Pet Train Travel: Amtrak Trials Program to Carry Small Dogs and Cats

Pet Train Travel - Amtrak LogoThis week, Amtrak announced that it would trial a pet program that would carry small dogs and cats in designated passenger cars (NOT luggage cars) between Chicago and Quincy, Illinois until November, 2014. Should the trial prove successful, they will consider lauching?this program?nationwide.

This is truly great news and long overdue. It is certainly exciting that pets may soon be able to travel with their owners by train? in comfort?in the United States. Of course, they will need to stay in their carriers. Amtrak’s price for this route is $25.00.? Let’s hope it is successful!


Comments

Pet Train Travel: Amtrak Trials Program to Carry Small Dogs and Cats — 19 Comments

  1. I have a Havanese that is hypoallergenic and I hope that I can travel with my dog in a sleeper car on board Amtrak train from Chicago to Rockville ,Md. This I hope will not bother people allergic to some dogs.

  2. Traveling with my Havanese on Amtrak from Chicago to Rockville,Md. In a sleeper car will be Awesome. I don’t have to bother my children to drive me 1,200 miles every summer. my dog is hypoallergenic and won’t feel bad going on an airline with him,but I have such fear of flying even for just 1 1/2 hours. I fervently hope that the Amtrak program takes off and with good results.

  3. To: Bruce
    There us an.organization that does pet transportation clear across the country or state to state via air conditioned buses. The name escapes me but they do exist.
    Try to look for them so you can get your pet to your destination. If I’m not mistaking, the nsme.is Pet Express?? I think

  4. I think its great to be able to travel with our pets,however for the sake of passengers unable to tolerate due to allergies, phobias or in general would just as soon not be around these animals, i would limit the animals to a certain car(s), so to accomodate in the greatest sense of the word! Dog lover and Nurse

  5. Agreed, although you will find with continuing outbreaks of Avian flu, birds can be very difficult to transport, especially internationally.
    Phil

  6. It’s always about dogs and cats. Birds are the third most desirable pet behind the dog and cat. They should also be considered in these test programs with Amtrak and airlines.

  7. @PetAllergySufferer – I completely agree with you. I love animals as well but think it’s preposterous that people like you need to suffer so that people can bring their furry friends with them on trips. There are other options for your pets when you travel.

  8. I have a dilema right now with trying to arrange transportation for my dog to Florida. I figured the airline would be the best option as I have a daschund. Well one problem….. Hes about 3 inches too long for the largest airline approved carrier but I can get him in there and able to lay down, he just cant move freely or turn around. (This being the current argument from Allegiant Airlines) So needless to say Im short of a plea on facebook timeline to see if I can pay somebody who is going there with it being spring break. Totally frustrated!! Accepting suggestions….Thanks.

  9. Let’s NOT hope it’s successful. Are cats and dogs first? Yes, they are mostly tiny and cute and if you are not allergic or afraid, you’ve got to love them. It’s now COOL to put dogs above humans. To not have children but instead have a cat or a dog or dogs and cats. Next, they (the large corps and gov that govern our lives) are going to make us take other people’s dogs and cats in our cars with us out of some kind of civic duty just to make our lives miserable by making us very ill all the time, struggling for breath, like I am on planes with animals in them, which is every air cabin now, regardless of brand of airline, size of plane, or time of travel. I’m forced to love dogs and cats more than myself and God. God would have me protect myself. But, how. First it’s plane cabins. Now we are going to contaminate train cabins with lots of pet dander. Hooray. Make the world gradually uninhabitable for women, men, and children who have pet allergies, which is about 5 to 10 percent of us, and about 1 to 2 percent of us have severe allergies and therefore are not forced to avoid planes. Soon enough that will involve also avoiding trains now. And, now Church. There are dogs now at my congregation occasionally at the Mormon Church, which causes me to have to leave when they are around and not come back until the next Sunday. They are at the grocery store. They are–surprise–gigantic and suddenly getting into an elevator you are inside of in a professional building downtown in a city. The stairwells are closed to avoid homeless from camping out in and overgrowing the building. What do you do when Cujo walks in and you know that just being in the elevator with him or her will make you sick for at least 12 hours and more likely 24 hours or more with a mostly closed up throat, struggling for air? For some of us, allergy “medicines” don’t work and make symptoms worse. There is no medical solution for us except avoiding dogs. It is unreasonable to have 4 pets on one small plane with passengers. Yet, I have seen this occur. That was the flight that had me bedridden for the entire 5 days I was supposed to spend looking for an office in the big city. Killed my dreams and my plans and wasted my precious time and money. Caused me to also lose a lot of money, not just on the flight but with time laid up, not able to work.

  10. Bob – if you are referring to traveling with your Poodle in a train from LA to Chicago, then probably not. Amtrak has a pilot program going out of Chicago that allows small pets, but it goes between Chicago and Quincy. Should this pilot prove successful, they will consider launching the program throughout the country. Hope that answers your question.
    Susan

  11. With a small pet (toy poodle) would it be possible for 2 seniors and dog be in a sleeper car LA – Chicago

  12. Cathy – Amtrack currently does not accept pets. They have a trial going on in Illinois for small dogs, but no word about change of policy yet…
    Jason

  13. We have a Labrador, 55lbs. Definitely It’s a large dog, and we are planning to travel Buffalo, NY by Amtrak train. So the thing is… Can we travel with the dog?

  14. Marjorie – carrying a pet weighing 16 pounds in the cabin of an aircraft may be difficult, especially if the length from tip of nose to base of tail exceeds 19 inches. If driving is out of the question, then you need to contact the airline that flies the route to see how much room they offer under the seat in front of you.
    Phil

  15. I think it would be great to be able to take my 14 year old dog who weighs 16# with me to visit friends & family in NY; I live in SC.

  16. This is great news!!! I would live to take my poodle with me when I travel to NY from AL

  17. This is wonderful news and I hope it proves to be very successful. I live in Mexico and visit my family in Canada about once every couple of years. We drive because it is the only way to transport our ageing dog but it would be wonderful if we could take a train from Texas to Michigan with the dog.

  18. This is awesome news, and let’s hope all goes well during this trial period. Thumbs up!!

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