Emergencies in China: 120, 110, 119 — and What to Say

The three numbers that matter

China splits emergencies across three numbers: 120 for an ambulance, 110 for police, and 119 for fire. All three work from any phone, including one on a foreign SIM, and as of 2026 the calls are free.

The catch: dispatchers work in Mandarin. Big-city call centers can sometimes transfer you to an English speaker, but you cannot count on it — and in a real emergency you don't want to gamble.

The single most useful move is getting a local to make the call. Hold out your phone, catch the nearest adult's eye, and say (or show) this:

Getting yourself to a hospital

For anything that isn't life-threatening, a taxi or Didi is often faster than an ambulance, and every driver knows where the nearest hospital is. This phrase does the work:

If you're at your hotel, start with the front desk. Staff can call a car, phone the hospital ahead, and sometimes send someone along to translate — one more reason to get things right at check-in.

How a public hospital ER actually works

Chinese public hospitals run register-first. Before anyone examines you, you go to the registration window (挂号, guàhào), show your passport, and pay a small fee to enter the queue. No registration, no doctor — this trips up a lot of foreigners who expect triage to come first.

After that it's pay-as-you-go. You pay before each step — the consultation, any tests, the medication — at a cashier window or a self-service machine. Mobile payment is standard. Keep every receipt, because your travel insurer will want them.

As of 2026, public-hospital costs are generally modest by Western standards, but they vary a lot by city and by treatment. Carry a working way to pay, and confirm your insurer's claims process before you fly.

English is rare outside the biggest hospitals. Lead with this line and a translation app:

International clinics: the easier, pricier route

Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and a handful of other big cities have private international clinics, plus "international wings" inside some public hospitals. Doctors speak English, appointments exist, and some clinics can bill foreign insurers directly.

The trade-off is cost — expect prices far above the public-hospital rate. And for a genuine emergency, the public ER is usually better equipped and open around the clock.

Before you need it, look up one international clinic near your hotel, and save its name and address in Chinese characters so any driver can read them.

Pharmacies handle the small stuff

For a cold, a headache, blisters, or mild stomach trouble, skip the hospital and find a pharmacy (药店, yàodiàn) — look for a green cross sign. Pharmacists are used to pointing and translation apps, and most common remedies are sold over the counter.

Bring your own regular medication from home, in its original packaging, with a copy of the prescription. Familiar Western brands can be hard to find, and rules on what you may carry into China change — check official customs guidance before you fly.

A lot of traveler stomach trouble starts at the table, not from bad luck. Knowing how to ask what's actually in a dish helps — see the guide to ordering food in China.

Prepare the boring stuff now

Write a medical card in Chinese before you travel: allergies, chronic conditions, the medications you take, blood type, and an emergency contact. In a crisis you hand it over instead of trying to translate under stress. The China Survival Kit app has an Emergency Card feature that builds exactly this, and it works fully offline.

Lost or stolen passport: report it to the police first — dial 110 or walk into the nearest station — and get a loss report. Then contact your country's embassy or consulate for an emergency travel document. Requirements differ by country, so check your embassy's website for the current process.

Finally, put the key phrases in your ears before you go. Joy's free 30-phrase audio guide covers the emergency essentials in her own recorded voice, so you'll recognize the words when it counts.