Tick-Borne Encephalitis Vaccine in London
June 15, 2026
12 minute read
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) kills around 1 in 100 people who develop severe symptoms and leaves many others with lasting neurological damage. Around 3,500 cases are reported across Europe every year, the number is rising, and there is no cure. The only reliable protection is vaccination — and most people travelling to affected areas have no idea the disease exists.
That’s partly because TBE doesn’t have the name recognition of malaria or typhoid. The countries where it’s most common — Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, the Baltic states — feel like familiar, safe destinations. Nobody mentions it at the travel agent. It rarely comes up on the NHS website. So people head off to hike, camp, visit family, or cycle through the countryside without a second thought.
At Ealing Travel Clinic, we provide TBE vaccination for Londoners heading to Europe and Asia, with same-day appointments, an accelerated schedule for last-minute travellers, and a full course price of £195. If you’re planning any kind of outdoor time in Central or Eastern Europe this year, read on.
Book your TBE vaccination online or call us on 0208 567 0982.
What Is Tick-Borne Encephalitis?
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral infection that affects the central nervous system. It’s caused by the TBE virus, which is carried by infected Ixodes ticks, the same type of tick found across woodland and rural Europe. When an infected tick bites you, the virus enters your bloodstream. In most cases you won’t even notice the bite.
The disease follows a two-phase pattern in clinical cases — though around two-thirds of TBE infections are entirely asymptomatic and never progress further. When symptoms do occur, the first phase feels like flu: fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches typically lasting around five days. Many people feel better and assume it’s over. In some cases, an asymptomatic interval then follows before the virus moves to the brain and spinal cord, triggering the second and far more dangerous phase: meningitis, encephalitis, or both.
For the European subtype, which is the form found in Europe and the one most relevant to travellers from the UK — around 20–30% of people who develop symptoms progress to this second neurological phase. Of those who do, mortality is around 0.5–2% and up to 10% of patients experience long-term neurological damage, including cognitive problems, memory loss, and movement disorders.
The Far Eastern subtype, found in Russia and parts of Asia, is significantly more severe. There is no specific antiviral treatment for any form of TBE. Hospitals can only manage symptoms and try to limit the damage.
TBE Severity (European Subtype)
For the European subtype of TBE — the form found across Central and Eastern Europe — around 20–30% of symptomatic patients progress to neurological disease. Mortality among this group is approximately 0.5–2%, and up to 10% experience lasting neurological complications. There is no cure — only supportive hospital treatment. Vaccination is the only reliable protection.
Source: ECDC Factsheet on Tick-Borne Encephalitis
Where Is TBE Found?
TBE is primarily a disease of forested and rural areas in Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe, extending into Russia and parts of Asia. The risk isn’t evenly spread — it clusters in specific countries and regions, particularly where forested habitats overlap with agricultural land.
In Europe, the highest-risk countries include Austria, Czech Republic, Germany (particularly Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, parts of Sweden and Finland, and Russia. Switzerland, Hungary, Croatia, and parts of Romania also report cases regularly, with the Czech Republic and Baltic states consistently among the highest incidence rates on the continent. In Asia, TBE is found across Siberia and the Russian Far East, as well as parts of northern China, Mongolia, Japan, and South Korea.
Within countries, risk is highest in forested and semi-rural areas below 1,500 metres altitude, particularly where agricultural land borders woodland. Altitude matters: risk drops significantly above 1,500m, which is why much of Alpine Austria poses less risk than its lowland forests despite being highly endemic nationally.
Ticks are active broadly between April and November. In Central Europe, two peak activity periods occur — typically April/May and again in September/October. In northern Europe and mountainous regions, a single summer peak is more typical. Summer heat can temporarily reduce tick activity in some areas, but risk remains throughout the warmer months.
Rising Risk Across Europe
TBE endemic areas are actively expanding. New cases have been reported in areas previously considered low-risk, and case numbers are increasing in several European countries. If you're travelling to rural areas of Central or Eastern Europe between April and November, TBE vaccination should be on your radar regardless of how familiar the destination feels.
Who Needs the TBE Vaccine?
Not everyone travelling to TBE-endemic countries needs the vaccine — destination alone doesn’t determine risk. What matters is what you’re going to be doing when you get there.
Vaccination is strongly recommended for anyone planning outdoor activity in rural or forested areas of endemic countries — hiking, camping, cycling, running, fishing, hunting, orienteering, or simply spending time in parks, woodland, or agricultural land. It doesn’t take a multi-day trekking expedition to encounter an infected tick. A walk in a forest on a warm afternoon is sufficient.
One of the most commonly overlooked risk groups is people visiting family or friends in rural parts of endemic countries. Londoners with parents, grandparents, or relatives in rural Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Republic, or Slovakia may spend significant time outdoors during those visits — in gardens, on farms, in woodland — without ever thinking of themselves as travellers at risk. The scenery feels like home. The ticks don’t care.
Long-term travellers, aid workers, researchers, and anyone working outdoors in affected regions also fall firmly into the recommend category. Occupational exposure — forestry work, agricultural research, wildlife biology — carries particularly elevated risk.
Vaccination is worth considering even on shorter trips if any rural or outdoor activities are planned. A single day hiking in endemic woodland during tick season is enough exposure to warrant it. Families travelling with children should factor in TicoVac Junior, which is licensed from one year of age.
The one group where vaccination is lower priority is urban visitors sticking entirely to city centres — Prague, Warsaw, Riga, Tallinn — with no rural excursions whatsoever. Risk in dense urban environments is minimal. Add a day trip to the countryside, though, and the calculation changes.
If you’re unsure whether your itinerary warrants TBE vaccination, call us on 0208 567 0982. A quick conversation about where you’re going and what you’re planning is usually enough to give you a clear answer.
TBE and West London: Closer to Home Than You Think
London has one of the largest Central and Eastern European communities of any city outside the region. There are estimated to be around 177,000 Polish-born residents in London alone, alongside substantial Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian communities, many of them concentrated in West London — exactly the area Ealing Travel Clinic serves.
Many of these Londoners travel home regularly, particularly in summer and for family events. They visit parents and grandparents in rural areas, attend weddings and family gatherings in the countryside, and spend time in gardens and outdoor spaces that wouldn’t register as “high-risk” environments to anyone who grew up there. But those rural parts of Poland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic are among the most TBE-endemic areas in Europe.
The risk is real, and it’s close to home for a significant proportion of West London’s population. If you or your family travel to Central or Eastern Europe — whether you grew up there or you’re visiting for the first time — a conversation about TBE vaccination is worth having before you go.
The TBE Vaccine: Schedule, Protection, and What to Expect
The vaccine used in the UK is TicoVac (adults) and TicoVac Junior (children from age one). Both are manufactured by Pfizer and are highly effective, providing approximately 95% protection against the TBE virus when the full course is completed.
Standard vaccination schedule:
The full course consists of three doses. The second dose is given one month after the first, and the third dose is given five to twelve months after the second. You need to have received the second dose at least two weeks before travel for it to be effective — so starting the course at least six weeks before departure is the recommended approach.
Accelerated schedule:
If you’re travelling sooner, an accelerated schedule is available at Ealing Travel Clinic. The second dose can be given as little as two weeks after the first, providing meaningful protection for your trip. The third dose is then completed five to twelve months after the second to extend long-term immunity.
Children:
TicoVac Junior is the paediatric formulation, licensed from age one. The dosing schedule is the same as for adults. Children travelling to endemic regions with parents — particularly those visiting family in rural areas — should be considered for vaccination alongside adults.
Booster doses:
After completing the primary three-dose course, protection typically lasts around three years. If you continue to travel regularly to endemic areas, a booster dose every three to five years maintains protection.
Vaccine Timing
Two doses are needed before travel. The minimum gap between doses is two weeks (accelerated schedule), though one month is preferred. Allow at least two weeks after the second dose before travelling. Start the course as early as possible — ideally six or more weeks before departure. If you've already had a previous TBE course, check with us whether a booster is due rather than starting again.
TBE Vaccine Cost at Ealing Travel Clinic
TBE vaccination is not available on the NHS for travel purposes. It is a private vaccination.
At Ealing Travel Clinic, the TBE vaccine costs £65 per dose or £195 for the full three-dose course. There are no hidden consultation fees added on top — the price is what it says.
The third dose can be completed at any point five to twelve months after the second, so the full course cost is spread across several months rather than all upfront. Many patients complete the first two doses before travel and return for the third dose after they’re back.
For families needing multiple doses — parents and children travelling together to endemic areas — call us on 0208 567 0982 to discuss the most practical and cost-effective approach to scheduling.
Side Effects
TicoVac and TicoVac Junior are both well-tolerated. The most common side effects are mild and resolve within a couple of days.
In clinical trials of TicoVac in adults, the most commonly reported reactions were local tenderness at the injection site (around 30%), local pain (around 13%), fatigue (around 7%), headache (around 6%), and mild muscle pain (around 5%). In children, the most common reactions were local tenderness, headache, fever, and restlessness — all typically resolving within a few days. Serious allergic reactions are extremely rare.
If you have a history of allergic reactions to previous vaccines, or any concerns about medical conditions that might affect vaccination, mention these when you book. Our clinicians will review your history before administering the vaccine.
Side Effects Reality Check
Most people notice mild arm soreness for a day or two. Serious reactions are very rare. If you experience significant symptoms beyond mild injection-site reactions — difficulty breathing, widespread rash, or facial swelling — seek medical attention immediately. For the vast majority of patients, TicoVac causes nothing more than a slightly tender arm for 24–48 hours.
Protecting Yourself Beyond Vaccination
Vaccination is the most reliable protection against TBE, but tick bite prevention reduces your overall risk and protects against other tick-borne diseases that vaccines don’t cover, including Lyme disease (for which there is currently no approved human vaccine in Europe).
When spending time in woodland, grassland, or scrubby areas in endemic regions, wear long trousers tucked into socks and long-sleeved tops. Light-coloured clothing makes it easier to spot ticks. Use a DEET-based insect repellent on exposed skin, paying particular attention to ankles, wrists, and the back of the neck.
After any time outdoors, do a full-body tick check — ticks favour warm, hidden areas such as behind the knees, in the groin, in the armpits, and around the hairline. Remove any attached ticks promptly with fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool, grasping as close to the skin as possible and pulling steadily outward. Avoid squeezing the tick’s body, twisting, or applying heat or petroleum jelly.
Unpasteurised dairy products from goats, sheep, or cows in endemic regions can occasionally transmit TBE through consumption rather than tick bite. This is a less common route of transmission but worth knowing if you’re visiting rural areas and sampling local produce.
TBE and Other European Travel Vaccines
TBE vaccination often comes up alongside a broader review of European travel health. Depending on your destination, activities, and vaccination history, other vaccines worth discussing at the same appointment include hepatitis A — particularly for Eastern European destinations where food and water hygiene standards vary — and typhoid for similar reasons. Rabies is worth considering for longer trips, rural exposure, or travel with children who might encounter stray animals; if a bite does happen abroad, having pre-exposure doses already done makes post-exposure treatment considerably simpler. Hepatitis B is recommended for longer stays or anywhere you might need medical treatment. And it’s worth checking your DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, polio) booster is current — the UK teenage booster covers these three but does not include whooping cough. Repevax covers all four in a single dose.
If you’re booking a TBE vaccination, it makes sense to use the same appointment to review your full travel health picture.
Book a travel health consultation at Ealing Travel Clinic
Why Ealing Travel Clinic
Ealing Travel Clinic sits at 30 Northfield Avenue, London W13 9RL — serving Ealing, Acton, Hanwell, Southall, Chiswick, Hammersmith, and surrounding West London. As a NaTHNaC-registered Yellow Fever centre, the clinic is fully equipped for the complete range of travel vaccinations, not just the routine ones.
TicoVac is in stock at the clinic, so there’s no waiting for orders to arrive. We offer same-day appointments for patients who need to start their course quickly, and an accelerated schedule for those who’ve left it later than they’d have liked.
Our travel health specialists stay current with global TBE epidemiology and NaTHNaC guidelines, ensuring the advice you receive is accurate and tailored to your specific itinerary rather than a generic checklist.
Ealing Travel Clinic 30 Northfield Avenue, London W13 9RL Phone: 0208 567 0982 Book online
Frequently Asked Questions About TBE Vaccination in London
Book Your TBE Vaccination at Ealing Travel Clinic
Most people who contract TBE abroad had no idea they were at risk. The disease is preventable with a well-tolerated, effective vaccine — but only if you get it before you travel.
If you’re heading to Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, the Baltic states, Scandinavia, or anywhere rural in Central or Eastern Europe this year, book a TBE vaccination appointment at Ealing Travel Clinic.
£65 per dose | £195 full course | Same-day appointments | Accelerated schedule available
Book online now or call 0208 567 0982.
Ealing Travel Clinic, 30 Northfield Avenue, London W13 9RL.
This article was prepared by Ealing Travel Clinic and is based on current guidance from the WHO, CDC, NHS Fit for Travel, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). For personalised advice based on your specific itinerary and health history, book a consultation with our travel health specialists.
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