Safety and emergency numbers in Austria

Austria is a calm place to live, and the US State Department rates it at Level 1, its lowest advisory level, exercise normal caution. That does not mean you can skip learning the emergency system. Austria uses several three-digit numbers rather than one, tests a nationwide siren network every year, and sends disaster warnings straight to mobile phones. This guide collects what Americans need to know, using the federal portal oesterreich.gv.at, the Ministry of the Interior and the US Embassy in Vienna.

Emergency numbers

The United States has 911. Austria has a set of numbers, each for a different service, plus the European number that works everywhere in the EU.

| Service | Number | |---|---| | Single European emergency number | 112 | | Fire service | 122 | | Gas emergency | 128 | | Police | 133 | | Mountain rescue | 140 | | Emergency doctor | 141 | | Crisis hotline | 142 | | Ambulance | 144 | | Emergency service for children and young people | 147 | | Poison center | 01 406 43 43 |

According to the federal portal, these numbers are free from any phone in Austria, and 112 works from any EU country. You can call 112 even from a locked mobile phone without entering a PIN.

If you remember only one number, make it 112. If you know which service you need, the direct numbers 133 for police, 144 for ambulance and 122 for fire are the ones Austrians use.

### Deaf and hard-of-hearing callers

The DEC112 app lets deaf and hard-of-hearing people chat by text with an emergency call center, and it sends their location automatically. They can also contact the police by fax or text message at 0800 133 133. In cases of domestic violence where a voice or text call is impossible, the app can send a silent emergency call to the police, provided your address is saved in the app or entered in the chat.

Non-emergency help

Not every medical problem needs an ambulance. Austria has a health hotline, 1450, for advice when you are unwell and unsure where to go. The same number connects to pharmacy services in the federal list.

Other useful lines from the federal portal:

• 116 117 for non-emergency medical assistance;
• 116 006, the helpline for crime victims;
• 116 123, the emotional support helpline;
• 116 000, the hotline for missing children.

If your car breaks down, the motoring clubs answer on 120 (ÖAMTC) and 123 (ARBÖ).

Sirens and what they mean

Austria has a joint federal and provincial warning system. According to the federal portal, more than 8,300 sirens are available. The Ministry of the Interior reported that 8,399 sirens were tested in the 2026 nationwide drill, and 99.33 percent worked properly.

### The three civil protection signals

| Signal | Sound | What to do | |---|---|---| | Warning | Steady tone for three minutes | Turn on ORF radio or TV, or check orf.at, and follow instructions | | Alarm | Rising and falling tone for one minute | Go to a protected area or room and follow instructions broadcast on ORF | | All clear | Steady tone for one minute | Follow further instructions on ORF |

### Tests that are not warnings

Two sounds can startle newcomers:

1. The annual drill. Every year, on the first Saturday in October between noon and 1 p.m., Austria runs a nationwide civil protection drill. All three signals sound, after a short test tone. It is not a sign of danger. In 2026, the drill took place on October 3.
2. The fire brigade signal. Three blasts of 15 seconds each call out the volunteer fire brigade. It is not a public warning. Outside Vienna, a siren test also sounds every Saturday at noon.

AT-Alert on your phone

Since the EU required member states to set up cell broadcast warning systems, Austria has added AT-Alert. The Ministry of the Interior explains how it works:

• Authorities send warnings directly to all mobile phones in the affected area through cell broadcast. No registration or app is needed, and no personal data such as your phone number is used.
• Messages are sent in German and English.
• The nine provincial warning centers and the Ministry of the Interior can trigger alerts.
• Examples include severe storms, extreme rain and flood risk, extreme snowfall, very high avalanche danger, extreme forest fire risk, and chemical or radiological accidents.
• The highest level, the emergency alarm, is always on, cannot be switched off, and sounds loudly even if your phone is on silent.

To receive alerts, your phone needs a current operating system: Android from version 11, or iOS from version 17.4. If you brought an older US phone, check whether it qualifies.

AT-Alert supplements the sirens rather than replacing them.

The US Embassy in an emergency

For serious consular emergencies only, the US Embassy in Vienna asks US citizens to call +43 1 31339 0, press 7 and ask for American Citizen Services. In the rare case that number is unavailable, call the US Embassy in Berlin at +49 308-3050 for help reaching the Vienna team. For non-emergency requests, email [email protected].

The embassy's American Citizen Services covers, among others:

• arrests of US citizens;
• deaths of US citizens;
• emergency financial assistance;
• victims of crime;
• international parental child abduction;
• emergency passports, when a passport is lost or stolen and you have immediate travel plans.

### Lost or stolen passport

If your passport was lost, stolen or has expired and you have immediate travel plans, the embassy may be able to issue a temporary emergency passport. It says this can take from one to several days, depending on the complexity of the case and the supporting documents available. Passport appointments at the consular section must be booked in advance. Keeping a scan of your passport's data page in secure cloud storage makes it much easier to deal with a lost passport, and the embassy's emergency line is reserved for genuine emergencies such as an arrest, a death or a serious accident, so routine questions go by email.

### Enroll in STEP

The embassy encourages Americans to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, STEP, to receive safety and security alerts and local updates. For residents, it is the easiest way to hear from the embassy during a crisis.

On the road

Many emergencies involve cars. Austria's general limit for drivers is below 0.5 per mille of alcohol in the blood, and a breath reading of 0.25 mg/l corresponds to that limit. Drivers who exceed it face an administrative fine and, depending on the level, an entry on their license record or loss of the license. In winter, from November 1 to April 15, cars may only be driven on snow, slush or ice with winter tires on all wheels. For a breakdown, call 120 or 123; for an accident with injuries, call 144 or 112.

A one-time setup

1. Save 112, 133, 144, 122 and 1450 in your phone.
2. Save the US Embassy emergency number.
3. Enroll in STEP.
4. Check that your phone can receive AT-Alert.
5. Put the first Saturday in October in your calendar so the siren drill does not alarm you.

Common questions

What is the emergency number in Austria? 112 works everywhere and is free, even from a locked phone. The direct numbers are 133 for police, 144 for ambulance and 122 for fire.

What is 1450 in Austria? The health hotline, for advice when you are unwell and unsure whether you need a doctor, pharmacy or hospital.

Why do sirens sound in Austria on a Saturday in October? Austria holds a nationwide civil protection drill on the first Saturday in October between noon and 1 p.m. It is not a warning.

How do I reach the US Embassy in Vienna in an emergency? Call +43 1 31339 0, press 7 and ask for American Citizen Services. For non-emergencies, email [email protected].