Netherlands Emergency Numbers 2026: 112, ANWB, Kustwacht

Emergency numbers overview

The Netherlands operates a modern, well-integrated emergency response system. All emergency services connect through a single national dispatch centre (meldkamer) via 112, which is free from any phone including phones without a SIM card, and works with AML (Advanced Mobile Location) for automatic GPS location sharing.

Beyond 112, several specialised numbers cover recurring situations that a foreign visitor may encounter:

All emergency numbers work 24/7, free from mobile networks, and operators respond within 30 seconds. English proficiency is universal at 112, ANWB, and Kustwacht.

112: the general emergency number

112 is Europe’s shared emergency number. In the Netherlands, calling 112 routes automatically to the closest of the three national meldkamers (Zwolle, Driebergen, Haarlem). The operator asks:

1. What emergency service do you need? (Police / fire / ambulance)
2. Where are you? (AML sends GPS automatically; verbal address is a backup)
3. What has happened?
4. Are there injuries?
5. Your name and phone number for follow-up

Speak clearly and calmly. In English, French, or German you will be routed to a bilingual operator within seconds. Do not hang up until the operator confirms it is OK: they may need to give you first-aid instructions or coordinate with your location.

False emergency calls (jokes, misdials with knowing false info) are prosecuted with €250-1,500 fines and possible criminal charges. Test calls from a new phone are permitted but should be brief.

0900-8844: non-emergency police

For non-urgent police contact, use 0900-8844. This is the national politie meldkamer for non-emergencies:

• Reporting a car break-in you discover the next morning
• Filing a witness statement after an incident
• Asking about parking regulations in your area
• Requesting a police report for insurance
• Non-urgent noise complaints
• Missing property reports

Cost: 30 cent per minute from Dutch landlines. Mobile rates apply from mobiles.

The line is often labelled “Geen spoed, wel politie” (No rush, but police needed). Response is typically within 60 seconds. For anything requiring an officer to arrive quickly, use 112 instead.

ANWB Wegenwacht: 088-269 2888

The Royal Dutch Touring Club (Koninklijke Nederlandse Toeristenbond ANWB) operates Wegenwacht, the national roadside assistance service, since 1946. Call 088-269 2888, available 24/7 across the entire country.

Services covered:

• Roadside repair (start, battery, tyre change, fuel delivery)
• Recovery towing to nearest garage or your home
• Locked-out assistance (keys in car, keys lost)
• Fuel delivery for wrong-fuel and out-of-fuel situations
• Winter starter assistance
• Weekend and holiday coverage identical to weekdays

Costs:

• ANWB Members: free
• Members of partner clubs (ADAC, ÖAMTC, AA, RAC, AAA, Australian Auto Club, PZM Polish Auto Club): free by international AIT/FIA agreement
• Non-members / non-partners: €79-149 for the call plus €2-4 per km towing beyond 25 km

To confirm your club’s partnership: check with your membership card. For non-members, ANWB accepts card payment at the roadside.

Response times: typically 30-45 minutes on motorways, 45-90 minutes on rural roads and city streets. In the case of major storms or severe weather (Code Rood), delays are longer but ANWB prioritises safety cases.

Wegenwacht personnel wear yellow-and-black uniforms and drive marked yellow ANWB vans (bekende geel-zwarte auto). They speak fluent English and often German.

Kustwacht (Coastguard): 0900-0111

The Kustwacht Nederland operates from the maritime centre in Den Helder and coordinates all maritime rescue on:

• North Sea (Dutch waters + Search & Rescue zone)
• IJsselmeer (largest inland lake)
• Markermeer, Ketelmeer, Zwarte Meer
• Waddenzee (UNESCO area with tidal shoals)
• Grevelingenmeer, Volkerak, Zoommeer (Zeeland delta lakes)
• Nieuwe Waterweg and Rotterdam harbour

Rescue partners under Kustwacht coordination:

• KNRM (Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution): 46 lifeboat stations, all-volunteer, 24/7
• Reddingsbrigade Nederland: beach lifeguards from May to October
• Rijkspolitie Waddenzee: coastal police
• **Armed forces**: the Kustwacht can request helicopter support from the armed forces, whose NH90 is operated by the Royal Netherlands Air Force and based at Den Helder

Waddenzee tidal emergencies: stranded walkers on a sandbank as tide rises call 112 or 0900-0111. Response time typically under 20 minutes to nearest sandbank.

KNMI weather line: 0900-0322

KNMI (Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute) operates a recorded weather forecast line at 0900-0322 (30 cent per minute). Options in the recorded menu:

• Nation-wide forecast next 24 hours
• Regional forecast by province
• Storm/high-wind warnings (Code Geel/Oranje/Rood)
• Ice warnings on inland waterways
• Beach weather (for coastal recreation)
• Ship weather (for shipping routes)

Alternatively free online at knmi.nl or via the KNMI app (iOS + Android). Weather warnings are also published on RWS matrix boards along motorways during severe events.

Code Rood warnings can close large bridges (Zeelandbrug, Prins Willem-Alexander) for camper vans, trucks, and motorcycles. Monitor the KNMI app or ANWB app for road closures.

Rijkswaterstaat: 0800-8002

The road-infrastructure hotline. Report:

• Road surface damage (potholes, spalling, ice patches)
• Traffic light malfunction
• Tunnel emergency phone (via matrix board pointer to nearest tunnel emergency point)
• Bridge stuck open
• Sign vandalism
• Guard-rail damage

The number is toll-free. Rijkswaterstaat dispatches maintenance crews or contractors typically within 2-4 hours for major hazards. For imminent danger (car through a barrier, wildlife on the road), call 112 for police coordination.

Foreign embassies in The Hague

Ambassade / Consulaat contact for the largest visiting nationalities:

• Duitsland (Germany): Groot Hertoginnelaan 18-20 The Hague, +31-70-342-0600
• Belgium: Alexanderveld 5 The Hague, +31-70-312-3456
• France: Smidsplein 1 The Hague, +31-70-312-5800
• United Kingdom: Lange Voorhout 10 The Hague, +31-70-427-0427
• United States: John Adams Park 1 Wassenaar, +31-70-310-2209
• Poland: Alexanderstraat 25 The Hague, +31-70-799-0100
• Spain: Lange Voorhout 50 The Hague, +31-70-302-4900
• Italy: Alexanderstraat 12 The Hague, +31-70-302-1030
• Canada: Sophialaan 7 The Hague, +31-70-311-1600
• Australia: Carnegielaan 4 The Hague, +31-70-310-8200

Most embassies operate an out-of-hours emergency hotline that handles: lost/stolen passport, arrest, hospital admission of a national, death of a national abroad. Contact your embassy immediately after any of these situations.

Mental health and crisis lines

Beyond immediate physical emergency, several lines handle mental health and social crisis:

• 113 Zelfmoordpreventie: suicide prevention, 24/7, free from any phone
• De Luisterlijn: 088-076-7000, mental health listening service
• Kindertelefoon: 0800-0432, children in distress, ages 8-18
• Slachtofferhulp Nederland: 0800-2000, victim support after crime or accident
• Meldpunt Ouderenmishandeling: 020-528-5566, elder abuse reporting

For visitors experiencing acute mental health crisis, 113 operators can help direct to English-language mental health services. For less acute situations, De Luisterlijn is a free listening service in Dutch with limited English.

Practical tips for foreign drivers

Eight recommendations for a smooth emergency experience:

1. Save 112 as a shortcut on your phone. Also save 088-269 2888 (Wegenwacht) and 0900-8844 (police non-emergency) as favourites
2. 112 works with no SIM, no credit, and no network coverage in some cases (any GSM network will accept the call)
3. Speak English calmly: all Dutch emergency operators speak fluent English. State the emergency, your location, your name
4. AML shares your GPS automatically: you do not need to know the exact address for 112 calls
5. Wear your seatbelt if pulled over: police checks often follow traffic incidents. Non-compliance triggers €190 fine on top (ANWB 2026)
6. ANWB Wegenwacht arrives within 30-90 minutes: patience is fine. Move to the shoulder, put on hazard lights, get out of the car if the shoulder is safe
7. KNMI code oranje/rood alerts can close roads. Follow the ANWB app or NL-Alert push notifications
8. Consulate for passport loss: report to police first (0900-8844), then contact your embassy for emergency travel documents