The dua for travel — on mounting a ride

Ibn Umar reported that when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم mounted his ride he would say Allahu akbar three times, then recite:

سبحان الذي سخر لنا هذا وما كنا له مقرنين وإنا إلى ربنا لمنقلبون

Subhana-lladhi sakhkhara lana hadha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinin, wa inna ila Rabbina la-munqalibun.

"Glory be to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could not have subdued it. And indeed to our Lord we are returning."

Then this dua:

اللهم إنا نسألك في سفرنا هذا البر والتقوى ومن العمل ما ترضى، اللهم هون علينا سفرنا هذا واطو عنا بعده

"O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for righteousness and piety, and for deeds that please You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and fold up its distance for us."

Sahih Muslim 1342.

What people do not know

The verse recited within it is Quran 43:13-14. That is, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not compose this part — he recited the verse Allah had revealed about riding beasts themselves.

On returning

In the same hadith: on the return he would recite the same and add:

آيبون تائبون عابدون لربنا حامدون

"We are returning, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord."

Sahih Muslim 1342.