Safety and emergencies in Switzerland: numbers, alerts and help

Switzerland has a reputation as a low-risk country, and day-to-day life there rarely feels unsafe. The risks that do catch newcomers out are practical ones: not knowing which number to call, underestimating mountain conditions, or falling for phishing aimed at Swiss bank customers. This guide gathers the official information a US citizen living in Switzerland should keep at hand.

The emergency numbers

Switzerland keeps separate numbers for each service, alongside the European 112. The Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM, in German BAKOM) lists the following as free of charge:

• 112: European emergency number
• 117: police
• 118: fire service
• 144: emergency medical call (ambulance)
• 145: poisons hotline (Tox Info Suisse)
• 147: helpline for children and young people
• 143: helpline for adults, charged at a maximum of CHF 0.20 per call (CHF 0.70 from a call box)

Air rescue (Rega) is reached on 1414. OFCOM lists 1414 among the breakdown and information short numbers that carry a charge, currently between CHF 0.20 and CHF 2.00 per call and/or per minute. In a life-threatening emergency, 144 or 112 will also mobilise the right service.

Save these numbers in your phone with names, not just digits. Newcomers from the US instinctively try 911, which is not a Swiss number.

Call from your mobile phone

OFCOM advises using your mobile phone first in an emergency to contact police (117), fire (118) or ambulance (144), because it makes it easier to locate you. Since July 1, 2022, emergency calls from mobile phones in Switzerland must transmit more precise caller location information than before, and the same applies to eCalls placed automatically by vehicles after an accident.

Two details matter in mountain areas:

• If your phone cannot reach its own network, it will try another mobile network for the emergency call.
• In that case the caller ID cannot be displayed to the emergency centre, and if the connection drops, a callback is not possible. Stay where you are and call again.

Alertswiss: official warnings on your phone

The Federal Office for Civil Protection runs Alertswiss, described on its site as the information hub for precautions and behaviour during disasters and emergencies in Switzerland. The Alertswiss app sends alerts, warnings and information for your current location. Alertswiss also encourages every household to write a personal emergency plan, which is useful for a family that does not yet speak the local language well.

Mountains and avalanches

The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) publishes the national avalanche bulletin. Practical points from the SLF:

• In winter the bulletin is published regularly, including a 5 pm edition.
• In summer and autumn, bulletins are issued only after heavy snowfall, and the SLF warns that the avalanche situation must still be considered after recent snow even when no bulletin is published.
• The WhiteRisk app can push unannounced summer bulletins.
• Regular publication restarts in November or December.

If you hike or ski off marked runs, read the bulletin before you go, tell someone your route, and carry a charged phone. Rega's 1414 number and 112 are the two to remember above the tree line.

Everyday crime and scams

Phishing aimed at Swiss residents is common. The Swiss Crime Prevention (SKPPSC), the joint crime prevention body of the cantonal police forces, regularly publishes warnings about fake login alerts in the name of PostFinance, fake tax refund emails and crypto wallet phishing. The rules are simple:

• Banks and the tax office do not ask for passwords or recovery phrases by email or SMS.
• Type your bank's address yourself instead of clicking a link.
• Report suspected fraud to your cantonal police.

Pickpocketing occurs in busy stations and on trains, as in any European country. Keep your passport and permit card separate from your wallet, and keep a scan of both somewhere secure.

Health emergencies and costs

An ambulance call and hospital treatment are billed, and how much you pay depends on your Swiss basic health insurance and accident cover. If you are resident, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) requires you to hold basic insurance within three months of arrival. Carry your insurance card at all times; it also shows your AHV number.

The U.S. Embassy in Bern maintains a page of medical resources for US citizens, including information on finding doctors, appointment practices and after-hours care, with the standard note that the embassy does not endorse the providers listed. Several points from that page are worth knowing before you need them:

• The embassy notes that excellent medical care is available in all larger cities and that many Swiss physicians and dentists trained in the United States.
• Most doctors in Switzerland and Liechtenstein charge for appointments not cancelled at least 24 hours in advance.
• Cantons run after-hours services for non-vital problems. In Vaud and Neuchâtel, for example, the free Centrale Téléphonique des Médecins de Garde lets you speak to a nurse who evaluates how urgent your case is.
• If you bring prescription medicine, check that it is legal in Switzerland, keep it in its original packaging and carry your doctor's prescription.

Using these services for non-vital problems keeps 144 free for real emergencies and usually gets you seen faster.

When you need the US Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in Bern provides emergency help to US citizens in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, for example after an accident, an arrest, violence or the death of a US citizen. The State Department's emergency lines listed by the embassy are:

• +1-202-501-4444 from abroad, 24 hours a day
• +1-888-407-4747 from the US and Canada

The embassy can help victims of crime connect with police and support services, assist US citizens who are arrested, help families after a death, and work on international parental child abduction cases. For money emergencies, it states that US citizens should first contact family, friends, their bank or employer, and that friends or family can send funds through the State Department for delivery to a destitute US citizen when commercial options are not available or feasible.

The embassy's local emergency page also lists Swiss emergency services and crisis lines and explains how to dial Swiss numbers from abroad: drop the country code 41 and add a 0 when dialling inside Switzerland.

Register with STEP

Enrolling in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program lets the embassy reach you in a crisis and sends you security messages. It takes a few minutes and is free.

A short checklist

• 112, 117, 118, 144, 145 and 1414 saved in your phone.
• Alertswiss app installed, location permission enabled.
• Health insurance card in your wallet.
• Copies of your passport and permit card stored securely.
• STEP enrollment done.
• The SLF bulletin checked before mountain trips in snow season.

Common questions

What is the ambulance number in Switzerland? 144. OFCOM lists it as the free emergency medical number. The European 112 also works, and 1414 reaches Rega air rescue.

Is calling Rega free? OFCOM lists 1414 among charged short numbers, currently between CHF 0.20 and CHF 2.00 per call and/or per minute. The emergency numbers 112, 117, 118, 144 and 145 are free.

How do I get official emergency alerts in English? Install the Alertswiss app from the Federal Office for Civil Protection. It sends alerts, warnings and information for your location.

What is the US emergency number for Americans in Switzerland? The U.S. Embassy in Bern lists +1-202-501-4444 from abroad and +1-888-407-4747 from the US and Canada, both available 24/7.