Emergency Numbers and How to Use Them
110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire, 122 traffic — all free, all work without a SIM. Plus the hotlines that actually speak English, and a call script for when the operator doesn't.
The short version
China splits emergencies across four numbers: 110 for police, 120 for ambulance, 119 for fire, 122 for traffic accidents. All four are free and work from any phone with signal — no Chinese SIM needed. Operators mostly speak Mandarin only, so lead with your location in the simplest words you have, and don't hang up even if you can't understand each other: they trace the call and send help.
Emergency lines (free, no SIM required)
How to make the call work without Chinese
- Location first
Say where you are before anything else: hotel name, street, or a big landmark ("Starbucks", a mall, a metro station). Order matters: location, then problem, then your phone number.
- Use single words, not sentences
"Help", "emergency", "hospital", plus your hotel name gets through better than full English sentences. Try saying "English please" — big-city centers sometimes transfer you.
- Stay on the line
Even if nobody understands you, don't hang up. The center traces your location while the call is open.
- Recruit a local if you can
Hand your phone to a shopkeeper, hotel staff, or any passerby and point at the number. People reliably help foreigners in emergencies, and a Mandarin speaker shortcuts everything.
Help hotlines (not for life-threatening emergencies)
Two things about ambulances worth knowing in advance
First, 120 takes you to the nearest public hospital, not the international clinic your insurance prefers — if you want a specific hospital and the situation allows, call that hospital directly; most international hospitals run 24/7 English hotlines and their own ambulances, and are often faster than dispatch. Second, Chinese hospitals commonly ask for a deposit before treatment, so have a card, Alipay/WeChat Pay, or cash ready, along with your passport.
Common questions
Making the call
Will the operator speak English?
Plan for no. Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou centers sometimes have English speakers, smaller cities almost never. Simple words, a translation app, or a local holding the phone all work.
Can I call from my foreign phone without a Chinese SIM?
Yes. 110, 120, and 119 are free and connect from any phone that has network signal, SIM or not.
What if I don't know my address?
Name your hotel or the nearest landmark — a chain store, mall, or metro station works. Staying on the line also lets the center trace you.
What happens next
How fast does help arrive?
In cities, police typically arrive in 5–15 minutes, fire crews in 5–10, ambulances in 10–30 depending on traffic.
My phone is dead — now what?
Walk into any shop, restaurant, or hotel and point at the number you need. Hotels always have phones, and people are quick to help a foreigner in trouble.