Emergencies in Venice

Good to Know

• Save 112 as your default emergency contact in Italy — it works free on any phone, even with no SIM card or credit, and operators can route you to police, fire, or medical help and often speak English.
• Because Venice's historic center is crossed by canals, the Coast Guard/maritime line (1530) is worth knowing in addition to 112 — for anything involving the water (falls into canals, boat incidents), either number will get you help.
• Downloading the 'Where ARE U' app before you need it is useful for solo nomads: it can silently alert 112 and send your GPS location even if you can't speak during the call.
• Venice's historic center has only one full hospital — Ospedale SS. Giovanni e Paolo — so in a genuine emergency you may be moved by water ambulance rather than road ambulance; expect this to take longer than a mainland emergency response.
• For serious trauma (major accidents, etc.), patients are often stabilized at SS. Giovanni e Paolo and then transferred to Ospedale dell'Angelo in Mestre, which is the region's dedicated trauma center — so 'nearest hospital' and 'best hospital for major trauma' are not always the same building here.
• Dial 112 (EU-wide emergency number) or 118 (Italian medical emergency/SUEM) for ambulance dispatch.
• EU/EEA visitors with a valid EHIC or UK GHIC can access public ER care under reciprocal arrangements; non-EU visitors without Italian coverage should expect to be billed directly for ER treatment, so travel insurance is strongly advised.
• Two small walk-in first-aid points (not full ERs) operate in Piazza San Marco and Piazzale Roma for minor issues; these are useful for simple triage but will refer anything serious to SS. Giovanni e Paolo.