Emergency Telephone Numbers in the Netherlands

Who to call and what to say in an emergency...

Useful Emergency Words and Phrases

Emergency Services, Telephone Numbers and Websites

Operators for the Pan-European emergency number (112) speak English and will contact the appropriate emergency service. Calling 112 is free from any telephone (mobile cellular or fixed-line).

• The noodsituaties ("emergency situations") website has practical information on what to do in a variety of crisis situations.

Doctors and Minor Medical Emergencies

In the case of minor or non-urgent medical problems, patients should contact their doctor for advice. They will arrange a home visit, urgent appointment or refer the patient to a hospital for treatment. Patients with non-life threatening illnesses who arrive at a Dutch hospital may be refused treatment if they do not have a doctor’s referral.

Most general practitioner’s surgeries are open Monday to Friday 08:00-17:00.

To search for a local GP (huisarts), see the Zorg Kaart website (in Dutch)

An out-of-hours doctor's service or medical clinic is called a huisartsenpost. There is not a central locator that covers the entire country but each region will have a central phone number or website that will offer advice in English on how and where to locate the nearest service.

Some starting points:

• Amsterdam out-of-hours doctor locator

• The Hague out-of-hours medical clinic (part of the hospital, website in Dutch)

• Noord-Brabant out-of-hours medical clinic (in Dutch)

Emergency dental treatment

Like doctors, dentists in a given area usually rotate being on out-of-hours duty. There is no central phone number to arrange an emergency dental treatment; each practice offers their own out-of-hours phone service.

If you don't have your own dental practice, here are a few starting points:

• Find a local dental practice. Website is in Dutch - input any postcode or place name to find a clinic nearby
• Make an emergency dental appointment with Dental365, in Amsterdam and The Hague. Tel: 085 10 50 750. Dentists are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week and walk-in hours are 08:00 - 23:00
  

24 Hour Pharmacies (Apotheek)

Most chemists open Monday to Friday 08:30-17:30 and some are open Saturday morning as well. Dutch pharmacies follow a rota system, which means that there is always one open out of hours (i.e. nights, weekends and public holidays).

• To find an on-duty pharmacy Tel: 020 694 8709

A list of 24-hour pharmacies is also displayed in chemist windows and in free local newspapers under Medical Assistance (Medische Diensten)

Emergency Pharmacies

A list of 24-hour pharmacies is displayed in chemist windows and in free local newspapers under Medical Assistance (Medische Diensten).

Other Useful Numbers

Lost Property (gevonden voorwerpen)

Air Raid Sirens

Air raid sirens are used in the event of a national emergency. At noon (12 midday) on the first Monday of every month the sirens are tested.

Further Information

• Information on the 112 number from the European Commission website

• Helplines