Calling and riding in an ambulance (ambulancia) in Spain

Key rules

• Emergency number: Call 112 in an emergency and let the coordination centre decide what to send.
• Hospital choice: In a public ambulance the coordination centre picks the hospital, not you.
• Public cost: Emergency transport in the public system is free for patients in nearly all regions.
• Private ambulance: You or your insurer pay a private ambulance, so check your cover first.

Who sends an ambulance

In an emergency, call 112. A regional emergency coordination centre answers. Health care is run by each region, so the centre and its name depend on where you are. In some regions you can also reach it on 061.

Operators and a doctor at the centre judge how urgent your case is. They then send the right help: a basic ambulance, an advanced one with a doctor and nurse, or a helicopter. They also work with the hospitals, police and fire services.

You may see local names on the vehicle, such as SAMUR-Protección Civil in Madrid city, SUMMA 112 in the Madrid region, or SEM in Catalonia. They are all public services.

Can you choose the hospital?

No. When a public ambulance takes you, the emergency coordination centre chooses the hospital based on how serious the problem is and which specialty you need, not you. In practice that means the nearest suitable hospital in your health area, such as one with a stroke or heart unit.

A different hospital is only possible if the crew agrees it is medically safe. That is their decision, not your right. If you go by your own means or by private ambulance, you decide where you go.

When does it cost money?

Public ambulance: An emergency ambulance in the public system is free for patients in nearly all regions. Scheduled, non-urgent transport, such as to dialysis or rehabilitation, is also free when a doctor authorises it for medical reasons.

Some regions charge, or have considered charging, for transport with no medical reason. After traffic or work accidents, the bill may go to an insurer or another party. Visitors and people without public coverage are generally billed, often through their travel or health insurer. Check the rules with your regional health service.

Private ambulance: A private company or your private insurer's call centre sends it, not 112. People use them for planned transfers, moves between private hospitals, repatriations and event cover. You or your insurer pay. Local trips cost from tens to several hundreds of euros, depending on distance and type of ambulance. If your insurance covers the trip, you may pay nothing.

In a real emergency, still call 112 and let the public service decide who goes. Sometimes the public service sends a private firm under contract. You do not pay in that case.

The decision guide and the questions below help you choose between calling 112, booking a private ambulance and going by your own means.

Choosing between options

Should you call 112 for a public ambulance or arrange a private one?

• Call 112 for a public ambulance: Use this for any real emergency. It is free for you in nearly all regions, but the emergency coordination centre chooses the hospital, based on how serious the problem is and the specialty you need.

• Book a private ambulance: Use this for planned transfers, such as a move between private hospitals or a repatriation, or when your insurer covers it. You or your insurer pays, from tens to several hundreds of euros for local trips, and you can agree the destination with the company.

• Go by your own means: Use this for problems that are not life-threatening, when you want to choose the hospital yourself. You then pick the hospital, but you get no crew care on the way.

If it is a real emergency, call 112 and let the public service decide who goes and where. Choose a private ambulance only for planned transport, or when you have insurance to cover it.

Frequently asked questions

Who sends a private ambulance?

A private ambulance is sent by the private company itself or by your private insurer's call centre, not by the public 112 centre. In a real emergency, call 112 so the public service decides who goes. If your insurer covers the trip, you may pay nothing.

How much does a private ambulance cost?

A private ambulance costs from tens to several hundreds of euros for local trips, depending on distance and type of ambulance. You or your insurer pays. Ask the company for the price before you book a scheduled transfer.

Which number should I call to get an ambulance?

Call 112 and the call reaches your region's emergency coordination centre. In many regions you can also call the regional health number 061. Operators and a doctor assess the call and send basic or advanced life support, or a helicopter.