How to dial a phone number in Chile? What are the emergency numbers?

Dialing a landline number, Calling a cell phone number

Phones numbers in Chile

A Chilean number contains 9 digits:

• If it is a mobile, it starts with 9 followed by 8 digits
• If it is a landline phone in Santiago, it starts with 2 followed by 8 digits
• If it is a landline phone outside Santiago, it starts with the 2-digit area code, followed by 7 digits

See area codes here

Dial a number

From any mobile phone/landline phone, you dial the 9 digits. It looks like simple, but before 2016. You could sometimes use only 8 digits, sometimes you had to add a 0, a 2, and 0 then a 2….

If you call from a phone outside Chile, you need to add +56 in front of the 9 digits.

Emergency numbers

You can call these numbers for free from any phone.

The 3 numbers to have in mind. They all start with 13:

• Emergency services: 131
• Firemen: 132
• Police: 133 (emergency number)/911 works too

It looks like complicated, but there is actually a very simple way to remember them if you speak a little of Spanish:

• “Emergency services” translate to “Ambulancia” in Spanish. It starts with letter A, the first letter of alphabet, so it’s 13 followed by 1: 131.
• “Firemen” translate to “Bomberos” in Spanish. It starts with letter B, so it’s 13 followed by 2: 132.
• “Police” translates to “Carabineros” in Spanish. It starts with letter C, so it’s 133.

For the next numbers (134, 135, 136…), no mnemonic method unfortunately.

Let’s mention a few others, in case you need them:

• 130: CONAF (National forestry office) - forest fires
• 134: PDI
• 135: Police - drugs
• 136: Mountain rescue services
• 137: Marine rescue services
• 139: Police - information number
• 147: Police - information number for children
• 149: Police - information number for domestic violence

Customer service numbers

Most larges companies have dedicated customer service numbers. For example you can join Correos de Chile dialing 600 95 20 20

These free numbers do not respect the above-mentioned norm. And you need to know that they only work on landline phone. You cannot use them from a mobile phone.

Usually, a quick look at the company website should allow you to find another number, to be used from mobile phones.