If you are visiting Krakow and there is an immediate threat to life, health, safety or property, call 112. It is Poland’s main emergency number and the simplest choice when you are unsure which service is needed. The call is free from landlines and mobile phones, including a phone without a SIM card.
For a fire, serious injury, break-in in progress or another urgent incident, 112 can connect you with the appropriate emergency service. Do not use it for tourist information, transport enquiries, taxis or a theft that has already ended without an ongoing danger.
Which emergency number should you call in Krakow?
| Number | Service | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | General emergency number | Use it when there is an immediate danger or you are not sure which service is required. |
| 997 | Police | Urgent police assistance, such as violence, a crime in progress or an immediate threat. |
| 998 | Fire and rescue service | Fire, smoke, explosion or a chemical danger. |
| 999 | Ambulance service | A serious illness or injury when life or health is at risk. |
| 986 | Municipal Police in Krakow | Urgent municipal interventions that do not replace 112 in a life-threatening emergency. |
Although the specialist numbers 997, 998 and 999 are still listed for the Police, Fire and Rescue Service, and ambulance service, 112 remains the best first choice for most international visitors. It is particularly useful when several services may be needed or when you cannot describe the situation using Polish service names.
When should you call 112 in Krakow?
Call 112 if someone is seriously injured, unconscious, in immediate danger or experiencing a medical emergency. It is also appropriate for a fire, heavy smoke, an explosion, a dangerous chemical incident, violence or a serious crime that is happening now.
In an apartment building, hotel or short-term rental, call 112 if there is smoke in the corridor, a suspected gas or chemical danger, or an incident that could put other occupants at risk. Move away from danger if you can do so safely, alert other people nearby and follow the operator’s instructions.
For a suspected fire, you can also call 998. For an urgent medical emergency, 999 is the ambulance number. However, a visitor who does not know the Polish system does not need to choose perfectly: calling 112 is normally the clearest route to the right service.
What should you tell the emergency operator?
The most useful information is the exact location. Give the city, street name, building number and, where relevant, flat or room number. In Krakow, street names may be difficult to pronounce, so keep the address written in the form shown in your booking confirmation. Mention the entrance, floor, stairwell or a nearby landmark if the address could be hard to find.
- State what has happened and whether it is still happening.
- Give the exact address or the clearest possible location.
- Say how many people are injured or at risk and describe their condition.
- Provide your phone number and any useful access information.
- Stay on the line and do not hang up until the operator confirms that the call can end.
Keep the description short and factual. If you do not know an address, explain where you are, such as a named square, tram stop, railway station, hotel or visible landmark. Do not assume that your phone location will automatically provide everything the emergency service needs.
Compare the next practical option for your trip.
Can you call emergency services in English?
Emergency calls to 112 in Poland may be handled in foreign languages. Polish Police information identifies Polish and English as supported languages for 112, but you should not assume that every language will always be available or that communication will be completely barrier-free.
Speak slowly, use short sentences and give the address first. If you are travelling with someone who speaks Polish, ask them to assist, but do not delay the call when there is immediate danger. The operator may ask questions more than once to confirm the location and type of incident.
What is Krakow’s number 986 for?
986 is the emergency number of the Municipal Police of Krakow, known in Polish as Straż Miejska Miasta Krakowa. It is intended for urgent municipal interventions rather than emergencies involving an immediate threat to life or health. In those circumstances, call 112 instead.
The Municipal Police has its headquarters at al. Jana Pawła II 188, 31-982 Kraków, and urgent interventions are accepted around the clock on 986. The service can be relevant to certain local municipal matters, but its number is not a substitute for the Police, ambulance service or Fire and Rescue Service when the situation is dangerous.
What should visitors keep ready in their apartment?
Save 112 in your phone and keep these details accessible.
- the Polish street name and building number;
- the flat, room or entrance number;
- the booking name or property name;
- a nearby landmark or main road;
- the host’s contact details, if access to the building may be difficult.
Poland does not use 911 as its standard emergency number. In Krakow, use 112 rather than relying on the emergency number familiar from another country. If the situation is not urgent, contact the relevant organisation or the Police through a non-emergency route instead of tying up an emergency line.
