Dogs on trains? Can dogs travel by train? These are two of the most frequently asked questions when planning to travel with your pets in Italy… Both Trenitalia and Italo Treno now accept dogs on trains, whether small or large breeds. So travelling by train with your dog, travelling by train with your cat, or even with your dwarf rabbit won't be a problem at all.

Can you bring dogs on a train?

Trenitalia accepts dogs on trains, as well as cats and dwarf rabbits. You can travel with your dog on board all trains, including the high-speed Frecce services in their various categories (Rossa, Bianca, Argento). The turning point came on 20 July 2012, when on board a Freccia Rossa, Trenitalia's Chief Executive Officer, Marco Moretti, and the President of the Italian Federation of Animal Rights and Environment Associations, Michela Vittoria Brambilla, signed an agreement to this effect, in the presence of Alice and Calvin, two beautiful golden retrievers.

Three months later, Trenitalia, encouraged by the success of the initiative, officially announced that travelling by train with your dog was permitted. However, there are rules that owners and their pets must follow. Let's find out what they are…

Travelling with animals on Trenitalia trains

First, let's look at the differences between small dogs on trains and large dogs.

National Trains

First and second class on all train categories, and in the Executive, Business, Premium and Standard service levels:

  • Small pets (cats, small dogs, dwarf rabbits) — that is, those that fit in a 70x30x50 cm carrier (up to approximately 10 kg) — travel free of charge. Only one carrier per passenger is permitted. On trains built with ETR 450 rolling stock, the carrier must be kept on your lap. On board couchette carriages, sleeper cars and Excelsior coaches, you must purchase a train ticket for the entire compartment.
  • Guide dogs travel free on trains and are permitted access to the restaurant/bar carriages.
  • Large dogs may travel by train, except in the Executive and Premium service levels, the Quiet Zone, private lounges and restaurant/bar carriages. To travel by train with a large dog, you must purchase a ticket and carry a lead, a muzzle, a health record book showing all up-to-date vaccinations, and the dog's microchip registration certificate. Outside the compartment, the dog must be kept on a lead and fitted with a muzzle.

Regional Trains

The same rules that apply to small pets on national trains also apply to regional trains. For large animals, the national train rules apply, unless a different regional provision is in place, with the sole exception of the 7:00–9:00 a.m. time slot on weekdays, Monday to Friday.

Fines and penalties for animals on trains

  • You may board a different train from the one you booked with your pet, provided you notify the on-board staff and, if applicable, pay any price difference plus an 8-euro surcharge.
  • If you do not have a ticket for your animal on the train, you will be asked to regularise the situation on the spot (at a higher price). If you do not have the dog's microchip registration certificate and/or the dog's health record book, you will be subject to a fine of 25 euros.
  • Penalties also apply if the transport of dogs on the train does not comply with the required conditions (for example, if you do not have a muzzle or lead, or if the carrier exceeds the permitted dimensions).
  • The owner is responsible for any damage the dog may cause.
  • Under no circumstances may a dog on the train occupy seats intended for passengers. Should the dog cause a disturbance, at the request of on-board staff, you will be required to move to another available seat or disembark at the next scheduled stop.

Travelling with your dog on Italo Treno

On Italo, you can travel by train with a small dog, cat or other pet, provided you use the appropriate 70x30x50 cm carrier. On Italo Treno, small animals travel under the same conditions as on Trenitalia. A maximum of one animal per passenger is allowed; pets must be kept close to your seat or, if space is limited, placed in the overhead luggage racks. For pets weighing more than 10 kg, you must book up to 2 hours before departure, and only in combination with the Flex fare in Smart or eXtra Large seats.

Transporting dogs by train and ticket costs

  • For small pets carried in a 70x30x50 cm carrier, the ticket is free on both Italo Treno and Trenitalia;
  • Trenitalia: For large dogs (or for dogs on the train travelling outside a carrier), the ticket price is equal to the fare chosen by the passenger, with a 50% discount.
  • Italo Treno: For dogs over 10 kg travelling by train, the ticket cost is 40€. Unlike Trenitalia, this service can be added at a later stage — up to 2 hours before departure — in combination with the permitted seats and fares.