How to Tirol

• Avalanche Warning Service
• Severe Weather Warning Service
• Warnings from public authorities such as the mountain rescue service, the Alpine Club or the Alpine police

Hiking and mountaineering in Tirol are very safe provided you are well prepared. The Hiking Trails are clearly signposted and are regularly maintained. Sudden changes in the weather in the mountains pose a greater risk – particularly if you are not adequately prepared for them. Thorough route planning, including checking weather forecasts, identifying alternative descent routes and Shelters & Refuge Huts, as well as ensuring you have all the necessary equipment for sudden changes in the weather, is therefore essential. 

• Police: 133
• Ambulance: 144
• Fire brigade: 122
• Mountain rescue: 140
• European emergency number: 112
• Emergency app: SOS EU ALP

You can – and should – call the mountain rescue service if you or others find yourselves in a serious emergency situation in alpine terrain and are no longer able to help yourselves. Examples of
genuine emergencies include: 

• Injuries (e.g. broken bones, falls, head injuries)
• Disorientation (e.g. in fog, at nightfall)
• Acute health problems (e.g. heart problems, exhaustion)
• Avalanche accident
• Falling into a crevasse
• Being stranded in terrain where there is a risk of falling
• Severe weather making the return journey impossible

Mountain rescue services are not, however, intended for minor injuries that you can treat yourself or descend from, nor as a way out of poor planning in the absence of a genuine emergency (e.g. ‘I’m tired’ or ‘The bus has stopped running’). Incidentally, in such cases, your insurance will not cover the costs either, and you will have to bear the costs of the operation yourself. 

A mountain rescue operation is intended for emergencies only and is subject to a charge. The cost of a mountain rescue operation is not covered by the state or health insurance. The person concerned must pay the cost themselves or must have additional cover, for example through the Alpine Club or other means. However, if the operation is deemed to be unjustified, even this insurance may refuse to cover the costs.