How to travel with your pet on Indian trains: Here are the rules and charges

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Can passengers travel with pets on Indian trains?

Air India and, of late, Akasa Air may allow carrying dogs on domestic flights, but Indian Railways remains the undisputed top choice of pet owners to travel with their pets. Data show around 2,500 pets travel by train every month on Indian Railways.

Station officials say that it is good to carry the identification documents of the passenger, like a copy of the Aadhaar card and the vaccination certificate of the pet. (Photo Credit: Abantika Ghosh)

Puppies and kittens who can fit into a pet basket can be carried by passengers in any class after payment of usual booking charges. (Photo Credit: Abantika Ghosh)

How can pets be taken on trains?

The Railways offer a variety of options for carriage.

Dogs can be booked in the ‘dog boxes’ with the train guard in parcel vans attached to most trains, subject to availability. The availability of such dog boxes in a train can be checked beforehand from the parcel office of originating station.

Alternatively, puppies and kittens who can fit into a pet basket can be carried by passengers in any class after payment of the usual booking charges. The charges can be found on the Indian Railways website.

What are the dos and don’ts of travelling with pets?

Dog/cat owners can travel along with their pets in AC First Class only but there are certain conditions.

Railway rules say that only when the entire four-berth cabin or a two-berth coupe (meaning a set of one lower berth and one upper berth) is booked by the pet-owning passenger on a single ticket after payment of usual booking charges, can the pet travel inside the train.

The booking charges are calculated by the parcel office based on the weight of the pet and the distance of travel. In case of waitlisted tickets, passengers can request for allotment of such a four-berth cabin or a two-berth coupe for carrying pets, to the local divisional railway manager’s office or General Manager’s office, beforehand. The addresses are available on the website.

Since there is no option yet for the passenger to inform Railways while booking the ticket that she will be carrying a pet along with her, officials say that when they come to know of it, they give it due consideration while allotting the berths. However, if an exclusive coupe or entire cabin cannot be allotted, the passenger has to get a written no-objection from co-passengers in the cabin in order to carry the pet.

Considering the formalities involved, officials advise passengers carrying pets to reach the station a few hours in advance so as to be ready in time for the departure.

Station officials say that it is good to carry the identification documents of the passenger, like a copy of the Aadhaar card and the vaccination certificate of the pet.

In first AC or first class, the maximum number of dogs which can be booked with a passenger is not more than the number of passengers. In other words, one passenger can carry only one dog.

What are the charges?

The dog carried in a dog box is charged Rs 30 per kg per pet dog, and when carried in AC first class and First Class with a passenger it is charged Rs 60 per kg per dog.

Dogs are not allowed to be carried in AC2 tier, AC 3 tier, AC Chair Car, Sleeper Class and Second Class Compartments. Puppies/kittens which can be carried in a basket can be carried by owners in all the classes after booking with the parcel office.

The freight charges of Rs 20 per kg are charged for puppies and kittens. In a particular train, only one dog box is provided and only one dog is booked per train on first-cum-first served basis.

There is no provision for advance booking of dogs. Dogs are locked in the dog boxes in the presence of the owner who is responsible for feeding the dog en route.