What should you know about healthcare and emergencies in Tallinn?
Emergency number
112
Updated July 2026 · Sources cited: axaglobalhealthcare.com, expatlife.ai
Good to know
Good to Know
- Save 112 in your phone, but also know 1220 (family doctor helpline) and 16662 (poison control) — many non-critical situations can be resolved without dispatching an ambulance.
- 112 works even without a SIM card or normal signal, so it's a reliable fallback even if your travel SIM has issues.
- Emergency operators speak Estonian, Russian, and English, so language is rarely a barrier when calling 112.
- Downloading the official 'Ole valmis!' (Be Ready!) app is a good idea for nomads staying longer term — it covers practical guidance for power cuts, storms, and other everyday-relevant scenarios, not just rare disasters.
- For non-urgent police matters (e.g., filing a report for a past theft for insurance purposes), use the police client line (+372 612 3000) rather than 112.
- Estonia does not use a formal Level I/II/III trauma-centre grading system like the US; instead, a handful of named hospitals in Tallinn operate 24/7 'Emergency Medicine Centres' that handle everything from minor injuries to major trauma.
- Dial 112 for an ambulance anywhere in Estonia — it's free and available 24 hours a day.
- If unsure whether a situation is a true emergency, the 24-hour family doctor advice line (1220) can help you decide where to go and may save you a long wait.
- Uninsured visitors should expect to pay a fee at check-in (roughly 25 EUR for a triage-only assessment, up to 125 EUR for fuller emergency care at East Tallinn Central Hospital) — bring a card or cash and your travel insurance details.
- Some emergency room staff, especially outside the main city-centre hospitals, may have limited English, so having key medical info written down or translated can help.
- East Tallinn Central Hospital's emergency centre (Ravi 18) is the most central and typically less crowded option for adults staying near the Old Town; North Estonia Medical Centre in Mustamäe can have longer waits.
Non Emergency Lines
State Information Line (Häirekeskus)
- Number
- 1247
- Purpose
- General state/crisis information line for queries that do not require immediate dispatch; open 24 hours and free for callers.
Family Doctor Helpline
- Number
- 1220
- Purpose
- If you need medical guidance but are unsure whether to call an ambulance, the family doctor helpline is the appropriate first point of contact.
Poison Control / Poisoning Information Centre
- Number
- 16662 or +372 794 3794
- Purpose
- Call in case of poisoning; the call centre is available 24 hours a day. In a life-threatening poisoning emergency, also call 112 for an ambulance simultaneously.
Police Non-urgent Client Information Line
- Number
- +372 612 3000
- Purpose
- For non-urgent police matters such as reporting a past theft or getting documentation for an insurance claim, available Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 19:00.
Victim Support (Ohvriabi)
- Number
- 116 006
- Purpose
- For anyone who has suffered or is suffering physical, mental, economic or sexual violence; open 24/7 with online chat also available.
Emotional/crisis Support (Hingehoiu Telefon)
- Number
- 116 123
- Purpose
- Emotional and pastoral care for fear of death, grief, anxiety or suicidal thoughts; open 24/7.
Child Helpline (Lasteabi)
- Number
- 116 111
- Purpose
- For anyone under 18 or on behalf of a minor needing help or advice; open 24/7 with online chat.
Official Safety Apps
Ole Valmis! ("Be Ready!")
- Cost
- Free
- Publisher
- Estonian Rescue Board / Government of Estonia
- Description
- Official mobile application that provides instructions on how to respond to a wide range of scenarios — power cuts, the need for first aid, fire or water emergencies, natural disasters, essential service failures, cybersecurity incidents, and security threats.
Hospitals
Open 24 hours a day, every day
- Phone
- +372 620 7040 (Emergency Medicine Centre reception); +372 666 1900 (general reception)
- Name
- East Tallinn Central Hospital (Ida-Tallinna Keskhaigla) – Centre of Emergency Medicine
- Address
- Ravi tn 18, Building C, 10138 Tallinn
- Age Scope
- Adults and adolescents aged 15 and over for general emergencies; eye (ophthalmology) emergencies treated from infancy
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal US-style Level I/II/III trauma designation exists in Estonia; this is one of the country's main 24/7 emergency medicine centres and is designated a trauma centre for adult patients in Northern Estonia
- Notes
- Recently renovated (2024) emergency and radiology centre handling an average of 50,000 visits per year; provides the city's emergency ophthalmology service. Complex care for uninsured patients costs 125 EUR (must be paid in advance); a triage-nurse-only assessment costs 25 EUR.
Open 24 hours a day, every day
- Phone
- +372 617 1369
- Name
- North Estonia Medical Centre (Põhja-Eesti Regionaalhaigla) – Emergency Medicine Centre
- Address
- J. Sütiste tee 19, 13419 Tallinn
- Age Scope
- Patients aged 16 and over
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal US-style trauma-level system in Estonia; functions as one of Estonia's primary trauma and critical-care emergency departments
- Notes
- One of the largest emergency departments in Estonia, handling trauma, cardiac, neurological, surgical and toxicology emergencies; also the site for emergency ENT care. Patients under 16 are directed to Tallinn Children's Hospital.
Open 24 hours a day, every day
- Phone
- Not separately listed in sources reviewed; family doctor advice line 1220 available 24/7 for triage guidance
- Name
- West Tallinn Central Hospital (Lääne-Tallinna Keskhaigla) – Emergency Medicine Centre
- Address
- Paldiski mnt 68, Tallinn (enter on the right side of Paldiski Avenue 68)
- Age Scope
- Patients aged 15 and over; under-15s referred to Tallinn Children's Hospital
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal trauma-level designation; provides round-the-clock general emergency and trauma care regardless of insurance status
- Notes
- Does not provide emergency ophthalmology or ENT services on-site (referred to North Estonia Medical Centre / East Tallinn Central Hospital as appropriate). Bring an ID document when presenting.
Tallinn Children's Hospital (Tallinna Lastehaigla)
- Phone
- +372 697 7194 (trauma room), +372 697 7146 (24h reception)
- Hours
- 24-hour reception; dedicated Emergency Department hours approx. 10:00–22:00; trauma-room secretary available Mon–Fri 08:00–22:00 and Sat–Sun 10:00–22:00
- Address
- Tervise 28, 13419 Tallinn
- Age Scope
- Pediatric care up to and including 18 years; surgical and trauma care up to and including 15 years
- Trauma Level Designation
- No formal trauma-level system; this is Estonia's dedicated pediatric emergency and trauma facility
- Notes
- The designated children's emergency and trauma centre for Tallinn; adults are not treated here.
Public Healthcare
- Coverage Details
- Covers primary care, specialist consultations, hospital care, maternity, emergency services, and subsidized prescriptions.
- Activation Delay Months
- 1–2 months from start of employment or contributions
- Voluntary Contribution Monthly
- €170
Copayments
GP Visit
- GP Visit
- €5.00
Specialist Visit
- Specialist Visit
- €20
Hospital Stay per Day
- Hospital Stay Per Day
- €5.00
Private Healthcare
Major Clinics
- Confido
- Medicum
- Fertilitas
- Nordic Clinic
GP Visit Range
- Currency Local
- EUR
- Max Amount USD
- 137
- Min Amount USD
- 68
- Max Amount Local
- 120
- Min Amount Local
- 60
Specialist Visit Range
- Currency Local
- EUR
- Max Amount USD
- 228
- Min Amount USD
- 91
- Max Amount Local
- 200
- Min Amount Local
- 80
Private Insurance Monthly
- Currency Local
- EUR
- Max Amount USD
- 34
- Min Amount USD
- 17
- Max Amount Local
- 30
- Min Amount Local
- 15
Universal Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- Cost
- Free from any mobile, landline, or public payphone; no dialing code needed
- Covers
- Police, fire/rescue, and ambulance — a single unified number
- Details
- Estonia uses a single number for all emergencies — medical, fire, and police: 112. This line is free, operates around the clock, and functions even if your phone has no SIM card. Operators can communicate in Estonian, Russian, and English.
- Works Without SIM Or Signal
- Yes
Tourist And Foreigner Notes
- Call Handling
- A rescue coordinator answers each 112 call and determines the severity of the situation; if police, ambulance, or rescue workers are not needed, the coordinator provides instructions or forwards the call to the appropriate line.
- Language Support
- 112 operators handle calls in Estonian, Russian, and English, which is a meaningful reassurance for expats who have not yet acquired Estonian language skills.
- Healthcare Access
- In case of a medical emergency, a trauma or a poisoning, every person on the territory of the Republic of Estonia is entitled to emergency medical care, regardless of whether they have medical insurance or not.
- Calling From Abroad
- If contacting Estonian emergency services from abroad, use the email channel only for information requests, not active emergencies; for an active emergency abroad, contact the local emergency number of the country you are in and ask to be connected to Estonia's centre.
Digital Health
Over 99% of prescriptions issued digitally. All medical records accessible via national Terviseportaal (health portal). Doctors can access full medical history instantly.
System Overview
Estonia operates a public health insurance system (Estonian Health Insurance Fund, EHIF) funded by a 13% employer payroll tax. Expats employed in Estonia are automatically enrolled; others can pay voluntary contributions.
Emergency Services
Available to everyone at no upfront cost regardless of insurance status. Emergency number: 112. Family doctor counseling line: 1220 (English available 3–5pm daily).
Pharmacies
- Overview
- Pharmacies widely available throughout Tallinn. Medicines sold by qualified pharmacists; some over-the-counter sales permitted for non-prescription essentials. Prescriptions filled electronically via national system.
- Note
- Pricing varies by medication type. EHIF subsidizes 50–90% of eligible prescription drugs depending on class.
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.
More About Tallinn
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.