanguage support varies

12367 — visa & entry questionsEnglish widely reported

Embassy/consulate — lost passport, arrestBookmark before you fly

Travel insurance — medical costsSet up before you fly

Common mistakes travelers make with emergency numbers in China

Calling the embassy first for a medical emergency

Embassies generally cannot dispatch an ambulance or provide medical care. Call 120 (ambulance) or 110 (police) first — contact your embassy afterward if you still need consular help.

Not knowing your address in Chinese

Save your hotel or accommodation's name and address in Chinese characters before you need it — describing your location in English can slow down help considerably.

Assuming English-speaking operators everywhere

Operators are primarily Mandarin-speaking. Shanghai's 110 line is a reported exception offering service in eight foreign languages including English — elsewhere, plan on a translation app or local help.

Leaving insurance details buried in an email you can't access offline

Save your policy number and your insurer's emergency line somewhere reachable without data — a photo in your camera roll or a notes app works well.

Full pre-departure checklist →China arrival card guide →China travel insurance guide →

Save this before you need it

1Save your hotel or accommodation's name and address in Chinese characters in your phone — a screenshot from your booking app works well and is usually the first thing an operator asks for.
2Add your travel insurance policy number and its emergency helpline to your phone's notes app or lock screen in case of a medical emergency.
3Confirm your phone can make calls in China even without a local SIM — voice calls to these numbers generally work with signal, roaming included; check with your carrier if you're unsure.
4Bookmark your embassy or consulate's China contact page as the backstop for a lost passport or an arrest, not for medical emergencies.
5Know the difference between 110 (police), 120 (ambulance), and 12345 (non-emergency city hotline) so you call the right one first.
6If you don't speak Chinese, keep a translation app installed and ready, or ask your hotel front desk to make the call on your behalf.

Sources · Last checked: 2026-07-10

Sources

China travel advice — health— UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)· Reviewed 2026-07-10
Emergency Numbers— Beijing Municipal Government (english.beijing.gov.cn)· Reviewed 2026-07-10
What to do in an emergency— Shanghai Municipal Government (english.shanghai.gov.cn)· Reviewed 2026-07-10

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

No — some countries have a single combined emergency number, but China doesn't. Call 110 for police (crime, immediate danger) or 120 for ambulance/first aid (medical emergencies). 119 covers fire, and 122 covers traffic accidents.

Generally, no — operators are primarily Mandarin-speaking. Shanghai's 110 line is a reported exception, offering service in eight foreign languages including English. In other cities, a translation app or help from a Chinese speaker (your hotel front desk works well) can bridge the gap.

Generally yes — these are voice calls, and any phone with signal, including on international roaming, can typically reach them. You don't generally need a local SIM registered just to make the call, though signal and carrier settings can vary, so it's worth a quick check before you travel.

Yes — China's national emergency numbers are described as free to call.

Use 12345, the city service hotline available in major cities for non-emergency civic issues. Foreign-language support is reported to vary by city.

Call 12367, the National Immigration Administration service hotline. English-language service is widely reported for this line.

Bringing your ID and your travel insurance details is a practical habit worth adopting, since hospitals generally ask for identification and payment or insurance information. We can't state a specific universal rule here — check with your insurer and keep your documents reachable, ideally offline as well as on your phone.