How Does Emergency Numbers Work in Peru?
Last verified: 2025-06 · Americas
1The Quick Answer
Call 105 for police, 117 for ambulance, 116 for fire, and the free iPeru tourist helpline on 0800-11-0000 for tourist-specific assistance.
2What You Need to Know
The National Police (PNP) emergency line is 105 and they have a tourist police unit (Policía de Turismo) in major cities including Lima, Cusco, and Arequipa. The ambulance service (SAMU) is reached on 117, though response times outside Lima can be slow. iPeru (0800-11-0000, toll-free) is specifically for tourists and has English-speaking operators who can assist with emergencies, complaints, and information 24 hours a day. In serious medical situations in remote areas, your travel insurance emergency line will often be faster than the national ambulance service.
3Practical Tips
Practical Tips
- 1Save the iPeru number (0800-11-0000) in your phone before you travel — they speak English and are specifically trained to help tourists in distress.
- 2In Cusco and Lima, Tourist Police offices are located in the historic centres and can take crime reports in English for insurance purposes.
- 3Your country's embassy in Lima is another emergency contact — save their after-hours number; most maintain 24-hour emergency lines for nationals.
How does this compare?
Emergency Numbers rules in nearby and similar countries:
Call 911 for all emergencies nationwide; dial 078 for the tourist assistance hotline.
Police (Polícia Militar): 190; ambulance (SAMU): 192; fire brigade (Bombeiros): 193; Federal Police: 197.
Call 911 for all emergencies — police, fire, and ambulance — anywhere in Canada.
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