Ambulance, 112, and Out-of-Hours Doctor in Rome: Which Number to Call and When

In a nutshell

In Rome and across Lazio, the number you call depends on how serious the situation is. 112 is for genuine emergencies. The Guardia Medica (the out-of-hours GP service run by your local health authority) handles medical problems that aren't urgent and arise when your regular doctor is unavailable. All calls are free — even from a phone with no credit or no SIM card. Ambulance call-outs via 118 cost you nothing.

At a glance

Cost	112/118 calls and ambulance attendance are completely free. Guardia Medica visit is free for everyone registered with the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale — Italy's national health service) and for undocumented foreigners holding an STP (temporary foreigner's code for healthcare).
Response times	112/118 operator answers within 20 seconds. Ambulance target: 8 minutes in the city, 20 minutes outside the city for a red (life-threatening) code. Out-of-hours doctor visit: within 2–4 hours of your call.
Where in Rome	ARES 118 Lazio (the regional emergency medical service); Guardia Medica clinics in each district of Rome's 6 ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale — your local public-health authority) areas
Documents	None needed to make the call. When the ambulance crew arrives, show your ID, Tessera Sanitaria (Italian health-insurance card), and a list of any medications you take — if you have them to hand.

Which number to call

Situation	Number	When
Life-threatening emergency (heart attack, stroke, accident, breathing difficulties)	112 or 118	24/7, immediately
Non-urgent medical problem at night, weekend, or public holiday	Guardia Medica at your local ASL	Weeknights 20:00–08:00; Sat 10:00 – Mon 08:00; public holidays 24 hours
Non-urgent problem during normal working hours	Your regular GP	Mon–Fri during surgery hours
Suspected poisoning	112/118 → Centro Antiveleni Policlinico Umberto I: 06 49978000	24/7

How 112 and 118 work

112 is the European Emergency Number. It works from any phone — landline or mobile — even with no credit and even without a SIM card, anywhere in Europe. In Lazio it has been active since 2017 with a single emergency dispatch centre (CUR) in Rome that operates in Italian and English, with interpretation available in over 100 languages.

When you call 112, the CUR automatically locates you (via the AML system on mobile, or your registered address on a landline), assesses the type of emergency, and routes the call to the right service — 118 for medical emergencies, the Carabinieri, police, fire brigade, or others as needed.

118 has historically been Italy's dedicated number for medical emergencies and is managed by ARES 118 Lazio (the regional emergency medical service). In Rome, calls to 118 are answered by the same CUR as 112. Either number will get you the right response.

The operator doesn't just send an ambulance: they talk you through first-aid procedures — CPR, recovery position, Heimlich manoeuvre — while help is on the way.

The out-of-hours GP service (Guardia Medica)

The Guardia Medica, formally called Continuità Assistenziale, is the ASL service for non-urgent medical issues when your regular GP isn't available. Hours are the same across all of Lazio:

• Monday–Friday: 20:00 – 08:00 the following morning
• Saturday: from 10:00 Saturday to 08:00 Monday
• Sundays and public holidays: 24 hours
• Eve of public holidays: from 10:00

The Guardia Medica doctor can see you at the clinic or make a home visit if you can't move. They can prescribe emergency medication, issue sick-leave certificates covering weekends and public holidays, refer you for urgent tests, and decide to send you to A&E (Pronto Soccorso — Italian A&E / emergency room) if things turn out to be more serious than expected.

What they cannot do is renew prescriptions for chronic conditions or act as a substitute for your regular GP for ongoing treatment.

Guardia Medica numbers by ASL district in Rome

ASL Roma 1 — tel. 06 570 600 (24/7) Clinics: Via Luzzatti 8 (Termini) · Via di Sant'Alessandro 191 (Montesacro) · Via di Boccea 271 · Via degli Aldobrandeschi 274 · Via Sabotino 4

ASL Roma 2 — tel. 06 51008811 Clinics: Via dei Crispolti 142 (Tiburtino) · Via dell'Acqua Bullicante 4 (Prenestino) · Via Caltagirone 14 (Casilino) · Via Monza 2 (Tuscolano) · Via Beltramelli 30 (EUR)

ASL Roma 3 — tel. 06 56487 4170 Clinics: Via Forni 9, Ostia · Via Portuense 332 (Marconi) · Via Etruria 14 (Monteverde)

ASL Roma 4 (Civitavecchia and northern Lazio) — tel. 0766 1761000

ASL Roma 5 (Tivoli, Guidonia, Monterotondo) — tel. 0774 7011 · freephone 800 098 543

ASL Roma 6 (Albano, Anzio, Pomezia, Velletri, Frascati) — tel. 06 9327 3801 · freephone 800 661 600

What to do in an emergency: step by step

1. Call 112 (or 118).
2. Stay on the line and stay calm — don't hang up until the operator tells you to.
3. Give: where you are (street address, house number, floor, any landmarks), what happened, how many people are involved, whether the person is conscious and breathing.
4. Follow the operator's instructions — they may guide you through lifesaving procedures while the ambulance is en route.
5. Keep the line free after the call — the operator may call you back.
6. If possible, go down to meet the ambulance, switch on lights, or give a visible signal.
7. Unlock the building entrance in advance.

Deaf or speech-impaired? The apps "Where ARE U" and "Flag My Way" let you text the 112 centre without speaking. Both are free on iOS and Android.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Calling 112 for a non-emergency (sore throat, cold, expired prescription). Tying up the emergency line delays help for people who genuinely need it. Use the Guardia Medica or your regular GP for those cases.
2. Hanging up before the operator tells you to. The operator needs to stay on the line to guide you and to brief the arriving crew. Switching off your phone after the call is also a mistake — they may need to call you back.
3. Calling — or being talked into calling — a private ambulance for a genuine emergency. The 118 service is public, free, and fully equipped. Private ambulances can cost hundreds of euros and don't always carry the staff or equipment needed for serious emergencies.

Special cases

You are undocumented: 112 and 118 work for you too, free of charge. No paramedic will report you to the police (Questura — police headquarters) because of your immigration status. At the hospital, if needed, staff will issue you an STP code to enable ongoing care.

You are a tourist: 112 works across Europe. If you are an EU citizen with a TEAM card (European Health Insurance Card), you are entitled to the same care as Italian residents. If you are non-EU, emergency care will not be refused, but you may receive a bill if you don't have travel insurance.

Pregnant and in labour: Call 112 or 118. An ambulance will come and take you to the obstetric A&E. Even without documents, maternity care is guaranteed free of charge.

Suspected drug overdose: Call 112. There is no automatic reporting to the police when someone calls for help during an overdose — the clinical priority comes first.

Mental health crisis or risk of suicide: Call 112 for an immediate emergency. Support lines: Telefono Amico 02 2327 2327 (24/7, national), Samaritans Roma 06 7745 4444.

Suspected poisoning: Call 112 or 118, who will connect you to the Poison Control Centre at Policlinico Umberto I: 06 49978000 (24/7). Also available at Gemelli hospital: 06 305 4343.

Official sources

• NUE 112 — Ministry of the Interior
• 118 Roma — ARES
• ARES 118 Lazio
• Salute Lazio — official health portal
• Regione Lazio — Health
• Ministry of Health — Emergency and urgent care
• Ministry of Health — 116 117 Out-of-hours GP
• ASL Roma 1 · ASL Roma 2 · ASL Roma 3
• ASL Roma 4 · ASL Roma 5 · ASL Roma 6
• App "Where ARE U" 112

Legal references: DPR 27/3/1992 (118 emergency medical system), Decisione UE 91/396/CEE (NUE 112), DLgs 134/2014 (adoption of NUE 112 in Italy), DPCM 13/3/2017 (guidelines for 116 117 out-of-hours GP), DM 70/2015, DCA Lazio U00257/2014, DLgs 286/1998 art. 35, Costituzione art. 32.