Who to call in the event of an emergency in Hungary

In the event of an emergency when you are in Hungary, numbers you may have memorized by heart likely won't be of use. Who to call varies depending on whether the call is from a mobile phone or land line, so to avoid feeling as helpless as the victim, or if you've just lost something precious, print out this handy list of emergency numbers.

Monika Jones

Write down these important numbers so you aren't scrambling if something goes wrong. Dr. Laszlo Pék, an emergency doctor who takes calls occasionally cautions foreigners to remember to speak slowly so Hungarians with limited English can understand.

Dial 112 for the ambulance when calling from a mobile phone. This is an emergency service line (mentők száma) and spans the continent - the number is used in all European countries including Turkey and Russia but can only be used from mobile phones.

Dial 104 for the ambulance service from a land line.

Dial 105 for the fire department from a land line.

Dial 107 for the police from a land line.

Dial 198 for directory assistance from a land line.

Dial 199 (311-1666) for the international operator.

Call 322-6613 for items lost on public transportation.

Call 188 from any phone for roadside assistance.

While emergency dispatchers at 104 will be able to route calls to the fire department or police station, it is better to call directly to prevent losing time while waiting to be transferred. All calls are toll-free.

When calling, don't be surprised if you are put on hold or transferred several times before someone can help you in English. Many dispatchers speak only limited English.

There are one or two intermediate or advanced English and German speakers working at any given time, says Dr. Laszlo Pék, an emergency doctor with the department. He helps English-speaking callers if the English-speaking dispatchers are unavailable.

Pék advises callers to speak slowly and clearly so Hungarians with intermediate English language skills can understand.

Pék says the center receives only a few calls per month from English speakers, though he estimates foreigners use the service but ask Hungarian-speaking friends to call on their behalf.

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