First week
Time
10 min to read and save the numbers
Cost
Free
Difficulty
Easy
What to bring
Your phone, with the numbers below saved
Not needed: Fluent Portuguese (112 operators handle English routinely)
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Prices checked August 2026
Do it
- 1
Stop and assess
Check yourself and anyone with you for injuries before doing anything else. Move somewhere safe if you can.
- 2
Call 112
Give your location first, that's the detail responders need most, then what happened, then how many people are hurt. If you cannot name the street, read out the code on the nearest lamp post or the kilometre marker, or share your phone's location with whoever is with you.
- 3
Let them triage
Dispatchers route the right service, ambulance, police, or fire, and can switch to English if you ask early. Don't skip the call because it "probably doesn't count."
- 4
Follow up properly
Note the time, location, and what happened while it's fresh, photograph anything relevant, and ask for a "declaração médica" if you'll need it for insurance or work.
Common questions
Is 112 free and does it work without a Portuguese SIM?
Yes, free from any phone, even with no credit or a foreign SIM, that's an EU-wide rule, not a Portuguese one.
What if I don't speak Portuguese?
112 operators handle English routinely. Say "I need English" early and they'll route you accordingly.
When should I call SNS24 instead of 112?
Whenever it's not immediately life-threatening, a bad fever, a non-urgent injury, or advice on whether to go to a hospital at all. They'll tell you straight if you actually need 112.
Read more
Healthcare 101: SNS, private, and insurance
Full guide · 6 min read
Full checklist tracking and task completion live in the Ternli app for Lisbon.