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Save these numbers in your phone now, before you need them.
Emergency numbers
- 144: ambulance
- 117: police
- 118: fire service
- 112: European emergency number. It connects to the police and works with foreign SIM cards and prepaid cards with no credit.
- 145: poison control
- 143: “Helping Hand” listening and counselling line
- 147: Pro Juventute helpline for children and young people
Finding a family doctor
Start looking for a family doctor soon after you arrive, rather than waiting until you are unwell. doctorfmh.ch is the official list of doctors in Switzerland, with more than 40,000 entries, and you can search it by location and speciality. Check your health insurance policy too: some cheaper models require you to see your family doctor, or call a telemedicine line, before seeing a specialist.
When it is not a life-threatening emergency
- Your family doctor is the first point of contact. It is worth finding one soon after you arrive.
- The on-call doctors’ line (Centrale téléphonique des médecins de garde): 0848 133 133, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The canton recommends calling it if you have no family doctor, if you are calling about a child or young person under 16, and before going to an emergency department.
- Pharmacies: most pharmacies in Vaud offer advice without an appointment for people aged 16 and over. A longer consultation may cost from CHF 20, paid on the spot and not covered by health insurance. You are told in advance.
In a life-threatening emergency, call 144 or go straight to an emergency department.
Related guides
- Health insurance: compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland.
Official sources
- Find a doctor (doctorfmh.ch)
- Emergencies and danger (ch.ch)
- Resources to limit waiting at emergency departments (State of Vaud, 4 November 2025)
Last checked: 12 November 2026. This is general information only. Please check the official sources above before you act.