Is there a prayer to pray before traveling?
It depends on what you mean by "prayer". There's no special obligatory prayer before a trip. The well-known advice to pray two rakats before leaving comes from a report with a weak chain, though many scholars still say it's a good voluntary prayer. What is firmly authentic is the travel dua, the farewell words to family, and two rakats in the mosque when you come back.
The two rakats before travel: how strong is it?
You'll often hear that the Prophet ﷺ said nobody leaves anything better with his family than two rakats prayed before setting out. This report is recorded by Ibn Abi Shaybah, but its chain is broken (mursal), so hadith scholars grade it weak. It isn't found in Sahih al-Bukhari or Sahih Muslim.
Even so, many scholars, especially in the Shafi'i and Hanbali schools, recommend praying two voluntary rakats at home before a journey, because general voluntary prayer is always good and weak reports are often accepted for encouraging good deeds. Others say it shouldn't be treated as a fixed sunnah. A balanced view: you're welcome to pray two rakats, just don't think your trip is incomplete without them.
Istikhara for big trips
If you're unsure whether to take a trip at all, like a move abroad or a costly journey, the authentic option is istikhara. The Prophet ﷺ taught that whoever is considering a matter should pray two voluntary rakats and then make the istikhara dua (Sahih al-Bukhari 1166). See What is istikhara and should I pray it before marriage?
What is authentic when you set out
When the Prophet ﷺ mounted his ride for a journey, he said "Allahu akbar" three times, recited the verse about Allah subjecting our rides to us, and asked Allah to make the journey easy and to protect the family left behind (Sahih Muslim 1342).
Saying goodbye also has a sunnah. Ibn Umar would see people off with the words the Prophet ﷺ used: "I entrust to Allah your religion, your trusts and the last of your deeds" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3443, graded hasan; similar in Sunan Abi Dawud 2600). A traveler can also be told "May Allah grant you taqwa as your provision" (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3444, graded hasan). The dua for leaving home applies to every trip too. See What dua do I say when leaving the house?
Two rakats when you return
This part is solidly authentic. When the Prophet ﷺ came back from a journey in the forenoon, he went to the mosque first and prayed two rakats before sitting down (Sahih al-Bukhari 3088). If there's a mosque near home, it's a lovely way to end a trip.
- No obligatory prayer is required before traveling.
- The hadith on two rakats before travel is weak; praying them as voluntary prayer is still fine.
- Istikhara is the authentic prayer for deciding on a trip.
- Say the travel dua when setting out and the farewell dua for loved ones.
- Praying two rakats in the mosque on return is an authentic sunnah.
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