What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Split?
Emergency number
112
Police: 192. Ambulance: 194.
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: expatincroatia.com, expatexchange.com
Good to know
Good to Know
- 112 is the number to remember for any emergency in Split — it works free from any phone and the operators handle tourist calls in English and German regularly, especially in summer.
- The old service-specific numbers (192 police, 193 fire, 194 ambulance) still work but 112 is the simplest option if you're unsure which service you need or don't speak Croatian.
- For wildfires (common in the hot Dalmatian summer), boating incidents, or hiking mishaps near Split, 112 also triggers Croatia's wider civil protection and maritime/mountain rescue response, not just local police or ambulance.
- The HR112 Upozorenje app (from the Ministry of Interior) is a useful free download for real-time hazard alerts, though it's a general Croatia-wide alert tool rather than a Split-specific app.
- There is effectively one major public hospital system serving Split, KBC Split, with its emergency/trauma department at the Firule site (Spinčićeva 1) — locals and taxi drivers will simply say 'KBC' or 'Firule' if you ask for the hospital.
- For genuine life-threatening emergencies, calling 112 (the free, 24/7 EU-wide emergency number, staffed in Croatian and English) will dispatch an ambulance to KBC Split rather than requiring you to find your own way there.
- Reports from travelers describe efficient but no-frills ER care with sometimes long waits for non-critical cases, since triage prioritizes serious trauma and life-threatening conditions.
- A separate tourist medical clinic exists near the Firule hospital (Poljička 20b/Spinčićeva 2b) for non-emergency tourist medical needs, which can be a faster option than the ER for minor issues.
Official Safety Apps
HR112 Upozorenje
- Purpose
- Official civil-protection alert app to monitor and receive notifications about current crisis events, hazards, or disasters (e.g. wildfires, floods, earthquakes) in a given area.
- Publisher
- Ministarstvo unutarnjih poslova (Croatian Ministry of the Interior / Civil Protection Directorate)
Platforms
- iOS
- Android
Split Local Contacts
Split Public Fire Department (Javna Vatrogasna Postrojba Split)
- Number
- 112 or 193; 24-hour operations line 021 340-910
- Address
- Hercegovačka 18, Split
Dedicated National Lines
Police
- Number
- 192
Fire Brigade
- Number
- 193
Ambulance
- Number
- 194
Maritime Search and Rescue
- Number
- 195
Roadside Assistance (HAK)
- Number
- 1987
Hospitals
Spinčićeva 1, 21000 Split, Croatia
- Name
- KBC Split (Klinički bolnički centar Split / University Hospital Centre Split) – Firule campus, Objedinjeni hitni bolnički prijam (Unified Emergency Department)
- Hours
- Emergency department open 24 hours a day, every day of the year
- Trauma Level Designation
- Croatia does not use a formal US-style Level I-IV trauma center system. KBC Split is nonetheless the primary and largest public hospital in the Split-Dalmatia County and the effective major-trauma referral centre for the whole southern Croatian coast (Dalmatia), handling serious trauma, surgical emergencies, stroke/thrombectomy care and general emergency admissions.
- Notes
- This is the main hospital campus (Firule) where the unified emergency admission (OHBP) is located on the ground floor. It centralizes all hospital emergency admissions except emergency infectious disease, psychiatric, gynecological and pediatric intakes, which are handled at separate emergency admission points within the wider KBC Split complex.
KBC Split – Križine Campus
- Hours
- Not confirmed as a 24/7 walk-in ER; functions mainly as an outpatient/specialist clinic site (e.g. diabetes, endocrinology, nephrology, hematology, rheumatology clinics) of the same hospital system, generally with weekday daytime hours
- Address
- Šoltanska 1, 21000 Split, Croatia
- Trauma Level Designation
- Not a designated trauma/ER site — serious emergencies are directed to the Firule campus
- Notes
- Part of the same University Hospital Centre Split institution but is a secondary, mostly outpatient location, not the trauma/ER entry point.
Dialing Notes
Calling from a foreign mobile number, prefix with +385 and drop the leading 0; when dialing 112 itself from inside Croatia no country code or prefix is needed. The call is free even on prepaid phones with no credit or no SIM.
Mountain Rescue
- How To Reach
- Via 112, which will route to the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS)
Universal Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- Description
- Single European emergency number, free of charge from any landline or mobile phone (including phones with no SIM or credit), connecting to police, fire brigade, and ambulance dispatch. Operators can take calls in Croatian, English, German, Italian, Hungarian and Slovak.
Healthcare
- System Overview
- Split has a mix of public and private healthcare facilities. The public system is administered by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO), which is mandatory for residents. The Clinical Hospital Centre Split is the main public facility.
Key Points
- Healthcare quality is generally high in Split, with hospitals equipped to Western standards.
- Private supplemental insurance (dopunsko) is popular to reduce co-payments and waiting times.
- EU/EEA nationals can use EHIC cards for temporary care while arranging longer-term coverage.
- Finding an English-speaking doctor requires networking; expat Facebook groups are useful resources.
- Specialist referrals (uputnica) are required in the public system; emergency care does not require referral.
Public Healthcare
- Languages
- English-speaking doctors are more common in Split than smaller towns, but communication can be challenging; referral networks through expat communities are recommended.
- Registration
- Expats establishing residency must register with HZZO and typically receive an HZZO card (zdravstvena iskaznica) for access.
- Costs With Insurance
- Services are low-cost or free at point of use for registered members. Some specialist services and elective procedures may require small co-payments.
- Description
- Universal mandatory health insurance available to legal residents through HZZO.
Private Healthcare
- Costs
- Unsubsidized private consultations and treatments are significantly cheaper than North American prices but more expensive than public services.
- Benefits
- Faster access to specialists, shorter waiting times, English-speaking staff, more personalized care, and direct specialist access without referral requirement.
- Availability
- Several private clinics and hospitals operate in Split, catering to international patients.
Pharmacies
- Availability
- Extensive and well-organized network throughout Split. Pharmacies display an illuminated green cross with 'LJEKARNA' signage.
Key Points
- Medications may carry different brand names than in home country; always note generic (non-proprietary) name.
- Pharmacy word is 'ljekarna' (also 'apoteka') – both universally understood.
- HZZO coverage requires prior registration; without it, full retail prices apply.
- 24-hour emergency pharmacy available in Split via on-call rotation.
- Not all medications available in home countries may be approved for use in Croatia; check beforehand.
Pharmacy Types
- Ljekarna
- Main pharmacy for prescription medications
- Drogerija
- Over-the-counter medicines shop
- Biljna Ljekarna
- Herbal pharmacy/drugstore selling plant-based products
- BolničKa Ljekarna
- Hospital pharmacies with largest selection for in-patient use
- Veterinarska Ljekarna
- Veterinary pharmacies for animal medications only
Operating Hours
- 24 Hour
- 24-hour pharmacies exist in Split; Zagreb and other major cities have guaranteed round-the-clock coverage.
- Extended
- Some pharmacies open 7:00 AM–8:00 PM weekdays and extend Saturday hours
- Standard
- 8:00 AM–8:00 PM weekdays; 8:00 AM–2:00 PM Saturdays
- Emergency
- On-call pharmacies (dežurna ljekarna) operate outside standard hours, including overnight, Sundays, and public holidays. Monthly rota published at each pharmacy.
Pharmacist Role
- Services
- Advise on OTC remedies, basic first aid, medication interactions, and can direct to doctors when needed.
- Expertise
- Pharmacists are highly respected healthcare professionals and often the first point of contact for minor health issues.
- Support For Expats
- Can identify foreign medication equivalents or suggest Croatian generic alternatives; building a relationship helpful for chronic conditions.
Prescription System
- Electronic
- Croatia uses an electronic prescription system (e-recept) for HZZO-insured patients. Prescriptions are logged electronically against HZZO health insurance.
- How It Works
- Present your HZZO card (zdravstvena iskaznica) at the pharmacy; pharmacist looks up prescriptions available for filling. Paper prescriptions are not issued for HZZO patients.
- Foreign Prescriptions
- Prescriptions issued outside Croatia are generally not accepted; a Croatian doctor must issue a prescription.
- Supplemental Insurance
- Show your dopunsko (supplemental insurance) card to reduce or eliminate co-pay costs.
Medications And Costs
- Pricing
- Prescription medications significantly cheaper than US prices. Digital nomads without HZZO coverage pay full retail price; those with HZZO benefit from subsidized co-payments.
- Language
- English-speaking pharmacy staff common in Split. In cities like Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb, pharmacists have good working English. Carry written notes with generic medication names and dosage to aid communication.
- Branded Vs Generic
- Croatian pharmacies predominantly stock branded medicines; generic own-brand equivalents are hard to find.
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.
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.