Bahrain Country Code +973
Bahrain is a small but strategically important island kingdom in the Gulf. For phone calls and messaging, the country is identified internationally by the country code +973. All standard Bahrain phone numbers are 8 digits long and have no area code, whether you are calling a bank in Manama, a refinery in Sitra or a family home in Riffa.
To reach Bahrain from overseas you dial your international access code (such as 00 or 011), then 973, then the 8-digit local number. From within Bahrain there is no trunk prefix: you simply dial the 8 digits. Knowing this pattern makes it much easier to handle calls around oil & gas, aviation, finance, logistics and expat life that rely on +973 numbers every day.
Standard format
+973 XXXX XXXX
Single country code for all of Bahrain – no separate city codes for Manama, Riffa or Muharraq.
Fixed vs mobile
1- / 3- / 66x- / 69x-
Most landlines start with 1… (often 17- for Manama); mobiles use 3… and some 66x/69x ranges.
Local time
UTC+3 (year-round)
Arabia Standard Time, no daylight saving – useful for recurring regional or trading-desk calls.
Overview – how +973 is used in Bahrain
Bahrain sits between Saudi Arabia and Qatar and is closely integrated into regional trade, aviation, banking and energy. Wherever you see a +973 number – on a tanker charter, bank relationship form, airline office, motor-racing team or expat apartment listing – it points to a line hosted in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The national numbering plan is closed and standardized: all standard numbers are 8 digits, and there are no area codes. Instead, the first few digits of the subscriber number indicate whether it is a landline, mobile, VoIP or special service. For example, traditional fixed lines in Manama often start with 17…, while mobiles use ranges starting with 3… and selected 66x/69x prefixes.
For callers outside Bahrain the pattern is straightforward: dial your country’s international prefix (commonly 00 or 011), then 973, then the 8 digits. From inside Bahrain you normally dial only the 8-digit number; there is no extra “0” to drop or add.
Who typically uses +973 phone numbers?
- Banks & financial services in Manama’s financial district, including relationship managers and trading desks coordinating with London, Dubai and Singapore.
- Oil, gas & industrial services based around refineries, aluminium smelters and logistics hubs handling port, aviation and causeway traffic.
- Government agencies & regulators (such as telecoms, transport and investment promotion bodies) issuing +973-17… contact numbers on official documents.
- Expat & local households who rely on +973 mobiles for WhatsApp, banking OTPs and two-factor authentication linked to Bahraini SIM cards.
When building address books or CRMs, storing numbers in normalized +973 XXXX XXXX format helps prevent duplicate entries and failed SMS or OTP delivery.
Bahrain phone number formats (+973)
E.164 pattern: +973-XXXX-XXXXA standard Bahrain phone number has 8 digits after the country code. There are no separate city codes; the first digit (and sometimes the first two or three) indicate the type of service and provider.
- • Country code: +973 (same for landline and mobile).
- • NSN length: always 8 digits for standard numbers.
- • Landlines: usually begin with 1…, often 17- for Manama and central areas.
- • Mobiles: start with 3… or specific 66x / 69x prefixes depending on operator.
- • Short codes: emergency and service lines (e.g. 999) have fewer digits and are dialled without +973.
Validation tip: for international web forms, require a country code + 8 digits; for local Bahraini forms, a simple 8-digit check is enough for basic validation.
Sample formats
Illustrative onlyTypical 17- landline used by financial, government or professional offices in the capital.
Mobile numbers share the same +973 code; first digits identify the network rather than a city.
800- style numbers can be configured as toll-free or special services, but may not be reachable for callers outside Bahrain.
How to dial Bahrain phone numbers
1. From the US or Canada
To call Bahrain from the US or Canada you use the North American exit code 011, followed by Bahrain’s country code and the 8-digit local number.
- Dial 011 – US/Canada international access code.
- Dial 973 – Bahrain’s country code.
- Dial the 8-digit local number (no extra 0).
Example: 011 973 17 123 456 – New York → Manama landline.
2. From the UK & most of Europe
In many European countries the international prefix is 00. The rest of the pattern is the same.
- Dial 00 – international access code from the UK / EU.
- Dial 973 – Bahrain country code.
- Dial the 8-digit local number.
Example: 00 973 39 456 789 – London → Bahrain mobile.
3. From Bahrain & the Gulf region
- Inside Bahrain: dial just the 8 digits, e.g. 1712 3456 or 3945 6789.
- From Saudi Arabia / other GCC: use 00 as exit code, then 973, then the 8-digit number.
- Roaming users in Bahrain: your foreign SIM usually still requires the +973 format, for example +973 17 123 456.
Note: some corporate PBX systems may require a prefix (such as 9) to get an external line before these sequences.
Time in Bahrain – Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3)
Bahrain operates on Arabia Standard Time (AST), which is UTC+3. The country has not observed daylight saving time for many decades, so the clock remains the same throughout the year.
This makes time-zone coordination simple: Bahrain is typically 3 hours ahead of London in winter and 2 hours ahead when the UK moves to British Summer Time. It is 8 or 9 hours ahead of New York depending on the US daylight saving schedule.
For trading, aviation and regional project calls, a safe “office hours” window is 09:00–18:00 Bahrain time (AST), Sunday to Thursday, which is the usual working week in the Gulf.
Approximate time differences from Manama
| City | Zone | Difference vs Bahrain |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Gulf (UTC+4) | Dubai is +1 hour ahead |
| London | UTC / UTC+1 | Bahrain is +3h in winter, +2h in summer |
| Frankfurt | UTC+1 / UTC+2 | Bahrain is +2h in winter, +1h in summer |
| New York | UTC-5 / UTC-4 | Bahrain is +8h in winter, +7h in summer |
When sending calendar invites, label your slot as “AST (Bahrain time)” to avoid confusion with other regions that also use “AST” for Atlantic Standard Time.
Emergency numbers in Bahrain
Bahrain uses short 3-digit emergency numbers. The most important one for visitors and residents is 999, which connects you to the national emergency call centre and can dispatch police, fire or ambulance services depending on your situation.
Main emergency number
999
Central emergency line; operators coordinate police, fire and medical response 24/7.
Ambulance
998
Dedicated ambulance number in some official lists – if in doubt, call 999 and describe the medical emergency.
Fire
997
Fire brigade / civil defence. Again, 999 can redirect if you are unsure which specialised number to use.
Other useful contacts
You may see additional hotlines such as casualty bureaus, coastguard and police hotlines, as well as embassy emergency lines published separately on government or consular sites.
For serious incidents, always prioritise calling 999. For lost passports, legal issues or consular support, contact your embassy in Manama using the emergency number listed on its website.
Example: calling +973 numbers step by step
US → Manama bank
The bank shares this number in international format: +973 17 123 456.
- Dial 011 (US exit code).
- Dial 973.
- Dial 17 123 456.
Final sequence: 011 973 17 123 456
UK → Bahrain industrial site mobile
Mobile shown on a PO or contract: +973 39 456 789.
- Dial 00 (UK international prefix).
- Dial 973.
- Dial 39 456 789.
Final sequence: 00 973 39 456 789
Riyadh → Manama hotel
Hotel advertises a Bahrain landline as +973 17 654 321.
- Dial Saudi exit code 00.
- Dial 973.
- Dial 17 654 321.
Final sequence: 00 973 17 654 321
Bahrain country code +973 – FAQ
Is +973 a mobile or a landline code?
+973 is the country code for Bahrain. It applies to both landlines and mobiles. The first digits of the 8-digit local number show whether it is fixed (commonly 1…) or mobile (3…, some 66x/69x ranges) and which operator the number belongs to.
Why doesn’t Bahrain have area codes?
Bahrain’s nationwide renumbering plan standardised all ordinary numbers at 8 digits and removed the need for separate city codes. Instead of dialling a city prefix plus local number, you simply dial the full 8-digit number and the network routes the call based on its leading digits.
Is 00973 the same as +973?
Yes. On many phones 00 is the international access code. Writing a number as
00973 XXXX XXXX is equivalent to
+973 XXXX XXXX. The + simply
tells the device to use the correct international prefix for your current country.
Does Bahrain observe daylight saving time?
No. Bahrain stays on Arabia Standard Time (UTC+3) all year. That means meeting times against London, New York or Singapore shift only when those other locations change their clocks – the local Bahrain time does not move.
Are WhatsApp and VoIP common on +973 numbers?
Yes. Most residents and expats bind their Bahrain mobile numbers to apps such as WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype or Zoom. Using the correct +973 format is important for one-time codes, call backs and contact sync between address books and messaging apps.
Can I call Bahrain toll-free (800) numbers from overseas?
Not always. Many Bahrain 800- style numbers are configured as domestic toll-free or special services and may not be reachable from outside the country, or may incur normal international charges. For cross-border business it’s safer to provide a standard +973 landline or mobile as the primary contact.
Download the Bahrain dialing cheat sheet (+973)
Keep a one-page PDF with +973 formats, 8-digit examples, AST (UTC+3) offsets and emergency numbers 999 / 998 / 997 on your desk or shared drive – ideal for call centres, treasury teams and regional coordinators.