Travel throws everyday routines off balance — different mealtimes, longer days, a new landscape and climate. Whether you take medicines regularly or just want to be ready for minor complaints, a little planning ahead saves a lot of stress on the road. This guide walks through how to pack your medicines, what to keep with you, and how to find a pharmacy when you are far from home.
Note: this article is general, educational information and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Before a long or distant trip — especially if you have a chronic condition — consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Before you go: make a list
Start with a simple list of everything you take regularly and anything you might need:
- regular medication — what you take every day,
- "just in case" medicines — for headache, digestive complaints, allergies, travel sickness,
- first-aid supplies — plasters, gauze, an antiseptic,
- personal needs — for example sun protection and an insect-bite remedy.
Work out how many doses you need for the whole trip and add a small reserve in case of delays or an extended stay. It is better to carry a little extra than to run out of a medicine in a foreign town.
How to pack medicines
A few simple rules keep medicines effective and within reach:
- Original packaging and leaflet. Carry medicines in their original box, with the leaflet — so it is clear what each one is, the dose, and the expiry date.
- Important medicines in hand luggage. Keep your regular medication and anything you might need urgently in your hand luggage, not in checked baggage — checked bags can be delayed or lost.
- Protect from heat. In summer, do not leave medicines in a hot car or in direct sun. Carry medicines that must be refrigerated in a cool bag.
- Split your supply. On longer trips it helps to divide your medicines (some in hand luggage, some in checked baggage), so losing one bag does not mean losing all your medicines.
Travelling abroad
When travelling outside your country, a few extra points are worth attention:
- Prescriptions and letters. For prescription medicines, carry a copy of the prescription or a doctor's letter in English; for some medicines this eases crossing a border and buying abroad.
- Rules differ. A medicine that is over-the-counter at home may be prescription-only or otherwise regulated elsewhere. If you are travelling far, check the rules at your destination.
- Names differ. The same active ingredient is often sold under a different brand name abroad. Note the active ingredient (not just the brand name) so a local pharmacist can help you.
- Travel insurance. Check whether your insurance covers healthcare at your destination and which documents you need.
How to find a pharmacy while travelling
In an unfamiliar town, at home or abroad, a pharmacy is usually easy to find — but when you need a medicine in the evening, at a weekend or on a holiday, only the on-duty pharmacy is open. A few ways:
- Ask at your accommodation's reception — they often know the nearest pharmacy and which one is currently on duty.
- Look for the duty notice — almost every pharmacy posts on its door who is currently working outside regular hours.
- Check an online on-duty-pharmacy service for the town you are in.
- In an emergency, call 112 — the single European emergency number, which works across the entire European Union.
Travelling around Croatia?
If you are travelling through Croatia — whether you live here or are visiting — pharmacy hours and the duty schedule differ from town to town and change from week to week. dezurna.net shows, in one place, which pharmacy in a given town is open right now, so you do not waste time searching when you need a medicine far from home.