Traveling on a train in a country, as vast as India, can be a challenging affair. It is going to get much more difficult when you have to carry your nagging pet along with you wherever you go. Traveling along with a pet can get difficult. The other passengers might not approve of it since they might have a specific allergic reaction. The pet might end up dirtying the compartment, causing an inconvenience to everybody. Last, but not the least, the pet might get scared and make a lot of noise that irritates others. The Indian Railway, though, has come up with lots of unique solutions to tackle this challenging matter. In this post, we will discuss everything you ought to know before taking your dog on the train.
- Passengers traveling in either First Class or AC First Class should pay some charges and book the entire two berths or four berths compartment all for themselves in case they have a pet to take along. The fees depend upon the train you are traveling in. You need to do a train inquiry seat availability check so that there are enough seats for both you and your dog.
- Passengers who want to travel in other classes apart from First Class AC and First Class are not allowed to take their pets along with them while traveling. Instead, they should be locked up in cages and carried in either the luggage car or the brake car of the train. Depending on the type of train, these charges vary. Good quality, pet-friendly dog boxes are made available in the brake car so that your pets can endure a comfortable experience throughout the journey. You have to contact the Parcel Office in case you want to use the brake van for transporting your dog.
- The rates for transporting dogs go as follows. Please note that this rate may vary from one train to another. In case you want your dog to travel in the luggage van, a minimum charge of 10 Rs per dog is applicable. If the dog should be kept in the specially designed boxes in the brake car, the weight cannot exceed 30 kg, and while traveling in First Class AC, the max weight is 60 kg. The rates for these cases are based on the prepaid value that is already paid.
- Dogs are not allowed inside the AC Sleeper Class Coaches, AC Char class, and sleeper and second class compartments of the train.
- If a dog has been found without a chain or name tag, or if the passenger has broken any rule, the dog will have to be removed immediately and moved to the brake van. The owner will also have to cough up around six times the original cost if this occurs.
- In case the dog is too big, it cannot be carried inside the brake van. Vans that are used to transport horses in trains are used to carry huge dogs. The charges again depend on the size of the dog and the type of compartment it should be transported in.
The Indian Railways is trying its best to ensure the dog lovers are happy and can take their dogs on holidays even on a train!