If you’re moving to Poland, one of the first things worth memorizing is the local emergency numbers, since they’re different from what you may be used to at home. Below is a full list of the numbers you should save in your phone before the move. Current as of 2026, the core numbers haven’t changed in years.

Main emergency numbers

  • 112: the pan-European emergency number (universal, works in any situation);
  • 997: Police (Policja);
  • 998: State Fire Service (Państwowa Straż Pożarna);
  • 999: State Medical Emergency Service (Państwowe Ratownictwo Medyczne);
  • 986: Municipal Police / City Guard (Straż Miejska), not available in every city or county.

All of these numbers are free and can be called from any phone: even without a SIM card or account balance, 112 is legally required to work.

When to call 112 vs. a direct number

112 acts as a dispatcher-intermediary: the operator will connect you to the right service or pass on your information. Call 112 if you witness an incident and aren’t sure which service is needed, or if the situation is serious and requires quick coordination between several services at once.

Direct numbers (997/998/999) are more convenient when you know exactly which service you need: for example, for a routine road accident it makes more sense to call the police directly (997), and for a fire, 998.

The traffic police unit that handles road-related issues is informally called “drogówka” in Polish.

Municipal Police (Straż Miejska): number 986

Straż Miejska deals with less serious violations: illegal parking, noise, minor public order issues. It doesn’t operate in every city or county: if your locality doesn’t have one, calling 986 simply won’t connect. In that case, contact the regular police instead.

The Alarm112 app: for those who can’t make a voice call

Since 2021, Poland has an official mobile app called Alarm112, developed by the Ministry of the Interior. It lets you send an alert to the dispatch center without a voice call, by selecting pictograms describing the type of incident, location, and the service needed. The app is especially useful for people with hearing or speech impairments, but it’s also handy in situations where calling loudly isn’t safe.

Other useful numbers

Besides the main emergency services, Poland has separate lines for utility failures and specific situations:

  • 991: power grid emergency service;
  • 992: gas network emergency service;
  • 993: heating network emergency service;
  • 994: water and sewage emergency service;
  • 981: roadside assistance (with some operators);
  • 116 111: children’s helpline;
  • 116 123: crisis emotional support line.

Save these numbers in your phone before moving to Poland: in a stressful situation, there may not be time to search for information.