Routine vaccinations for adults: what to check before you travel

Your routine vaccinations should be up to date before any trip. The STIKO, Germany’s Standing Committee on Vaccination, recommends that all adults are protected against tetanus and diphtheria with regular boosters, are vaccinated against whooping cough and have complete polio protection. If you were born after 1970 and have no reliable measles protection, you should catch up on measles vaccination. From 60, vaccines against flu, pneumococcal disease, shingles and COVID-19 are added, and from 75, against RSV.

Why routine vaccinations matter before a trip

In its travel recommendations, the STIKO stresses that every traveller should be fully vaccinated for their age according to the current schedule. The travel health consultation should explicitly be used to close any gaps. The reason is simple: diseases that are routinely vaccinated against in Germany may be more common elsewhere. An injury while hiking, a measles outbreak or close contact on a bus or plane can happen anywhere, and medical care abroad is not equally good everywhere.

Routine vaccinations are also easy to plan and generally covered by statutory health insurance. They can often be given at the same appointment as your travel vaccines.

Routine vaccinations for adults at a glance

The table below summarises the STIKO adult schedule (Epidemiologisches Bulletin 4/2026). Your doctor will check your vaccination record to see exactly what is due for you.

For some adults, the STIKO also recommends vaccinations based on specific indications, for example hepatitis B or tick-borne encephalitis, depending on job, health or where you live. Raise these at your travel consultation too.

Flu in the southern hemisphere

According to the STIKO, flu circulates in the southern hemisphere mainly from April to October, and all year round in parts of the tropics. If you travel during that period, for example to South Africa or Australia, ask about flu protection before you leave. For stays of several weeks during the local season, the STIKO considers vaccination with the vaccine available locally to be sensible.

Have your vaccination record checked

The easiest way to check your status is to look at your vaccination record. Here is how to go about it:

1. Find your records: bring all vaccination documents, including old booklets and your international certificate of vaccination.
2. Discuss gaps: your doctor compares the entries with the STIKO schedule.
3. Catch up rather than restart: according to the STIKO, an interrupted series generally does not need to be restarted. The principle is that every dose counts.
4. Sort out missing records: if your record is lost or incomplete, the next steps are agreed individually. See our guide to the vaccination certificate.

Your travel consultation as the trigger

A trip is a good moment to review all your vaccinations at once. At a travel health consultation, routine and travel vaccines are planned together. Appointments can be combined and gaps between vaccinations sensibly arranged. Allow enough time, because according to the STIKO all vaccinations should be completed at least two weeks before departure. See when to get travel vaccinations for planning tips.

You can find a practice with a travel medicine focus in our directory of travel clinics. Our travel vaccine check shows which travel vaccines may also be relevant for your destination.

Special situations

The STIKO counts pregnant women, older travellers and people with underlying conditions or weakened immunity as travellers with particular risks. For them, some vaccines are especially important, while others, mainly live vaccines, may not be suitable. Allow more time for the consultation in these cases.

Polio: a routine vaccine with a travel angle

Polio shows how closely routine and travel vaccines are linked. The STIKO recommends complete protection for all adults. For trips to regions where polioviruses are currently circulating, a booster may also be recommended, and some countries require proof on departure in line with WHO rules. Indonesia is one example. According to the STIKO, statutory health insurers cover travel-related polio vaccination. For more on costs, see our guide to travel vaccination costs.