Before you travel

Careful trip preparation involves considering more than just vaccinations. Depending on your destination, the nature of your journey and your personal health, other issues may arise, such as malaria prophylaxis and mosquito protection, assembling your travel pharmacy, altitude medicine and specific considerations for families, pregnant women or travellers with chronic conditions. During our travel medicine consultation, we will go through all the relevant aspects of your trip with you.

For some destinations, vaccinations are mandatory, for example against yellow fever. We make sure you have all the information about required vaccinations and health regulations for your destination. As a certified WHO yellow fever vaccination centre, we always have a supply of yellow fever vaccine. Vaccination should take place 10 days before travel to a yellow fever area if possible.

For more information on travel-specific vaccinations such as yellow fever, hepatitis A, rabies, or Japanese encephalitis, please visit our → Travel vaccinations page.

Mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya and Zika pose a significant health risk when travelling to tropical and subtropical regions. Adequate protection against mosquitoes is therefore one of the most important preventive measures to be discussed during the consultation. Depending on your destination, the time of year, the type of trip and your personal circumstances, we may recommend prophylactic medication, emergency self-treatment or simply protection against mosquitoes to prevent malaria.

We will discuss the most suitable strategy for you and issue a prescription for any necessary medication. We will also advise you on how to protect yourself from mosquitoes effectively, including the use of repellents, clothing and mosquito nets.

Vaccinations are available against dengue fever and chikungunya and may be recommended in certain situations. We are at your disposal for further counsel on this matter.
 

Further preventive measures

We can also provide advice on how to avoid rabies, traveller's diarrhoea and altitude sickness.

Having a well-prepared first-aid kit can be very useful when travelling. We can advise you on what to include – from medications for travellers' diarrhoea and wound care supplies to destination-specific items.
 

Travelling with special medical needs

Some trips require particularly careful preparation, for example when travelling with children, during pregnancy or if you have chronic conditions, immunodeficiency or are taking long-term medication. We allow more time for these consultations, so please plan at least one hour for your visit. You can make an appointment directly or be referred by your general practitioner. As these consultations usually take longer than standard travel medicine consultations, please call us to make an appointment.
 

Fitness-to-travel assessments and certificates

Some travel insurers, tour operators, or specific types of travel (e.g. expeditions, diving trips and high-altitude travel) require proof of fitness to travel. We carry out the necessary examinations and issue the corresponding certificate. As requirements vary depending on the trip and provider, we recommend checking the specific requirements in advance.
 

Group and expedition consultations

We offer group consultations for group trips, expeditions, or travel to climatically demanding areas or high altitudes. These consultations allow us to efficiently discuss shared risks and preventive measures while addressing the individual needs of each participant. Please contact us directly to arrange an appointment.
 

You don't have time to visit us or need expert advice quickly? Our travel medicine advice hotline provides expert information on malaria prophylaxis, current disease outbreaks and health-related entry requirements.

☎ 0900 57 51 31
Monday to Thursday, 09:00–11:30
CHF 2.69/min., Swiss landline (paid service)

For an initial overview of health information for your destination, you can also visit our travel medicine platform HealthyTravel at any time.
 

We recommend booking an appointment 4 to 8 weeks before you travel, to allow enough time for all the necessary preparations, including any vaccinations that require multiple doses. However, a consultation at shorter notice is also worthwhile – many effective measures can still be implemented in the days before departure.
 

What to bring

• Your vaccination record (older or incomplete records are also helpful)
• A list of any medications you take regularly
• Information on any allergies
• Your destination(s), travel dates, and the nature of your trip (e.g. round trip, trekking, volunteering)
• Your Swiss health insurance card
   

Travel medicine services are billed according to TARDOC, based on the time required, and are payable on site on the day of the appointment. They are generally not considered mandatory benefits under compulsory health insurance, direct billing to your health insurance provider is therefore not possible.

Full details on costs, payment, cost coverage, and cancellation of appointments can be found on our → Book an appointment page.