Can you travel on dialysis? Yes — here's how

Yes. Most people on dialysis can travel, for a long weekend in another city or a few weeks abroad. Dialysis doesn't stop you travelling. It changes how far ahead you plan, because your treatment has to be booked at a unit near where you're staying before you leave.

This guide covers who can travel, how far ahead to start, what a visiting unit will ask for, and the mistakes that most often derail a trip.

Who can travel on dialysis?

If you're stable on your current treatment, you're usually a good candidate. Your own renal team makes the final call, so talk to them before you book anything non-refundable. They'll want to know:

• Where you're going and for how long
• Whether your bloods, fluid balance and access have been stable recently
• Whether you've had any recent hospital admissions or changes to your prescription
• How you'll get to and from sessions at your destination

People who have just started dialysis, or who have recently had access surgery, are often asked to wait a few months until things have settled.

Haemodialysis vs peritoneal dialysis

On haemodialysis (HD), you need a chair at a unit near where you're staying, usually three sessions a week. That's the part that has to be booked, and it's what Dialysis Go arranges.

On peritoneal dialysis (PD), you don't need a unit. You need your fluids and supplies delivered to your accommodation before you arrive. Supply companies can deliver to many countries, but they need notice. See our guide to peritoneal dialysis abroad.

How far ahead should you plan?

As a rule of thumb:

• Within your own country: 4–8 weeks
• Popular holiday areas in Europe: 8–12 weeks, more for July, August and Christmas
• Long-haul destinations: 3 months or more

Units in holiday areas have a limited number of spare chairs for visitors, and those fill first in peak season. Booking early also gives time for the medical paperwork, which is usually the slowest part.

What will the visiting unit ask for?

Requirements vary, but most units want a pack of recent information from your home unit, typically:

• Your dialysis prescription (session length, dialyser, blood flow, dry weight, anticoagulation)
• Recent blood results
• Hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV screening, usually taken within the last 1–3 months
• An MRSA screen (many European units ask for one)
• Your medication list and a short medical summary
• Recent session records, and sometimes an ECG or chest X-ray

The virology results are time-sensitive. If they expire before your trip, the unit may not be able to treat you, so plan when you'll have them taken. Our step-by-step planning guide covers the order to do things in.

Cost and insurance

Who pays depends on where you live and where you're going. Some patients are covered under reciprocal health agreements; others pay the unit directly. Our guide to what holiday dialysis costs breaks it down.

Whatever the dialysis costs, get travel insurance that knows about your kidney condition. Standard policies often exclude pre-existing conditions unless you declare them. See travel insurance and dialysis.

Choosing a destination

Some places are much easier than others. Spain, Portugal, Greece and Italy have dense networks of units used to treating visitors, especially in coastal resorts. Cities like London, Paris and New York have plenty of capacity. Remote islands and small towns can be harder, and you may need to stay within reach of a larger town. Browse dialysis centers by destination to see what's near where you want to go.

Common questions

This article is general information, not medical advice. Always check your plans with your own renal team.