Taking a Dog or Cat on UK Trains in 2026: Rules, Fees and the Carrier

King's Cross, Saturday morning, the train to Edinburgh. The dog has found the one patch of floor under the table, the cat carrier is between your feet, and the guard walks past without a second look. Taking pets by train in Britain is easier than most people expect, and it's free for up to two animals.

The rules below come from the National Rail Conditions of Travel, which apply on trains across Great Britain. Individual train companies can add their own details, so check with yours if you're unsure.

The short version

• You can take up to two dogs or other small domestic animals free of charge.
• Dogs stay on a lead for the whole journey, on the train and on station property.
• Cats and other animals travel in a fully enclosed carrier, at most 85 × 60 × 60 cm, in which the animal can stand and lie down comfortably.
• No animals in buffet or restaurant cars, assistance dogs aside.
• Sleepers take dogs only with the train company's permission, asked for at least 48 hours before travel.
• Eurostar doesn't take pets to or from London.

Dogs

The lead stays on from the station entrance to the moment you leave the station at the other end. If a train has a luggage van, the train company can ask for your dog to travel there; in that case the dog must be muzzled, and both dog and lead labelled with your name, address and destination.

Staff can ask you to remove an animal that's causing a nuisance to other passengers. A calm dog on a lead rarely gets a second look.

Cats and small animals

Cats, rabbits and other small animals travel in a fully enclosed basket or carrier made for the purpose. The National Rail limit is 85 × 60 × 60 cm, far bigger than any airline allows, so the size question on a train is really about comfort and space at your feet.

Pick a carrier your cat can stand, turn and lie down in, with a closed top. Our P8116 measures 45 × 30 × 28 cm and keeps its shape on a swaying carriage floor, with a roll-up shade for a cat that wants darkness. If you need something that packs away at your destination, the P8115 folds down to 6 cm.

More than two animals

A third animal is up to the train company. If it charges, the fee can't be more than half the adult single fare.

Sleepers

Animals generally aren't allowed in sleeper accommodation. Dogs can travel in a sleeper cabin if the train company agrees; ask at least 48 hours before you travel.

Going on to Europe

Eurostar doesn't take pets on trains to or from London. Guide and assistance dogs can travel if you contact Eurostar at least 24 hours ahead. With a pet, the route to the continent is by car through the Channel Tunnel or by ferry. Our guide to taking your dog or cat from the UK to Europe covers the papers and the crossings.

What I've learned travelling with a dog and a cat

Practise with the carrier at home. Luna, my sphynx, found her carrier open in the living room for a few days, with her blanket inside. After three days it was her favourite place to nap.

Book a seat with floor space. A table seat or the end of a carriage leaves room for a dog to lie down and a carrier at your feet.

Walk the dog before the train. A dog that has had a walk lies quietly for the whole journey. Bring water and a folding bowl for longer trips.

For flying from the UK, read which airlines take pets in the cabin from the UK.

Common questions

Do I need a ticket for my dog on UK trains?

No. Up to two dogs or other small domestic animals travel free.

Does my cat need to be in a carrier on the train?

Yes. Animals other than dogs travel in a fully enclosed basket or pet carrier, at most 85 × 60 × 60 cm.

Can my dog go in the buffet car?

No. Only assistance dogs for blind or deaf people are allowed in buffet and restaurant cars.

Can I take my dog on the sleeper to Scotland?

Only with the train company's permission. Ask at least 48 hours before you travel.

A carrier for the train

P8116 is a structured 45 × 30 × 28 cm carrier for cats and small dogs up to 10 kg.

A short note: train companies' rules and entry and exit requirements change, and the official information always applies.