In Makkah and Madinah, call 911 for the unified emergency service. Keep the specialist numbers too: police 999, ambulance 997, civil defence 998, traffic 993 and Ministry of Health assistance 937. Save your own country’s official consular contact details before travelling.

In Makkah and Madinah, call 911 for the unified emergency service. Keep the specialist numbers too: police 999, ambulance 997, civil defence 998, traffic 993 and Ministry of Health assistance 937. Save your own country’s official consular contact details before travelling.

Numbers to save

• 911: unified emergencies, including the Makkah and Madinah regions.
• 999: police.
• 997: ambulance / Saudi Red Crescent.
• 998: civil defence, including fire and rescue.
• 993: traffic incidents.
• 937: Saudi Ministry of Health enquiries and assistance.

These are Saudi local short numbers, not international embassy numbers. In immediate danger, call local emergency services first. A social-media group, hotel receptionist or consulate cannot replace the emergency response.

What to say during the call

Start with your location: city, hotel, entrance, floor, road or visible landmark. Then explain what has happened, how many people are involved, their condition, any ongoing danger and your callback number. If you do not speak Arabic, use short English sentences and ask an official for help without handing over unrestricted access to your phone.

Share your location with a trusted companion and keep the line available. Follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Avoid moving an injured person unless there is immediate danger. Knowing the Arabic hotel address and the mosque gate number can save time.

911 or a specialist number?

The unified 911 centres coordinate emergency responses in the regions they cover. Saudi Press Agency reporting includes Madinah alongside Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Region. Use a specialist number when the service you need is clear; if several risks are involved or you cannot reach the relevant service, call 911.

Do not assume that a number works in Saudi Arabia simply because it is familiar in Europe or North America. Keep the Saudi numbers in this guide with your hotel details.

When to contact your consulate

A consulate may assist its nationals after passport loss, arrest, death, a serious accident or a crisis. It is not a substitute for police, an ambulance or travel insurance, and does not automatically pay private expenses. Contact emergency services first if someone’s life or safety is at risk.

• British nationals: use the British Embassy Riyadh contact page.
• Canadian citizens: locate the relevant office through Canada’s official consular directory.
• US citizens: use Department of State help abroad.
• EU citizens: contact your own country’s representation first; EU consular-protection guidance explains assistance when your country is unrepresented.

Other European nationals should use their own foreign ministry’s contacts. Residence or departure from one of these countries does not, by itself, confer its citizenship or passport services. Recheck current contact details before departure; crisis numbers can change.

Prepare assistance before departure

Use the alert or travel-registration service appropriate to your nationality: Registration of Canadians Abroad for Canadians, STEP for eligible US travellers, and official foreign-ministry alerts for UK and European travellers. These services do not replace insurance or guarantee immediate rescue.

Label contacts clearly, print an emergency card and share it with the group. Include the insurer, policy number, relevant medical contact, allergies and person to notify. Older relatives and children should carry the hotel name and two contact numbers. Keep sensitive medical details private rather than displaying them openly.

If your phone is lost or has no connection

Keep numbers on paper and on a second traveller’s phone. Emergency calling still depends on an available compatible network and device; do not rely on an unverified promise that a SIM-free call will always work. If your own call fails, ask security staff, a shop or your hotel to call immediately.

For a missing phone or documents, follow the lost-property guide for Makkah and Madinah. A paper contact card is useful precisely because it does not depend on your missing or discharged phone.

Beware of fake contact numbers

Do not trust a number appearing only in a comment or forwarded image. Verify it on a Saudi government site or your country’s diplomatic website. Do not transfer money to an unknown caller claiming payment is needed to dispatch emergency help. If a payment request appears suspicious, confirm it independently through an official channel. Keep legitimate medical billing and insurance authorisation separate from contacting emergency responders.

Frequently asked questions

Does 911 cover Madinah?

Yes. Saudi Press Agency reporting includes Madinah among the regions served by the unified 911 emergency centres.

Which number should I call for a medical emergency?

Call 997 for an ambulance or 911 for the unified emergency service in covered areas. The Ministry of Health’s 937 service provides health enquiries and assistance; do not delay urgent ambulance care.

Will the consulate pay hospital or return-travel costs?

Consular staff can offer assistance within their remit, but consular help is not travel insurance and does not automatically cover private medical or travel bills.

Sources

• Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission — National Numbering Plan — Official allocations of emergency short numbers.
• Saudi Press Agency — Unified Security Operations Centres — 911 coverage including Makkah and Madinah.
• GOV.UK — Saudi Arabia: getting help — Local emergencies and British consular assistance.
• Saudi Ministry of Health — 937 services — Health enquiries and assistance.
• GOV.UK — British Embassy Riyadh — Current official consular contact route.
• Government of Canada — Embassies and consulates — Directory of offices and current contact details.
• US Department of State — Help abroad — Consular assistance and emergency contacts.
• Your Europe — Consular protection outside the EU — Help for EU citizens, including unrepresented citizens.
• Government of Canada — Registration of Canadians Abroad — Travel registration and emergency notifications.
• US Department of State — STEP — Official travel enrolment service.