Emergency Numbers in Turkey

Expats living in Turkey should take note of the basic emergency numbers such as “155” for police assistance, “110” fire emergency services, “158” for coast guard assistance and “112” for state ambulance services.

Upon arrival, list down the nearest hospitals and know the best routes to the hospital in case of emergency. Quality and response time of ambulance services in Turkey greatly depend on the hospital operator. It is a fact that patients may have a longer waiting time for public ambulances while a private ambulance provides a quicker response and better facilities. Note that availability of private ambulance services decreases sharply in smaller cities. If it is not life threatening, it is advisable to use private transport or taxi.

Private hospitals in Istanbul with private ambulance services are International Hospital (0212-663-3000), Istanbul Health Services (European side telephone number: 0212/247-0781 and Asian side telephone number: 0216-302-1515) and Vehbi Koc Foundation American Hospital (0212-311-2000 to 1). In Ankara, private ambulance services are available at Bayindir Hospital (0312-287-9000) and Mesa Hospital (0312-292-9900).

Air ambulance services are widely available in Turkey. Such services are offered by Doruk Air, International SOS Assistance and Medline Ambulance Service.