Most trips to Egypt pass without any emergency. When one happens, you want the right number and a plan before you need it. This page lists the main emergency lines, how to use them, and what to do about hospitals, lost documents and insurance claims. Numbers were checked against UK government travel advice in October 2026, but save them in your phone before you fly.
The numbers to save
| Service | Number |
|---|---|
| Police | 122 |
| Ambulance | 123 |
| Fire brigade | 180 |
| Tourist Police | 126 |
| Electricity emergency | 121 |
| Gas emergency | 129 |
| From a mobile phone (reported) | 112 |
Egypt does not have one universal number like 999 or 911. Dial the line for the service you need. If you are unsure, call 126 for the Tourist Police, who handle problems involving visitors. If you are overseas on a local SIM, add the number as a contact before you travel, since mobile coverage can fail in the desert and on the Nile south of Aswan. Our eSIM guide explains how to stay connected.
Tourist Police: your first call for most problems
The Tourist Police are a separate branch of the Interior Ministry. Officers are posted at the Giza Plateau, the Egyptian Museum area, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Aswan, major hotels and airports. They are the best first contact for:
- Theft, pickpocketing or a lost bag
- A dispute with a taxi driver, guide or tour operator
- Harassment, especially for solo and female travellers
- A lost or stolen passport
Ask for a written report. Insurers and embassies both ask for it. For common problems and how to avoid them, read our Egypt scams guide and the wider Egypt safety guide.
Medical emergencies and hospitals
Call 123 for an ambulance, but be realistic. In Cairo and Giza, traffic can slow response times badly, and ambulance crews may not speak English. Sensible steps:
- Ask your hotel first. Reception staff can call a doctor to your room, arrange a car and phone ahead to a hospital.
- Choose a private hospital for anything serious. Private hospitals in Cairo (Maadi, Heliopolis, Zamalek and the new districts east of the city), Alexandria and the Red Sea resorts are used by expats and generally have English-speaking staff. Public hospitals are cheaper but crowded.
- Expect to pay or prove cover. Many private hospitals ask for a deposit or insurance guarantee before treatment. Keep your policy number and the insurerβs 24-hour assistance line in your phone.
- Carry your medication list. Keep prescriptions in generic names, in English, and bring enough for the whole trip. Pharmacies are plentiful, but brands differ.
- Know the limits outside big cities. Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab have clinics and hospitals. Siwa, the White Desert and remote Sinai do not. Serious cases from these areas may need air evacuation.
Our health and vaccinations guide covers vaccines, stomach bugs, heat illness and water safety. Stomach problems are the most common reason visitors see a doctor, and heat exhaustion is the most common emergency at the Giza Plateau and in the Valley of the Kings between May and September.
Fire, road accidents and electrical hazards
Dial 180 for fire. For a road accident, call 122 and, if anyone is hurt, 123. Do not move the vehicles if there is a dispute; wait for the traffic police and take photos. If you rent a car, report the accident to the rental company straight away, because insurance claims need a police report.
Gas leaks (129) and electrical faults (121) are most relevant if you rent an apartment. Tell your host and move outside if you smell gas.
Embassy help and lost documents
Embassies are not an emergency service for medical or crime response, but they can help with replacement passports, contacting family, finding lawyers and visiting detained nationals. Most are in Cairo. Contact details, what they can and cannot do, and the passport-loss process are in our embassies and consulates guide.
If you are the victim of a crime:
- Get to a safe place and call 122 or 126.
- Get a written police report with an official stamp.
- Cancel bank cards with your bankβs international number.
- Contact your embassy if your passport is lost or you are seriously hurt.
- Contact your insurer within the time limit in your policy, often 24 to 48 hours for hospital admissions.
Travel insurance: the safety net that matters
Egyptβs emergency services work, but the costs fall on you. A private hospital stay, an air ambulance from Marsa Alam or Siwa, or a delayed Nile cruise can run to thousands of dollars. Before you buy, check that the policy covers:
- Medical treatment and evacuation, with no sub-limit on Egypt
- Activities you plan, such as diving, desert quad biking or hot-air balloon flights over Luxor
- Theft and passport replacement
- Trip cancellation, including regional travel warnings
You can compare cover through travel insurance for Egypt, and our travel insurance guide explains what to look for. Prices vary with age, trip length and activities, so get a quote for your own trip rather than relying on averages.
Staying out of trouble
- Keep a photo of your passport and visa stamp in your phone and cloud storage.
- Use hotel-booked or app-based transport at night.
- Carry a small card with your hotel name and address in Arabic.
- Book reputable operators for excursions. A guided Cairo tour with a licensed guide reduces the chance of disputes at busy sites.
- Check your governmentβs current travel advice before departure, especially for North Sinai and the western desert border areas, where permits and warnings apply.
If something goes wrong, stay calm, call the right number, and ask your hotel to help. Egyptians are generally quick to assist a visitor in difficulty, and the Tourist Police exist to make that easier.