Is it possible to write tests across several activities using the android espresso framework?
Yes, it is possible. In one of the samples they have demoed this here https://github.com/googlesamples/android-testing/blob/master/ui/espresso/BasicSample/app/src/androidTest/java/com/example/android/testing/espresso/BasicSample/ChangeTextBehaviorTest.java
@Test
public void changeText_newActivity() {
// Type text and then press the button.
onView(withId(R.id.editTextUserInput)).perform(typeText(STRING_TO_BE_TYPED),
closeSoftKeyboard());
onView(withId(R.id.activityChangeTextBtn)).perform(click());
// This view is in a different Activity, no need to tell Espresso.
onView(withId(R.id.show_text_view)).check(matches(withText(STRING_TO_BE_TYPED)));
}
Read the inline comment.
Waiting for the new activity to load is taken care of implicitly by Espresso.