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Emergencies in Chania

What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Chania?

Emergency number

112

Police: 100. Ambulance: 166.

Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: chaniaclinic.com, chaniacityapp.gr

Good to know

Good to Know

  • 112 is the number to remember in Chania and all of Greece — it works even with a foreign SIM, no SIM at all, or outside your carrier's coverage area, and connects you to police, fire, ambulance, and coast guard.
  • If you don't speak Greek, 112 operators can typically assist in English (and French).
  • In more remote parts of Chania prefecture (villages, gorges, mountain areas), ambulance response can take significantly longer than in the city center — factor this into outdoor excursion planning.
  • The Chania Tourist Police line (28210 73333) is useful for non-emergency issues like being overcharged by a taxi or vendor, or needing a translator.
  • Save 112 and the direct lines (100, 166, 199, 108) in your phone before you need them, and consider installing the free official mAiGreece app for its one-touch emergency/location-sharing feature.
  • The public General Hospital 'Agios Georgios' in Mournies is the only facility equipped for serious trauma, major surgery, and life-threatening emergencies in the Chania area — private clinics in the city center are better suited to non-critical urgent care.
  • Reviews of the public hospital's ER are mixed: several visitors praised attentive emergency staff, while others reported long waits, underfunded facilities, and basic amenity shortages (e.g., no hand soap) — go in expecting a busy, no-frills public ER rather than a private-hospital experience.
  • For the most serious trauma or specialized surgical cases, patients are sometimes transferred from Chania to the larger University Hospital of Heraklion, about 1.5-2 hours away by road.
  • The nationwide emergency number in Greece is 112 (multilingual, works for police/fire/ambulance); ambulance can also be reached via 166.
  • Private clinics like Tsepeti advertise English- and German-speaking doctors, which can be useful for nomads uncomfortable navigating Greek at the public hospital.

Direct Service Lines

  • Police
    Number
    100
    Notes
    Direct line to the Hellenic Police for non-112 situations.
  • Fire Brigade
    Number
    199
    Notes
    Direct line to report fires.
  • Ambulance (EKAV)
    Number
    166
    Notes
    Direct line to the National Centre for Emergency Care (EKAV); often the most direct option for a purely medical emergency.
  • Coast Guard
    Number
    108
    Notes
    Relevant in Chania given its port and coastal location.
  • Tourist Police (Chania)
    Number
    28210 73333
    Notes
    Local Chania tourist police line for visitor assistance, disputes with businesses/taxis, or reporting scams.
  • Tourist Police (National Line)
    Number
    171
    Notes
    Alternative national tourist assistance line.
  • Violence Against Women SOS Helpline
    Number
    15900
    Notes
    24/7, available in English and Greek.

Official Safety Apps

  • mAiGreece
    Cost
    Free
    Publisher
    Greek Ministry of Tourism
    Key Feature
    Includes a 112 emergency button that sends an SMS with your GPS coordinates directly to the civil protection operations centre.
    Description
    Official government travel-companion app for visitors, available in many languages, with GPS-based local information and an emergency feature.
  • Gov.gr Mobile App
    Cost
    Free
    Publisher
    Hellenic government
    Description
    General Greek government services app that also provides access to 112 emergency contact functionality.

Hospitals

  • Public
    Phone
    28210-22000 / 28213-42000 (main switchboard); 2821022256 (Emergency Department direct line)
    Name
    General Hospital of Chania "O Agios Georgios" (Γενικό Νοσοκομείο Χανίων "Ο Άγιος Γεώργιος")
    Hours
    Emergency Department open 24 hours a day, every day
    Address
    Mournies, Chania, 73300, Greece
    Capabilities
    This is the region's principal referral hospital, described as one of Greece's largest with 580 beds, and it has a pathology department, a surgical department, a laboratory department, an emergency department, an intensive care unit (ICU), an artificial kidney unit, a haemodynamic department, and a psychiatric department among others.
    Trauma Level Designation
    No formal U.S.-style trauma-level designation exists in the Greek public hospital system. This is the main public general hospital for the wider Chania region and the primary facility for serious trauma and life-threatening emergencies locally.
    Distance Note
    Located in Mournies, roughly 4 km south of Chania city center; reachable by city bus lines 17 and 24 or by taxi in about 10-15 minutes.
  • Private Hospital Tsepeti
    Phone
    (+30) 28210 28828 (call center); (+30) 697 058 57 00 (emergency call line)
    Type
    private
    Hours
    Emergency call line staffed 24/7; on-call interdisciplinary emergency service.
    Address
    Papanastasiou Str. 9, city center, 73133 Chania, Crete
    Capabilities
    The clinic has multiple operating rooms, diagnostic laboratory facilities, an emergency unit, and departments including Surgery, Orthopedics and Traumatology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Otorhinolaryngology, Urology, Anesthesiology, and Internal Medicine, with English- and German-speaking doctors.
    Trauma Level Designation
    No formal trauma-level designation. It is a private clinic with its own emergency unit and operating rooms, oriented toward general surgery, orthopedics/traumatology, gynecology/obstetrics, ENT, urology, and internal medicine; more severe or major trauma cases are typically referred to the public General Hospital.
    Distance Note
    Located in the Chania city center.
  • Iasis Hospital
    Phone
    Not confirmed in available sources
    Type
    private
    Hours
    Not confirmed in available sources
    Address
    Chania city center (exact street address not confirmed in available sources)
    Capabilities
    Limited independent detail found beyond general description as a private hospital/clinic with an emergency unit and operating rooms.
    Trauma Level Designation
    No formal trauma-level designation found. Referenced as one of two private clinics in central Chania (alongside Tsepeti) with an emergency unit, multiple operating rooms, and diagnostic laboratory facilities.
    Distance Note
    Described as located in the heart of Chania.

Public Hospitals

  • Chania General Hospital (St. George)
    Details
    450–580 bed public hospital with comprehensive departments including emergency, intensive care, surgery, pathology, and laboratory services. Accessible by city buses (lines 17, 24) every 20 minutes from 7 AM–10 PM.
    Location
    Mournies, ~4 km from city center
    Emergency Contact
    +30 2821 xxx (public emergency: 112)

Private Hospitals

  • Private Hospital Tsepeti
    Phone
    +30 28210 28828
    Details
    Modern private facility with departments including surgery, orthopedics, gynecology, ENT, urology, anesthesiology, internal medicine. 24/7 emergency care. German and English-speaking physicians available. International Patient Department for non-residents.
    Location
    Papanastasiou Street 9, city center
    Emergency Line
    +30 697 058 57 00
  • Iasis Hospital (Gavrilakis)
    Phone
    Contact for specifics
    Details
    Modern diagnostic-therapeutic-surgical center. Four-level facility with operating rooms, catheterization lab, imaging, ED, ICU, oncology unit, outpatient clinics.
    Location
    City center of Chania

Pharmacies

Availability
Numerous pharmacies identified by green crosses throughout Chania. Emergency and travel medications readily available.
Duty Rotation
One on-duty pharmacy per shift. Storefront displays the duty pharmacist's name, address, and phone number.
Operating Hours
Standard: Monday–Saturday 08:30–21:00 (or similar); Sunday 09:00–13:00 (reduced hours). On-duty rotation system for evenings and weekends.

Notable Locations

  • Chania Old Port Pharmacy
    Phone
    +30 2821 044226
    Features
    Boutique shop with European standards, Greek brands (APIVITA, KORRES), pharmaceutical laboratory, trained pharmacists. Hours: Monday–Saturday 08:30–21:00.
    Location
    Old harbor (Dim. Karaoli & Isodion 4)
  • Archontakis Pharmacies
    Details
    Third-generation family pharmacy with 70+ years operation. Comprehensive selection, professional service, competitive pricing on non-controlled items. Can source items throughout Europe on request.

Universal Emergency Number

Number
112
Notes
Works from mobile phones even without a SIM card or with a foreign SIM, and even outside your own carrier's coverage (it will route through any available network). Can also be reached via SMS/MMS, fax (11.112), or email. Operators typically answer in Greek, English, and French.
Description
The single European emergency number, valid throughout Greece (including Chania) and the rest of the EU. Connects to police, fire brigade, ambulance (EKAV), and coast guard from any phone, free of charge, 24/7.

Key Notes

Public system experiences staff shortages due to cost reductions; private sector meets Western European standards. Public outpatient care has long waiting times; many locals consult private physicians for urgent care.

AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026

Sources cited for this category

These are the sources cited in this emergencies research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.

  1. 1.chaniaclinic.com
  2. 2.chaniaclinic.com
  3. 3.chaniaclinic.com
  4. 4.chaniacityapp.gr
  5. 5.iasishospital.gr
  6. 6.aera.gr
  7. 7.greeceindex.com
  8. 8.vrisko.gr
  9. 9.greece.ondutypharmacy.com
  10. 10.discoverchania.gr
  11. 11.archontakis-pharmamarket.gr
  12. 12.arencores.com
  13. 13.chaniabank.gr
  14. 14.realgreekexperiences.com
  15. 15.arencos.com
  16. 16.mygreekexpatjourney.com
  17. 17.getgoldenvisa.com
  18. 18.wise.com
  19. 19.xe.com
  20. 20.investing.com

More About Chania

Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.