Emergency Numbers in the Nordics: What to Dial in Denmark, Sweden, Norway & Finland

If there is an emergency anywhere in Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Finland, the number to call is 112. It reaches police, ambulance and fire services, it is free from any phone, and the operators speak English. You can dial it even if your phone is locked, has no SIM card, or has run out of credit — so it is the one number every traveller and new arrival should memorise before doing anything else.

That single number covers the genuine emergencies: a serious accident, a fire, a crime in progress, someone unconscious or struggling to breathe. But the Nordics also run a separate layer of non-emergency lines for things that are urgent but not life-threatening — a high fever at midnight, a stolen wallet, a sprained ankle. Calling the right one keeps 112 clear for people in real danger and usually gets you better, faster help.

112: the one number to remember

112 is the common European emergency number, and all four Nordic countries use it. When you call, an operator answers, asks where you are and what has happened, and dispatches the right service. A few things worth knowing:

• It is completely free and never appears on your bill.
• It works on any network in range, even one you have no contract with, and even with no SIM at all.
• Operators speak English and are trained to lead the conversation — let them ask the questions.
• Do not hang up until the operator tells you to. They may keep you on the line to guide you.

One important per-country detail: in Norway, the three emergency services have their own direct numbers — 110 for fire, 112 for police and 113 for ambulance. You can still call 112 in Norway and you will be helped, but if you already know you need an ambulance, dialling 113 directly reaches the medical dispatcher fastest. In Denmark, Sweden and Finland, 112 is the single number for all three services.

Non-emergency: police and medical helplines per country

For situations that are not emergencies, each country has its own lines. Use these instead of 112.

Denmark. For non-urgent police matters — reporting a theft that has already happened, general questions — call the police on 114. For medical advice when you are ill but it is not an emergency, Copenhagen and the Capital Region use 1813 (available in English and Danish); other regions have their own out-of-hours medical service number, which your municipality or the borger.dk portal can confirm. Use 1813 before turning up at an emergency department — in the Copenhagen area you are generally expected to call first.

Sweden. Non-urgent police matters go to 114 14. For health advice, call 1177 — the national healthcare information line staffed by nurses, also available as the 1177 app and website. They will advise you on what to do and where to go.

Norway. The police non-emergency number is 02800. For out-of-hours medical help when your regular doctor (fastlege) is closed, call 116 117, which routes you to the nearest legevakt (urgent-care centre) — for things like a suspected broken bone, a cut needing stitches, or a child with a high fever.

Finland. For non-emergency situations you contact your local police; reporting can also be started online via poliisi.fi. For sudden but non-critical health problems, the Medical Helpline 116 117 gives advice and directs you to the right out-of-hours service (available everywhere except Åland).

Pharmacies when you just need medicine

For minor problems — a cold, an allergy flare-up, a small wound — a pharmacy is often all you need, and Nordic pharmacists are well trained to advise. Look for apotek (Denmark, Sweden, Norway) or apteekki (Finland). Most close in the evening, but every region keeps at least one duty pharmacy open late or around the clock; the helplines above, or a quick search for "vagtapotek" / "jouren apotek", will point you to the nearest one.

What to do if you lose your passport

Losing your passport is stressful but the process is the same across all four countries:

1. Report it to the local police as soon as you can, and ask for a copy of the report. You will need that document for both your replacement passport and any insurance claim.
2. Contact your own country's embassy or consulate. They will cancel the lost passport and issue a replacement or an emergency travel document to get you home.
3. If your country has no embassy in that Nordic country, an embassy of another EU member state can usually help with an emergency travel document.

Keep a photo or scan of your passport in your phone or cloud storage before you travel — it makes replacement far quicker.

Why travel and medical insurance matters

Nordic public healthcare is excellent, but it is not automatically free for visitors. If you are from the EU/EEA and carry a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), you can access medically necessary state healthcare on the same terms as locals while temporarily in the country. If you are travelling from outside the EU/EEA, or you do not hold an EHIC, you have no such cover — and a single ambulance ride, hospital stay, or medical flight home can run into the thousands.

Even with an EHIC, the card does not cover private treatment, repatriation, or lost belongings — which is exactly why a dedicated travel or medical insurance policy matters. For long-stay travellers, digital nomads and new arrivals waiting on local coverage, a flexible plan such as SafetyWing is built for exactly this gap, covering you across all the Nordic countries while you sort out residency and a personal number.

Common mistakes and what to watch

• Calling 112 for non-emergencies. A blocked toilet, a parking question, or a mild cold is not a 112 call. Use the police or medical helpline — it keeps the line free for genuine emergencies and gets you the right help.
• Assuming healthcare is free because you are in the Nordics. Without an EHIC or insurance, you pay — sometimes a lot.
• Hanging up too soon. The 112 operator may need you on the line to dispatch help or talk you through what to do.
• Not knowing your exact location. Operators ask where you are first. Note the street, building, or nearest landmark — and if you are outdoors or hiking, a map pin or coordinates from your phone helps enormously.
• In Norway, defaulting to 112 for a medical emergency. It works, but 113 reaches the ambulance dispatcher directly and faster.

Your next step

Save 112 in your phone now, add your country's embassy number for wherever you are staying, and note the local medical helpline (1813 in Copenhagen, 1177 in Sweden, 116 117 in Norway and Finland). If you are arriving from outside the EU/EEA without coverage, sort out a travel or medical insurance policy before you land — it is the one thing you will be glad you had if something goes wrong. For the apps that handle everything else after you arrive, see our guide to the essential apps to download when you move to the Nordics.