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Guide · as of 26 Oct 2026Travel first-aid kit: a basic checklist
What should go in a travel first-aid kit? Here is a basic checklist based on Austria’s official health portal, the German Federal Foreign Office and the German Ministry of Health – with tips on regular medicines, hand luggage and import rules. General categories without doses; not medical advice. Checked 26 October 2026.
Checklist: a basic travel first-aid kit
These categories come from Austria’s official health portal, based on advice from the Austrian Chamber of Pharmacists. Ask a pharmacist or doctor which specific products are right for you.
| Area | What to pack (general) |
|---|---|
| Measuring | Thermometer |
| Pain & fever | A remedy for pain and fever |
| Stomach | A remedy for diarrhoea, oral rehydration (electrolyte) solution, remedies for heartburn or constipation |
| On the move | A remedy for travel sickness |
| Colds | Remedies for colds, sore throat, cough and runny nose; eye and nose drops |
| Skin & allergy | A remedy for allergies and itching; high-SPF sunscreen, after-sun; insect repellent |
| Wounds & injuries | Wound disinfectant, wound-healing ointment, ointment for bruises and sprains, cold compresses |
| Dressings | Dressings, plasters, blister plasters, scissors, tweezers, disposable gloves |
| Personal | Your regular medicines in sufficient quantity, supplies such as test strips or inhalers, spare glasses |
Sources: gesundheit.gv.at (travel first-aid kit), plus spare glasses as suggested by gesund.bund.de. For trips with children, gesundheit.gv.at lists child-appropriate forms of medicine and child-appropriate sun and insect protection – ask a pharmacist.
Taking medicines and documents
- Take enough of your regular medicines for the whole trip – according to the German Foreign Office, availability and quality are not guaranteed everywhere.
- When flying, keep important medicines in your hand luggage so they cannot be lost with your suitcase.
- Carry them in the original packaging if possible and keep the leaflet (or a photo of it).
- Bring a doctor’s certificate or prescription, ideally also in English, listing the brand and active-ingredient names.
- Check import rules: not every country allows every medicine – see your foreign ministry’s country information.
- Store cool, dry and out of the light; heat can make medicines less effective.
- Don’t forget medical documents: your health insurance card (with the EHIC on the back in Germany and Austria), vaccination record, allergy or emergency card, copies of medical letters.
Austria’s health portal recommends buying your kit before you leave: suitable medicines can be hard to find abroad, and in some countries the risk of counterfeit medicines is higher.
Personal, not one-size-fits-all
Germany’s Federal Foreign Office stresses that a travel kit is personal and depends on your destination and activities. For long-haul, adventure or high-altitude trips it recommends seeing a doctor qualified in travel medicine, well before you go. The US CDC Yellow Book likewise says to tailor the kit to your destination, trip length, activities and the local medical care available.
A tip from the CDC Yellow Book: keep medicines and first-aid supplies in a durable, water-resistant container that you can reach easily on the way. Also note down your diagnoses, regular medicines (generic names), allergies, emergency contacts and your insurance details.
Travel health insurance: what to look for
We do not currently compare providers here or recommend a specific policy. According to Germany’s Ministry of Health (gesund.bund.de) and Federal Foreign Office, these are the points worth checking when you compare:
- Repatriation: is it covered as soon as it is “medically advisable”, or only when medically necessary? The German Foreign Office advises getting this confirmed in writing if needed.
- Rescue and recovery costs, for example on a ski trip.
- Excess (deductible): do you pay part of the costs yourself if you fall ill?
- Where it applies and the maximum trip length – especially for trips outside Europe.
- Term and tie-in: some German statutory insurers offer policies through partners; according to gesund.bund.de you are then often tied to that insurer for the contract term.
EHIC & health cover abroadeSIM data calculatorFlight delay compensation (EU261)Travel budget calculatorCarry-on checker
Sources
Checked on 2026-10-26. General information – not medical, legal or insurance advice. Your health insurer’s or insurance provider’s terms always apply.
- Austrian health portal (gesundheit.gv.at): travel first-aid kit (German) (2026-10-26)
- gesundheit.gv.at: travelling with medicines (German) (2026-10-26)
- German Federal Foreign Office: travel health precautions (German) (2026-10-26)
- gesund.bund.de (German Ministry of Health): ill abroad (German) (2026-10-26)
- CDC Yellow Book: Travel Health Kits (2026-10-26)
Common questions
What goes in a basic travel first-aid kit?
According to Austria’s gesundheit.gv.at: a thermometer, remedies for pain and fever, diarrhoea (plus electrolyte solution), travel sickness, colds and allergies, sun and insect protection, wound disinfectant, dressings, plasters, scissors, tweezers and disposable gloves. Ask a pharmacist or doctor which products and amounts suit you.
Where should medicines go when flying?
Keep important medicines, especially regular ones, in your hand luggage – ideally in the original packaging with the leaflet and a doctor’s certificate or prescription.
Can I take any medicine abroad?
Not necessarily. Some countries restrict importing certain medicines. Check your foreign ministry’s country information before you travel.
Should I buy medicines at my destination?
Austria’s health portal advises buying your kit at home: suitable products can be hard to find abroad, and some countries have a higher risk of counterfeit medicines.