Home > Need to know > Essentials > What to do in an emergency
Pharmacy sign lit up at night over Muelle Uno Malaga

What to do in an emergency

Updated September 2026

Even on the best planned holiday things can go wrong because, well, stuff happens. This section covers what to do in an emergency in Malaga.

It covers medical help, reporting crimes and consular help. If in doubt, call 112 — it covers all emergencies and has English-speaking operators.

Bookmark this page and save for your holiday in Malaga

Medical help

If you need medical assistance while you’re in Malaga you have several options. Note that for all of them you will need to show proof of insurance.

This might be a European Health Insurance Card for EEA nationals or a health/travel  insurance policy valid in Spain.

If you cannot provide one of the above, you will have to pay for your treatment.

Urgent and requiring an ambulance

Call the general emergency service (112) or ambulance service (061).

Urgent but don’t need an ambulance

You can go to a public health service hospital or a private clinic.

We’ve included information on how to get there on public transport but your best bet will be to get a taxi.

Public health service hospitals in Malaga

There are no public health services in or near Malaga city centre but three are nearby and the fourth is a short journey away.

  • Hospital Civil – 24-hour emergency services. Located in Plaza del Hospital, to the north of the old quarter.
    Get there on public transport using buses 2, 7, 17 or 20 from the Alameda Principal (10 minute journey).
  • Hospital Materno-Infantil – 24-hour children’s and maternity hospital so visit this one if your child needs medical attention or you’re pregnant and need to see a doctor. Avda Arroyo de los Angeles, also to the north of the old quarter.
    Get there on public transport using buses 7 or 17 from the Alameda Principal (12 minute journey).
  • Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga – 24-hour emergency services and one of the biggest hospitals in the city. Located in Avda del Obispo Herrera Oria, to the north-west of the old quarter.
    Get there on public transport using buses 8, 21, 23, 31 or 38 from the Alameda Principal (20 minute journey).
  • Hospital Universitario Virgen de la Victoria (known locally as the Hospital Clínico)- 24-hour emergency services and one of the largest hospitals in Malaga. Located in Teatinos to the west of the old quarter.
    Get there on public transport using Line 1 of the Metro (get off at Clínico; 19 minute journey) or buses 11 or 25 (23 minute journey).

Private clinics in Malaga

  • Hospital Dr Gálvez – 24-hour emergency services, next to the Cathedral in Calle San Agustín. Walkable if you’re in the city centre.
  • Hospital Vithas, Parque San Antonio – 24-hour emergency services, Avda del Pintor Sorolla 2 in El Limonar. Buses 3 and 11 from the Alameda Principal stop outside (15 minute journey).
  • Hospital Quirón – 24-hour emergency services, Avda Imperio Argentina 1 (Palacio de los Deportes metro station on Line 2), on the far west side of the city (15 minute journey).

24-hour chemists

There’s just one 24-hour chemist in Malaga city centre:

Farmacia Caffarena, Alameda Principal on the corner with Calle Larios.

However, there are always duty chemists, open 24 hours every day. All chemists display a list in their window. Check the list and head for the chemist open that day or ask a taxi driver to take you to the nearest.

Emergency numbers (all free)

  • General emergency number – 112
  • Ambulance service – 061
  • Local police – 092
  • National police – 091
  • Fire service – 080
  • Sea rescue – 900 202 202

💊 What to do if you lose or run out of medication in Malaga

  1. 1 Contact your doctor at home. Ask them to email your prescription details or a summary of your condition — you’ll need this to get help locally.
  2. 2 Go to a pharmacy first. Show the pharmacist your empty container, a photo of the label, or a digital copy of your prescription. Use the generic (chemical) name of your medication, not the brand name — it may be sold under a different name in Spain. The pharmacist can advise whether an emergency supply is possible or direct you to a clinic.
  3. 3 See a local doctor if a prescription is needed. Most pharmacies cannot dispense prescription medication without a local prescription. Go to any private clinic or public hospital emergency department (see map above for locations).
  4. 4 If your medication was stolen, file a police report. You’ll need this for your travel insurance claim — see the crime reporting section below.
  5. 5 Call your travel insurer. Check your coverage for medical consultations and replacement costs, and keep every receipt — pharmacy invoices, doctor’s fees and police reports — for your claim when you get home.

Reporting a crime

If you’re unlucky enough to be a victim of a crime in Malaga take the following steps:

Personal injury

Call the ambulance service (061) or general emergency (112) and the police (091 or 092). Expect the police to take a statement from you.

No personal injury

To report the crime you have four options:

  • Visit the police stand at the tourist office in Plaza de la Marina (daily 9am-7pm). Outside these hours, visit a police station (see map below).
  • Phone 902 102 112 (English-speaking service daily 9am-9pm).
  • Alertcops App – download the app onto your smart phone and register. When you need to report a crime, open the app and press the chat icon. More information here.
  • Fill in the online form (form is in Spanish only). You must designate a police station in the form and go there to sign your statement within 72 hours of filing it online.

🛂 What to do if your passport is lost or stolen

  1. 1 Report the loss or theft to the Spanish national police. Go in person to a Comisaría (see the map below) or fill in the online form.
  2. 2 Check if your airline will accept the police report instead of your passport and allow you to fly home.
  3. 3 If your airline doesn’t accept the report, apply for an emergency travel document at your nearest consulate. You will need to provide two passport photos, proof of ID, proof of your flight home, and the police report.
  4. 4 If the emergency travel document isn’t ready immediately — most take a few days — consider changing your flight.

Consulates in Malaga

You may need to contact your consulate for a number of reasons – loss of passport, lack of funds, bereavement or a general emergency in Malaga. Office hours are generally 9am to 2pm Monday to Friday.

Note that if necessary, the 112 Emergency Services can contact your consulate for you.

Bear in mind that consulates close on public holidays in Malaga and on public holidays in their home country.

  • Austria – Alameda de Colón 26, 2nd floor, 646 060 972
  • Canada – Plaza de la Malagueta 2, 1st floor, 952 223 346
  • Denmark – Calle Córdoba 6, 404, 952 211 797
  • Finland – Calle Córdoba 6, 4th floor, 401, 952 212 435
  • Germany – Calle Mauricio Moro Pareto 2, 5th floor, 952 363 958
  • Italy – Alameda Principal, 35, 1st floor, 952 365 593
  • Portugal – Calle Cañizares 15, 952 347 677
  • Sweden – Calle Córdoba 6, Local 501, 952 604 383
  • UK – Calle Mauricio Moro Pareto 2, Edif Eurocom, Bloque Sur, 2nd floor, 952 352 300

Countries with consular offices outside Malaga

Consular offices in Fuengirola

Ireland – Avda de los Boliches 15, Fuengirola, 952 475 108
Norway Avda de los Boliches 60, Fuengirola, 952 667 955
US – Avda Juan Gómez Juanito 8, 1C, Fuengirola, 952 474 891

How to get to Fuengirola from Malaga on public transport

The quickest and easiest way is by train (cercanías) from central Malaga. There are two stations – one (Malaga Centro-Alameda) on the south side of the main river bridge, in front of CAC Malaga and the other (Malaga Maria Zambrano) at the mainline train station. Trains leave every 20 minutes and the journey takes 45 minutes.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GETTING AROUND MALAGA

The Netherlands Consulate

The Dutch consulate is located in Torremolinos. Get here on the train (cercanías) from central Malaga. There are two stations – one (Malaga Centro-Alameda) on the south side of the main river bridge, in front of CAC Malaga and the other (Malaga Maria Zambrano) at the mainline train station. Trains leave every 20 minutes and the journey takes 22 minutes.
Avda Palma de Mallorca 57, Torremolinos, 952 380 888

The Belgium Consulate

The Belgium consulate is in central Marbella. Get here by bus from Malaga bus station. There are direct services between Marbella and Malaga at least every 90 minutes and the journey takes 45 minutes. Once you arrive at Marbella bus station you need to walk into the city centre (about 15 minutes) or take a taxi.

Avda Ricardo Soriano 20, 3C, Marbella, 951 516 019

We hope you never need any of this. If you do, the most important thing to remember is that Spain’s emergency services are excellent and English-speaking help is usually available — call 112 first and explain what you need. Everything else on this page can wait until you’re in safe hands.

Keep these numbers somewhere accessible — not just on your phone:

  • General emergency: 112
  • Ambulance: 061
  • English-speaking police line: 902 102 112 (9am–9pm)