How To Travel With Your Pets On India’s Trains In 2024?

Disclaimer: The author is a pet parent and has traveled with her dog on a Hyderabad-Kolkata train twice in March 2023. All the recommendations mentioned in this article are from her personal experience. The images used in this article are the author’s personal photos and are not to be reused for any purposes whatsoever. Read about our editorial policies.

Are you planning on a vacation with your fur baby? But, you’re not sure if pets are allowed on a train? You’ve landed on the right page. 

For most pet parents, traveling without their furry companions is unimaginable. As soon as those fluffy munchkins enter our lives, they become our non-negotiable travel partners. 

Traveling with dogs and cats on a train is the one of the most affordable and convenient choices in India.

In this article, we will cover everything from how to travel with your pet on a train in India, IRCTC’s guidelines and handy tips to have a safe journey. Let’s begin with the first set of things you need to do.  

3 Options For Pets’ Train Travel As Per Indian Railways’ Guidelines

Before purchasing your tickets, you need to know all your options available for traveling with your pets on a train. There are three different modes in which your pet can travel on Indian trains. They are: 

Option 1 – AC 1st class compartment

• This is the best option as your pet can stay with you on the berth and move around freely inside your cabin/coupe. No other mode allows this comfort for your pet.
• You will need to purchase tickets for an entire coupe (2-seater) or cabin (4-seater) depending on the number of people you are traveling with. Why, you may ask?
• Because if any seat in your coupe/cabin is booked by another passenger outside of your family/group, there are high chances that they may raise an objection.  

Option 2 – In the luggage-cum-brake van 

• In this option, you need to cover your pet’s mouth with a muzzle or mouth guard. He/she is kept locked inside a dog box in the train’s luggage-cum-brake van along with other goods, under the supervision of a guard. 
• The dog box in each train is subject to availability. Check with your city’s railway parcel office if you can get one for your pet. 
• You need to provide food inside the dog box or feed your pet at stations. 

TWT tip: As an experienced dog mom, I highly recommend you to travel with your pets inside a 1st class cabin or coupe fully booked by you. This is because your dog or cat may face anxiety issues when left alone in the brake van along with other goods. Also, being cooped up inside a cage/carrier during long journeys could lead to stress, especially if your pet is used to moving freely around your house. Additionally, IRCTC’s clause in case of damage caused to the pets on board is quite scary. We’ll get to that in a bit.

Things To Do Before The Train Journey With Your Pet

Now that you know all your options for traveling on a train with pets, you may have decided on what kind of ticket you want to purchase. So, let’s understand some mandatory steps you need to follow before the train journey. 

1: After your ticket is confirmed, visit your pet’s veterinary doctor 24-48 hours before your departure and get their health check-up done. If the doctor confirms that they are fit to travel, collect a fitness certificate. It should clearly state your pet’s identification like gender, breed and color, apart from the vet’s declaration that he/she does not have any contagious or infectious diseases.

2: If you’ve booked an AC 1st class ticket and want to keep your pet with you inside the compartment, write a letter addressed to the ‘reservation officer’ of Indian Railways. Request him/her to allot an entire 2-seater coupe or 4-seater cabin to you as per your need. Clearly mention your PNR, date of boarding and train number in the letter.     

3: Drop the letter at the dropbox of your city’s railway manager’s office at least 24 hours prior to your train’s scheduled departure, along with a copy of his fitness certificate, vaccination cards and tickets. In most cases, your request is taken into consideration. 

The rules on this may change soon as Indian Railways has decided to make the process more convenient. More on that in sometime. 

Did you know?

In 2022, Indian railways received 1,586 bookings from passengers traveling with pets, which is almost a 50% increase from the previous year. 

Documents You Must Carry During Train Travel With Pets

In addition to your confirmed ticket and ID proofs, here are the two documents you need to have while traveling with pets on trains: 

• Vaccination cards – Your pet needs to be fully vaccinated and all their vaccination proofs must be carried along with you during your train journey.
• Fitness certificate – You need to get your pet’s fitness certificate from his/her veterinary doctor 24-48 hours before the journey. 

Things To Do On The Day Of Train Travel With Pets

1. Reach the station at least 3 hours before your scheduled departure and take your pet to the luggage/parcel office of the railway station. 
2. Here, your pet’s weight will be checked and you will be charged accordingly. We had paid INR 850-900 for our 7.5 kilo Shih Tzu puppy in Secunderabad and Howrah railway stations. 
3. Submit your ticket copy, pet’s vaccination cards and fitness certificate to the counter manager. 
4. You will be given a form to fill out, in which you clearly need to declare the value of the pet, if he/she was purchased by you and not adopted.  

Note: This process applies for all modes of transport, regardless of whether you are taking your pet in the compartment or leaving him in the dog box of the luggage-brake van.

Important warning: As per the Indian Railways’ clause, the railway administration is not liable for any damage or loss to the pet, arising from fright of restiveness. In case of loss, damage or destruction of the pet, they may compensate monetarily based on the value of the pet as declared in the station master’s form.

Latest News Update On Train Travel With Pets

• In May 2023, the Ministry of Railways released a proposal that may soon allow online ticket booking facilities for pets in AC first class. 
• Once this proposal is passed, pet parents would no longer have to make multiple rounds of the railway offices.
• We will update the article whenever IRCTC opens an online booking facility for pets. Keep watching this space for future updates. 

Other Rules To Keep In Mind For Train Travel With Pets

• Each passenger can take along only one dog or cat on a train journey (per PNR).
• The pet parent’s ticket must be confirmed for the pet to be allowed on the train.
• If you have kept your pet in the luggage-brake van’s dog box, the receipt of the pet booking must be produced, both at the departing and arrival stations. 
• If your pet is with you in the compartment, he or she can be moved to the break van in case any fellow passenger objects to his/her presence, without any refund.

Cost Of Traveling With Pets On A Train In India

The charges of taking your pets on trains depends on their weight and the mode of transport you choose. Here is the basic breakup to help you calculate:

• In luggage-brake van’s dog box – INR 30 per kilo
• Inside the compartment – INR 60 per kilo

Note: If you are caught carrying your pet without booking and paying the baggage charges, you will be charged six times the baggage cost. 

Important Tips For Train Travel With Pets From A Dog Mom + Our Experience Review 

1. Make sure to pack all your pet’s essentials such as food, water bottle, bedding, treats, medicines, towels and collar/harness/leash well in advance. We all know it’s not possible to find pet essentials at railway stations. 

2. A cooling ice bag with ice packs can be very handy to store their food for long journeys. The bag we use prevents the food from spoiling for at least 12 hours, if kept with 3 ice packs inside. It’s also important to keep some dry food just in case your home cooked pet food gets spoilt. It turned out to be useful for us soon after we departed the train.

3. Even if your pet is inside your cabin/coupe in the AC first class, don’t remove their leash/collar/harness, as you might have to open your door multiple times for the T.C, bathroom visits, etc. So it’s easier to control them when there’s a visitor in your cabin that your pet doesn’t approve of. Our fur baby clearly didn’t like the samosa wala. 

4. Make sure you keep a watch on your pets and do not allow them to cause any inconvenience to fellow passengers on your coach. If anybody ends up complaining about your pet to the T.C, he/she will be sent to the brake van and no refund will be given to you.

5. You could also carry an anxiety-relief soothing spray. Get this from your vet before your travel and use it only if you feel your pet is getting overly anxious due to the new surroundings and noise. We personally use a spray recommended by our vet during Diwali to calm him down. While traveling, he seemed quite fine and didn’t need it.  

6. Carry some of your pet’s favorite toys to keep them engaged as long train journeys can get your fur ball bored after a point. We made sure to play hide & seek games after he had enough of the views from the windows.

7. Take them out at major stations so that they can relieve themselves. Going out with your pet at stations where the wait time is less than 2-3 minutes can be risky as they need some time to find their spot. Alternatively, you can carry pee pads or diapers if your pet is used to them. 

8. Honestly, our cabin was not as clean as an AC 1st class compartment should ideally be. Thus, you might want to bring mats or cloth sheets to cover the floor of the cabin, if you’re particular about your pet’s hygiene. 

FAQs On Traveling With Pets On A Train

1. Do pets need reservations for seats on a train?

A. If you want to keep him with you in the AC first class compartment, you do not need to make seat reservations for your pet as per the current procedure of Indian railways. You only need to book them as baggage according to their weight at the luggage counter. If you are planning to keep your dog in the luggage-brake van, you will need to reserve a dog box, which is available on a first-come first-serve basis. Soon, IRCTC will start allowing online booking for pets as well.

2. Does my pet need to be leashed or kept in a carrier during train travel?

A. Yes, your pet should be on a leash or in a carrier at all times inside a train, regardless of whether they are in the compartment with you or in the luggage-brake van’s dog box. This is for the safety of your pet as well as fellow passengers.

3. Does IRCTC have any particular rules for the behavior of pets?

A. Yes, your pet shouldn’t be causing inconvenience to any other passenger on board. If a fellow passenger complains about your pet to the T.C, your pet will be moved to the brake van and kept under the supervision of the train manager.

4. Is it ok if my pet is unattended on an Indian train?

A. No, you should not leave your pet unattended at any point in the train journey to ensure the safety and security of your pet as well as co-passengers. Indian Railways does not take responsibility and is not liable in case of loss or damage to your pet.

5. For long journeys with pets on a train, do we need to keep any tips or precautions in mind?

A. As mentioned in the tips section of this article earlier, don’t forget to bring all your pet’s essentials, medicines, dry food and an anxiety-relief spray for long train journeys. Having a cooling ice bag/mini refrigerator helps to store their wet food for longer periods. Engage them with toys and fun games to help them pass the time. Also, keep a check on stations with long halts where the pet can relieve themselves.

TWT Experience Summary

Taking your pets along on your vacations can be a fulfilling and joyous experience, if you are well prepared and take the necessary precautions. Personally, we had one of the most memorable journeys while traveling to Kolkata with our fur baby in the AC 1st class compartment. We were very grateful that we could take him with us, thanks to the facilities provided by Indian Railways. 

Train travel with pets is not a complicated process once you know all your options and the guidelines of Indian railways. Book your tickets well in advance, collect your pet’s health certificates, make the baggage booking for your pet and stick by the rules for a smooth train journey. Most importantly, don’t forget to carry all your pet’s food and necessary items before you start for the railway station.   

 

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