Train Company Dog Friendly
 

Hi,

I would like to hear from anyone who has experience traveling by train with a dog friendly train company in Europe. Also, in general, how it is to travel with a pet. Our dog weighs approximately 30 pounds.

Thanks in advance!

Read up here . . . all the info you need and links.

https://www.seat61.com/dogs-by-train...ainland_Europe


Are you taking a dog TO Europe, or do you already live there and have a dog? Makes a HUGE difference.

Thanks for your prompt response,

We live in The United States.

OK -- taking a pet to Europe will require a lot of hoop jumping. Plus how large is the dog -- I'd never ever put my dog in the hold simply for a vacation. If I was moving to Europe I would consider it but would still be reluctant.

Check out these

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/pet..._pet_passports
https://www.tripsavvy.com/taking-you...europe-1509120

Traveling on trains is likely the least of your worries . . .

And we need to go from Barcelona to Paris, then, Paris to Sweetland.

Oh, I didn't see your last post while I was editing mine . . .

Sweetland? Do you by any chance mean Sweden?

Switzerland perhaps - for long-distance trains book as early as possible on sites of national railways - yes www.seat61.com has not only canine info but great advice on discounted tickets booking online - save a bundle over walk-up fares but those tickets can sell out early as there is often a limited number available - for general train info I also like BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

IMO leave the dog home - for its sake if nothing else - a complete hassle, especially if taking trains.

I think you should leave the dog at home unless it is a seeing-eye dog, which I'm sure it isn't or you would have said so. This sounds like a vacation, leave the dog at home. I think it is cruel for you to be doing that and making the dog fly both ways for many hours. It also sounds like you have not traveled very much and never been on a train or you wouldn't ask for a pet-friendly train company when you have an itinerary set and you have no choice of trains in countries. There is only one train company that does any of those routes, the national rail system in each country. You can't pick and choose amongst various train companies to go from Barcelona to Paris, for example. You couldn't do that in the US, either, you only have one train line on certain routes. If it were a very small dog, you could just put it in a carrier for under the seat or under your legs on a train.

It's an issue of the dog rather than the company, seems to me. I have seen dogs on French trains several times but the dogs were completely silent and docile, and just lay at their owners' feet. I mean they literally never barked even once.

Thanks Christina,

Thanks for your advice, we are four in our family and the dog. We fly and take him everywhere possible and you are right, " this dog is completely silent and docile, and just will lay at ours feet. Also, what you mean is completely true, he never barks.

FYI everyone,

The dog is a medical assistance dog, which in Europe seems like it is not considered a service dog since its not a "guide dog." The option of leaving the dog at home is not an option since for my health, he is needed. We asked for advice and what train companies would work, not for an opinion on why the dog should be staying at home, we wouldn't be going through all this hassle if it wasn't for my health. We have traveled several times, to many countries (including Europe several times), but since the dog has now become a necessity for me recently, we are asking for some help and recommendations on how to accommodate our trip with the dog.

Thanks for understanding.

If anyone can recommend us a train company that would be great. Any other advice on traveling with a "pet" would be greatly appreciated.\

Thank you.

You did not answer how large the dog is. Unless he is very small he will have to be in the cargo hold for MANY hours and most likely through more than one airport. And even IF he is small enough to sit under the seat, there is no guarantee that is where he will end up. Most airlines have a limit on how many pets can be in a cabin.

Also - how long is your trip? Taking a pet on a short vacation (like anything less than two or three months) and making him fly in cargo is close to animal cruelty. You would be doing it for YOUR comfort/feelings . . . not for your pet. Either kennel him or get a house/pet sitter.

Did you read the links abut the pet passport and the hoops one has to jump to take a pet to Europe?

Sorry - I did not see your last post . . .

This is the first time you have mentioned he is a service dog.

>>If anyone can recommend us a train company that would be great.<<. As has been mentioned -- it is not a matter of train company. You book tickets from where you are to where you want to go. There is usually no choice of company.

You have already been told that you do not, in most cases, have a choice of train companies. One country, one company, just like Amtrak in the US. This is not the case in the UK, but doesn't look like that will help, and even there it tends to be one company one area. Read the country specific information on seat61.com.

BTW - do we deduce that ariescarla is traveling with Patricia, or are you piggybacking on her thread?

Oh jeeze - I didn't even notice the different screen name

Here is ariescarla's own thread https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...e-dog-1651725/

Ariescarla -- if you are not Patricia Briceno (or traveling with her) you would do better to post your question to your other thread.

(I'm pretty sure they are different people since the trip details are so different)

Hi everyone,

I am traveling with Patricia, we have decided to change our destination from London to Barcelona. As to the concern of the dog being on the plane, he will be right next to me since he is a service dog, it is already approved by our airline. Once again, this thread is not to tell us how we are being "cruel" to our dog or how and why we should be leaving our dog at home. To the concern on how to get my dog into the EU, yes I have done my research on that topic and have everything planned out to make sure I have all proper documentation and requirements that are needed for the dog to enter Europe. The point of this forum was to know if there are any pet friendly trains from Barcelona to Paris, NOT for people to be judgmental as to why we are taking out "pet" with us. Once again, IT IS FOR MY HEALTH, not for shits and giggles. The dogs weight is in the original post, approximately 30 pounds. Regardless of the dog being a service dog or not, we asked if there is a pet friendly train company that someone can suggest and how it is to travel with a "pet", not for opinions as to why we should or shouldn't take our dog with us.

P.S. :Sorry for being passive aggressive but you guys are not getting the point of this forum

>> this thread is not to tell us how we are being "cruel" to our dog or how and why we should be leaving our dog at home. <<

That was assuming this was a pet -- starting a different thread with two different screen names simply confused things.

No one is suggesting one should travel without an assistance dog if that is necessary. As long as the European rules are followed.

Again -- you caused the confusion. Your own thread made it very clear it is a service animal. THIS thread made no mention of that fact - so we probably all assumed it was a family pet.

>>P.S. https://www.fodors.com/community/ima...ed/worried.giforry for being passive aggressive but you guys are not getting the point of this forum<<

I think we all get the 'point of this forum'. You received a lot of helpful info and questions on the thread where you mentioned medical need, which you did not answer. Hard to help without the missing details..

Regardless if the dog was for medical need or a pet, I did not ask for opinions as to my choice. We simply asked for information on a pet friendly train from Barcelona to Paris.

Also, the post that I posted in now invalid since we are no longer going to London, hence the reason I did not respond.

I did not post on two different screen names, this is mine, and the other is my mothers account. STOP ASSUMING.

This is a new forum, which is from Barcelona to Paris, NOT from London to Paris. The other forum is completely different if you didn't notice.

I see where people are not listening to you, but you are not listening to others. Several people have already told you that there is in almost all cases no choice of train company, as is the case for the routes you list. The national rail service runs the trains, and you are on those or none at all, animal friendly or not.

It would be really interesting to know how we are supposed to deduce from the OP that the dog in question is a service dog, when that is never mentioned, and that Patricia is the mother of a second poster when that is also not mentioned. Ariescarla apparently credits us with some form of ESP.

And the actual question about trains was answered in post #8, but ariescarla was too busy getting upset with people who were trying to be helpful to notice.

Since I don't like being shouted at I am going to avoid further confusion by ignoring both posters.

New thread, not new forum.
Open forum. Anyone may post any opinion or offer any information they think is relevant or even just interesting. Sometimes those extras are the most valuable parts of the discussion. Sometimes, the question not asked is the one that needs answering. I have been appreciative when reminded to consider something I did not even know I needed to think about.