Illustration of a globe, passport and aeroplane, representing travel vaccinations

Which travel vaccines do I need, how far ahead, and how long do they last?

ByZain Rajabali

The most common thing we hear in our travel clinic isn’t “which vaccines do I need?” It’s “I fly on Friday, is that too late?” Sometimes it’s fine. Sometimes a vaccine needs a course of doses that can’t be squeezed in. So the single most useful thing you can do is book early, and check what you’ve already had.

Here’s how to work out what you need, how far ahead to book, and how long each vaccine protects you for.

This is general information. Which vaccines are right for you depends on your destination, your plans and your health, and is confirmed at a travel consultation.

The short answer

  • What you need depends on where you’re going, where in that country, what you’ll be doing and your health. The NHS points travellers to the TravelHealthPro website for country-by-country advice.
  • Book at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, the NHS says, because some vaccines need a course of doses and others take time to work.
  • Some last for years, others need regular boosters. Yellow fever usually lasts for life; typhoid lasts about 3 years.
  • Some are free on the NHS from your GP surgery: hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera and polio (as part of the tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster).

How far ahead should you get travel vaccinations?

The NHS advice is to see a travel health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. Some vaccines are a course of doses given days or weeks apart, and others take time to build up protection. Leave it to the last minute and you may not be fully protected when you arrive.

If you’re already short of time, still come in. Several vaccines have shorter, accelerated schedules, and a pharmacist can tell you what can realistically be done before you fly.

Which travel vaccines do you need?

It depends on the country, and on where in that country you’re going. A beach holiday and a month trekking in rural areas can need very different protection. Check your destination on TravelHealthPro, the site the NHS recommends, then bring your plans to a travel consultation.

The NHS also recommends that all travellers, including children, are up to date with their routine UK vaccinations, such as measles. If you don’t know what you’ve had, you can check in the NHS App or ask your GP.

How long do travel vaccines last?

These are the schedules and typical protection for the travel vaccines we give, taken from our own vaccine pages. Your pharmacist will confirm what applies to you.

Hepatitis A

  • One dose, with a booster 6 to 12 months later
  • Book at least 2 weeks before travel
  • Lasts around 25 years after the booster
  • £80 per dose (also free on the NHS from your GP surgery)

Typhoid (injection)

  • One dose
  • Book at least 2 weeks before travel
  • Lasts about 3 years, then a booster if you’re still travelling to risk areas
  • £55 (also free on the NHS from your GP surgery)

Cholera (oral vaccine)

  • Two doses, 1 to 6 weeks apart
  • Finish the course at least 7 days before travel
  • Adults need a booster every 2 years
  • £85 for the course (also free on the NHS from your GP surgery)

Tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster

  • One dose, if it’s more than 10 years since your last
  • Lasts 10 years
  • £50 (the polio part is free on the NHS from your GP surgery)

Yellow fever

  • One dose
  • Get it at least 10 days before travel, because your certificate is only valid from 10 days after
  • Usually protects for life, with no booster needed
  • £85, including your stamped International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), issued on the day with no extra fee

Rabies

  • Three doses over 3 weeks (days 0, 7 and 21)
  • The course takes 3 weeks, so start at least 3 weeks before travel
  • Boosters are only needed for some long-term travellers
  • £90 per dose, £270 for the course

Hepatitis B

  • Three doses over 6 months, or a faster schedule over 3 weeks with a booster at 12 months if you’re leaving soon
  • Long-lasting protection once the course is complete
  • £65 per dose, £195 for the course

Japanese encephalitis

  • Two doses, 28 days apart (a 7-day schedule is possible for adults aged 18 to 65)
  • Finish the course at least 7 days before travel
  • A booster after 12 to 24 months if you’re still at risk
  • £126 per dose, £252 for the course

Tick-borne encephalitis

  • Three doses: two doses 1 to 3 months apart, then a third 5 to 12 months later (faster schedules are possible)
  • Around 3 years of protection after the third dose, then boosters
  • £75 per dose, £225 for the course

Meningitis ACWY

  • One dose
  • Required for Hajj and Umrah, at least 10 days before you enter Saudi Arabia
  • Lasts around 5 years
  • £64

Chikungunya

  • One dose, for adults aged 18 and over
  • Get it at least 28 days before travel
  • Long-term protection is still being studied
  • £185

Which travel vaccines are free on the NHS?

According to the NHS, your GP surgery can give these free, after a risk assessment:

  • hepatitis A
  • typhoid
  • cholera
  • polio (given as part of the combined tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccine)

Vaccines you usually pay for include hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis and yellow fever. Yellow fever is only given at registered yellow fever vaccination centres.

We’d rather tell you that than have you pay for something you could get free. Many people still come to us for the free-on-the-NHS ones too, because they want everything done in one appointment, or their GP surgery can’t fit them in before they fly.

What happens at a travel consultation

At MediPill, a travel consultation costs £10 and is redeemable against same-day vaccines. A pharmacist goes through your destination, dates, activities, medical history and past vaccinations, and puts together a plan. That might include malaria tablets as well as vaccines.

The NHS suggests you:

  • tell the person vaccinating you about any health conditions, including a weakened immune system, or if you’re pregnant, and bring a list of your medicines
  • check if you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to a vaccine or ingredient before
  • don’t have a vaccine if you’re unwell with a high temperature; wait until you feel better

Mild side effects like a sore arm, a small bump where you were injected, a headache or a slight temperature are common and usually settle quickly.

Common questions

I travel in 2 weeks. Is it too late? Not necessarily. Several vaccines can be given within 2 weeks, and some have faster schedules. Come in as soon as you can so a pharmacist can work out what’s possible.

How long does the hepatitis A vaccine last? According to our vaccine schedule, one dose followed by a booster 6 to 12 months later gives around 25 years of protection.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate? Some countries require one for entry. The certificate (ICVP) is valid from 10 days after vaccination, so plan ahead. All four of our branches are registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres.

Can I get all my travel vaccines in one visit? Often, yes. Many can be given at the same appointment. Some need a course of doses, so we’ll book the follow-ups with you.

Travel vaccinations in Oxford

All four MediPill branches run a full travel clinic, and all four are registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres:

See every vaccine and price on our travel clinic page, or book a travel health consultation. Questions first? Get in touch and a pharmacist will come back to you.

Destination guides

Sources

  1. Travel vaccinations – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/travel-vaccinations/ (accessed 23 September 2026)
  2. Country information – TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC). https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries (accessed 23 September 2026)
  3. MediPill vaccine schedules and prices: our travel clinic page (23 September 2026)

Written by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist – GPhC #2219769
Medically reviewed by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist, Independent Prescriber – GPhC #2219769
Last reviewed: 23 September 2026 · Next review due: September 2027

This article is general health information and is not a substitute for a travel consultation. It does not recommend any specific vaccine for you. Which vaccines you need is decided at an individual assessment with a pharmacist, based on your destination, plans and health.

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