Being able to travel with a dog by train in Spain was, until now, full of exceptions. It depended on the route, the type of train and even the size of the animal. But that's going to change this summer. The Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, announced this morning that Renfe will expand its service pet friendly so that dogs weighing up to 40 kilos can travel on practically its entire railway network.
The measure will come into force on July 21, coinciding with World Dog Day, and will allow animals to travel with their owners both on commercial trains (AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed and Intercity) and on Avant and Media Distancia services.
Traveling with your dog will no longer depend on the route you choose
Until now, this possibility was only available on certain, and very rare, high-speed trips. It was just a pilot test that began in 2022 and was expanded little by little. But as of July 21, the service extends to practically the entire national territory.
With this change, Renfe becomes the only railway operator in Spain that allows traveling with dogs weighing up to 40 kilos on all its services, providing a real alternative for those who do not want to have to leave their pet at home when they travel or give up the train to get around.
Spiridon Varfalameev
What will it be like to travel with a dog of up to 40 kilos on Renfe
The operation will be simple. Compatible trains will be identified with a footprint icon during the purchasing process, so that the user can know if dogs up to 40 kg are allowed. Then, when you go to buy the ticket, you will have to add the supplement for the dog. The system will automatically assign two adjacent seats: the owner will travel in the window seat and the dog will occupy the interior seat, located next to him.
The supplement will have a price of 40 euros on AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed and Intercity trains. In the case of Avant and Media Distancia services, the dog seat will not have a specific surcharge and the usual fare for the journey will apply.
Furthermore, one of the new features is that it will no longer be mandatory to bring the dog up from the station where the route originates, but it will also be possible to join at an intermediate stop.
Amariei Mihai
These are the conditions to be able to travel with your pet
Of course, not all dogs will be able to benefit from this service. Puppies under one year old, breeds considered potentially dangerous and females in heat are excluded.
During the entire journey, the animal must remain with its owner, secured with a non-extendable leash of a maximum of one and a half meters and wearing a muzzle both at the station and during boarding and disembarkation.
The owner must also appear at least 40 minutes before the train departure and present the animal's up-to-date documentation (vaccination record or European passport for pets) and the signed responsible declaration. In addition to carrying a small cleaning kit with soaker, bags, wipes and disinfectant.
Dogan Alpaslan Demir
As part of the service, Renfe will provide a protective cover for the seat and a mat for the dog, in addition to sending a reminder by email the day before the trip with all the necessary conditions.
In addition, as was the case in the pilot test, a maximum of two dogs weighing up to 40 kilos will continue to be able to travel on each train in the car. pet friendly enabled for it. Therefore, it will be impossible for the traveler to choose a seat at the time of purchasing the ticket. It should also be taken into account that none of this affects dogs weighing up to 10 kilos, which travel following a different regulation.
Cover photo | Egor Gordeev
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