1813, 112, emergency room or GP — which one do you need?
Denmark routes urgent healthcare through phone lines, and it works brilliantly once you know the system: 112 for life-threatening emergencies, 1813 for everything urgent in the Copenhagen region — always call before showing up at a hospital — and a GP for the rest.
Not urgent — just ill?
For everything a GP handles, book a same-day time instead of waiting in an emergency queue.
Book an appointment →Pay by card in the clinic after your visit — no prepayment.
112 — the emergency number
Ambulance, police, fire. Call it for chest pain, signs of stroke, severe breathing difficulty, major bleeding, serious accidents or unconsciousness. Operators speak English, and calls are free from any phone.
1813 — the medical helpline that runs Copenhagen
1813 is the Capital Region’s medical helpline, staffed by nurses and doctors around the clock. Call it for urgent illness or injury that cannot wait — a child with high fever, a cut that may need stitches, severe vomiting. They assess you in English, tell you what to do, and if you need an emergency room they book you an arrival time at the right one, so you are expected instead of waiting for hours.
This is the part visitors miss: Copenhagen emergency rooms expect you to call 1813 first. Walking in unannounced with a non-critical problem means a long wait at the back of the queue.
What it costs as a visitor
Emergency treatment is provided to everyone. EU/EEA visitors with an EHIC card are covered for medically necessary public care; visitors from outside the EU may be billed afterwards — which is what travel insurance is for.
And when neither applies
Sore throat, urinary symptoms, rashes, prescriptions, certificates — the things a GP handles — do not belong at 1813 or an emergency room. Book a same-day GP appointment instead: faster for you, and it keeps the urgent lines free.
Medical review and sources
Medically reviewed by Alexander Tetzlaff, MD, Specialist in General Medicine and doctor at YourGP — meet the team.
Published and last reviewed: 2 September 2026.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Does 1813 speak English?
Yes. State your location and the problem; they assess and direct you — including booking an ER arrival time if needed.
Can I just go straight to an emergency room?
If it is life-threatening, call 112. Otherwise call 1813 first — Copenhagen ERs work by assigned arrival times, and unannounced non-critical visits wait longest.
Is 1813 free to call?
Yes, the call itself is free. Treatment follows the usual rules — EHIC for EU visitors, travel insurance for others.
What if I am outside Copenhagen?
1813 covers the Capital Region. Elsewhere in Denmark, call the local out-of-hours doctor (lægevagt) — 112 is national and always works.
GP-level problem?
Book the first available time — most patients are seen the same or the next day.
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