Most people need three doses of the rabies vaccine before they travel. In the UK the standard course is given on days 0, 7 and 28, and if time is short the third dose can be given from day 21, or the whole course can be given in a week on the accelerated schedule. A two-dose course is licensed, but UK guidance counts it as only partial protection. You can book your rabies vaccine in Epsom with us for £80 a dose.
The three ways to have the course
All three are three doses of the same vaccine, each given as an injection into a muscle. What changes is how quickly they’re given.
| Course | When the doses are given | How long it takes | Cost at Miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Days 0, 7 and 28 | 4 weeks | £240 |
| Standard, short on time | Days 0, 7 and 21 | 3 weeks | £240 |
| Accelerated | Days 0, 3 and 7, plus a fourth dose at one year if you’ll keep travelling to high-risk areas | 1 week | £240, plus £80 if you need the one-year dose |
What the dates look like
Say you have your first dose on Monday 2 November. On the standard course your second dose is on Monday 9 November and your third on Monday 30 November, or from Monday 23 November if you’re flying sooner. On the accelerated course your doses are on Monday 2, Thursday 5 and Monday 9 November, so you could fly the next day.
What about two doses?
The licences for the rabies vaccines used in the UK now allow a two-dose course, given seven days apart, and the World Health Organization and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both recommend a two-dose course. UK guidance hasn’t caught up yet. NaTHNaC, the UK’s travel health service, says a two-dose schedule “is considered as partially immunised in the UK”, and further guidance from UKHSA and the JCVI is awaited.
That label matters if you’re ever bitten. UK guidance counts you as fully immunised after at least three documented doses. Anyone with fewer than three gets the same treatment after a bite as someone who was never vaccinated: four doses of vaccine over three weeks, instead of two. At Miles we give the three-dose courses.
How long before you travel should you start?
The NHS suggests getting travel advice around 8 weeks before you go. The rabies course itself takes 3 to 4 weeks on the standard schedule, or one week on the accelerated one. Here’s what fits, depending on when you fly.
| When you fly | The course that fits |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks away or more | The standard course: days 0, 7 and 28 |
| 3 to 4 weeks away | The standard course, with the third dose from day 21 |
| 1 to 3 weeks away | The accelerated course: days 0, 3 and 7 |
| Less than a week away | Call us, and the pharmacist will talk through what can be done before you go |
Who UK guidance recommends it for
For travellers, the Green Book recommends the rabies vaccine for people going to countries where rabies is found in animals, especially if:
- medical care and rabies treatment at the destination are lacking or in short supply;
- they’ll be doing higher-risk activities such as cycling or running;
- they’re living or staying for more than a month.
NaTHNaC lists the rabies vaccine for some travellers to destinations such as Thailand, India, Morocco, Turkey and Egypt. Our guide to rabies in Morocco, Turkey and Egypt looks at the short-break destinations, and the pharmacist will go through your own trip with you.
If you’ve had the vaccine before
UK guidance doesn’t recommend routine boosters for most travellers. A single booster can be considered if you finished your course more than a year ago and you’re travelling to a high-risk area again. Bring any records you have, including ones from abroad, and the pharmacist will check where you stand.
Your rabies course in Epsom
We have the rabies vaccine in stock at our Epsom pharmacy (checked October 2026). We’re at 94 Chessington Road, Ewell, Epsom, KT19 9UR, with a bus stop outside on each side of the road and Ewell West station nearby, which is step-free to every platform. People come to us from Epsom, Ashtead, Leatherhead and Banstead, and we’ll book your later doses before you leave your first appointment. Call us on 020 8393 1000.
Questions about rabies vaccine doses
Is one dose of the rabies vaccine enough?
UK guidance counts you as fully immunised only after three documented doses. With fewer than three, you’d need the same treatment after a bite as someone who’s never been vaccinated.
Do I need the one-year dose after the accelerated course?
The Green Book gives the extra dose at one year to people who’ll keep travelling to high-risk areas. The pharmacist will talk it through with you at your first appointment.
What if I miss a dose?
Call us as soon as you can. The pharmacist will look at your dates and tell you how to carry on.
Is the rabies vaccine free on the NHS for travel?
The NHS says you usually have to pay for the rabies vaccine for travel. At Miles it’s £80 a dose, or £240 for the three-dose course.
Once I’ve had three doses, am I covered if I’m bitten?
You’ll still need medical help the same day, but the treatment is shorter and simpler. Our guide to whether you can still get rabies if you’re vaccinated explains what changes.
Can I still get the vaccine with the shortage?
We have stock in Epsom. Our guide to the rabies vaccine shortage in the UK explains what’s been happening to supply.
Sources
- UKHSA: the Green Book, chapter 27, rabies (May 2023), checked 3 October 2026
- NaTHNaC: rabies vaccine shortage, advice for health professionals, checked 3 October 2026
- NaTHNaC: rabies factsheet (20 June 2025), checked 3 October 2026
- UKHSA: guidelines on rabies post-exposure treatment (January 2023), checked 3 October 2026
- UKHSA: rabies, summary of risk assessment and treatment, checked 3 October 2026
- NHS: rabies vaccine, checked 3 October 2026
- NHS: rabies, checked 3 October 2026
