NHS travel vaccines: what's free, what's paid
Most British travellers find out they have to pay for travel jabs the morning of their appointment. Here's the actual breakdown - which vaccines the NHS funds, which you'll pay privately for, typical 2026 price ranges, and where to book without wasting half a day on the phone.
Based on the NHS travel vaccinations schedule (England) and NaTHNaC TravelHealthPro guidance. Prices are 2026 ballpark ranges from publicly listed UK travel-clinic chains; check the provider's site for exact figures. Not medical advice - always confirm with a travel-health professional before booking your jabs. Read our full methodology →
The short version
- Free on the NHS: tetanus/diphtheria/polio booster, hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera. All available through your registered NHS GP practice.
- Paid privately: hepatitis B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, meningococcal ACWY, tick-borne encephalitis, and yellow fever (except for hajj/umrah pilgrimage).
- Where to book: NHS GP for the free list, then a private travel clinic (Boots, Superdrug, MASTA, or independent) for everything else. Most travellers do both.
Which travel vaccines are free on the NHS?
The NHS funds a small set of travel vaccines for travellers visiting countries where the disease is more common, on the basis that catching it abroad and bringing it home creates a public-health risk. To get them free, you need to be registered with an NHS GP practice that offers travel vaccinations - if yours doesn't, ask which neighbouring practice they refer to.
| Vaccine | When you need it | Course length |
|---|---|---|
| Tetanus / Diphtheria / Polio booster | If your last booster was > 10 years ago and you're going somewhere with limited medical care | Single dose |
| Hepatitis A | Most of Asia, Africa, Latin America - food and water-borne, very common backpacker jab | Single dose (booster after 6-12 months for long-term protection) |
| Typhoid | South Asia, parts of Africa and Latin America - poor sanitation, street food | Single injection (3 years) or oral 4-capsule course (5 years) |
| Cholera | Outbreak areas only (rare for tourists) and humanitarian aid workers | 2 oral doses 1-6 weeks apart |
Source: NHS travel vaccinations guide.
Which travel vaccines do you have to pay for?
The rest are charged privately - even when you're getting them at an NHS GP travel clinic. The price varies between providers (NHS GPs are sometimes cheaper than the high-street chains, but not always), and there's usually a £15-30 consultation fee on top. Always ask for a quote before you commit, and check if the clinic charges per-dose or per-course.
| Vaccine | Typical UK private price (course) | When you need it |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis B | £150-220 (3-dose course) | Long-stay travel, healthcare/aid work, sex tourism risk, tattoos abroad |
| Rabies (pre-exposure) | £180-260 (3-dose course) | Backpacking in Asia, Africa, Latin America - especially with stray-dog exposure or remote travel |
| Japanese encephalitis | £180-220 (2-dose course) | Rural Asia, especially during/after wet season, longer stays |
| Meningococcal ACWY | £50-80 (single dose) | Sub-Saharan African meningitis belt, hajj/umrah (mandatory) |
| Tick-borne encephalitis | £150-220 (2-3 doses) | Hiking and camping in central/eastern Europe, the Stans, parts of Asia, April-October |
| Yellow fever | £70-100 (single dose, lifelong) | Sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America - certificate often required for entry |
Prices are 2026 ballpark ranges from publicly listed UK travel-clinic chains. Boots and Superdrug publish their full price lists online; small independent travel clinics sometimes undercut them by £20-30 per dose.
Where to actually book your travel jabs
Your registered NHS GP practice
The first stop for free NHS-funded jabs. Book a "travel health appointment" at least 6-8 weeks before you fly. Some practices won't do travel-health work themselves and refer to a neighbouring practice; ask the receptionist where to go.
Pros: free for NHS-funded vaccines, your full medical history on file. Cons: longer waits, paid jabs sometimes cost more than at chains, limited availability for last-minute trips.
Boots Travel Vaccinations
Pharmacy chain with travel-vaccine clinics in most large branches. Book online via the Boots site - prices and stock levels are listed up front. Yellow-fever-registered branches are clearly flagged.
Pros: transparent pricing online, often same-week availability, evening/weekend slots. Cons: consultation fee on top, prices typically £10-20 higher per dose than independents.
Superdrug Health Clinic
Similar setup to Boots. Online booking, prices listed publicly, free risk assessments. Fewer branches than Boots, but often slightly cheaper per dose. Many are yellow-fever-registered.
Pros: often the cheapest of the chains, online quote before booking. Cons: fewer locations, may need to travel for a yellow-fever-registered branch.
MASTA travel clinics
UK chain dedicated to travel health (owned by Boots). Branches inside many Boots stores plus standalone clinics. More specialist than a generalist pharmacy clinic - useful if you have a complicated medical history or unusual destinations.
Pros: specialist travel-health expertise, all yellow-fever-registered. Cons: typically priced at the higher end of the chain options.
Independent travel clinics & private GPs
Smaller local clinics (often staffed by ex-NHS travel-health nurses) frequently undercut the chains by £15-30 per dose. Search for "travel clinic [your town]" - the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Nomad Travel and Hospital for Tropical Diseases are well-regarded specialist options.
Pros: often the cheapest option, more time per appointment. Cons: harder to find, no online price transparency from many.
Frequently asked questions
Are travel vaccines free on the NHS?
Some are. The NHS funds tetanus/diphtheria/polio boosters, hepatitis A, typhoid and cholera as standard for travellers going to higher-risk countries. Others - including hepatitis B, rabies, Japanese encephalitis and meningococcal ACWY - are charged privately even at NHS travel clinics, and most yellow fever vaccinations are paid privately too.
Do I need to register with my GP to get NHS travel vaccines?
Yes. NHS-funded travel jabs are only available through your registered NHS GP practice. If your practice doesn’t offer travel-health services, ask which local practice they refer to - many areas share a single travel-vaccine clinic between several GPs.
What does it cost to get travel jabs privately?
Private travel-vaccine prices vary by clinic and city. As a rough guide for 2026: a single-dose paid vaccine typically costs £40-90, multi-dose courses (rabies, hepatitis B) £150-280 total, and a travel-clinic consultation fee on top is usually £15-30. Boots and Superdrug publish their prices online; small independent travel clinics sometimes undercut them.
Where can I get travel vaccines in the UK?
Three main options: your NHS GP (free for the NHS-funded list, paid privately for the rest), a private travel clinic (Boots, Superdrug, MASTA, local pharmacies), or an NHS-yellow-fever-registered clinic if you specifically need a yellow fever certificate. Pharmacy chains usually offer same-week appointments; NHS GPs often have longer waits, especially for multi-dose courses.
How long before I travel should I book my appointment?
Aim for 8 weeks before you fly, ideally 12 if you need a multi-dose course (rabies pre-exposure 21-28 days, hepatitis B 21+ days, Japanese encephalitis 28 days, tick-borne encephalitis 4-12 weeks). For straightforward single-dose jabs (hepatitis A, typhoid, yellow fever), 2 weeks is enough.
Is the yellow fever vaccine free on the NHS?
Not for tourist travel. Yellow fever vaccination is provided free by some NHS GPs only when it’s required for hajj or umrah pilgrimage. For all other travel, it’s charged privately - typically £70-100 - and must be administered at a yellow-fever-registered clinic, which then issues your International Certificate of Vaccination.
Can I get all my travel jabs in a single appointment?
Often yes. Most travel vaccines can be given in the same visit (different arms or sites if needed). The exceptions are courses with fixed dosing intervals: rabies pre-exposure (3 doses over 21-28 days), hepatitis B (3 doses over 6 months, or accelerated 0-7-21 day schedule), Japanese encephalitis (2 doses 28 days apart), and tick-borne encephalitis (2-3 doses over 1-3 months). Plan the first appointment early enough that the multi-dose courses fit.
Which jabs do I actually need?
That depends on where you're going. Trek Ready has detailed UK-traveller guides for every country, plus multi-country prep guides for popular routes:
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