Travel and kidney disease

Travelling with kidney disease is possible with careful planning. Read our advice for those in early, middle and end stages.

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Travel and kidney disease

Travelling is something you can still enjoy when you have kidney disease. Before heading off, you will need to discuss your travel arrangements with your healthcare team. The level of planning required will depend on your stage of kidney disease, and whether you are currently having dialysis or not.

No matter where you are in your kidney disease journey, it’s important to avoid getting sick and risking dehydration while on holidays. If you’re unsure of the water quality in certain countries, it's best not to order any drinks with ice, and where possible purchase bottled water – or boil tap water for at least five minutes before drinking. Do not brush your teeth or wash your food with tap water either.

As always, practise good hygiene. Wash your hands with soap and water after going to the toilet, and ensure your hands are clean and dry before eating or preparing any food.

Dialysis, transplants, travel and insurance

We know how much it means to you to break free of your routine and experience something new. But to minimise the chance of any emergencies, please discuss the timing of your trip with your doctor before you leave.

While overseas, keep an up-to-date treatment letter from your doctor (summarising your health condition, recent blood results and your medications) with you at all times. We also recommend keeping a hard copy in your checked luggage, and an electronic copy in your email in case you lose the letter or need to send it to someone urgently.

As a back-up, you may consider creating a profile and registering these details on Australia’s electronic database, My Health Record.

If you have end-stage kidney disease and require dialysis, you’ll need to do a little more planning than those in early-stage or middle-stage. As well as taking into account all the advice mentioned above, please be aware that blood tests are compulsory for most dialysis units in Australia and around the world – so make sure you allow time for this to happen throughout your travels.

For more information, you can view our travel on peritoneal dialysis page. If you are currently undergoing dialysis at home, you can view our travel on home haemodialysis page.

Whether you take out travel insurance with your credit card provider, private company or preferred insurance broker, we strongly suggest reviewing the wording of your policy carefully and securing an appropriate level of cover before you book any travel. Ideally it should cover pre-existing conditions.

Here are some considerations when investigating travel insurance options:

When you were diagnosed with chronic kidney disease
If you are on a transplant waiting list
Length of time since having a transplant
If you require dialysis treatment
If your overall health is stable or you have a complex health history
Replacing a medical device if it's lost, damaged or stolen
Replacing prescription medication if it's lost or stolen
Seeing a local doctor
Medical evacuation in case of emergency
Which country or countries you are planning to visit

You may be required to provide a medical assessment when enquiring into travel insurance coverage either online or via the phone so allow plenty of time in advance of travelling to complete this process. Note that travel insurance cover isn't available for all countries, you will need to verify this with the insurance broker.

If you had private health insurance at the time you developed chronic kidney disease, you may be covered for your condition while travelling. Check with your provider directly.

If you find it difficult to secure travel insurance that covers your current condition, we recommend taking out basic travel insurance that will at least cover some emergencies.

Please contact the Kidney Helpline on 1800 454 363 for a list of travel insurance companies that may be able to provide cover.

Essential medical care is available in some countries that have a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia. This may cover some medication costs, but not all. You will still need travel insurance to visit these countries. For more information, visit Services Australia.