Quick Answer
Yes, Amtrak is one of the most pet-friendly major transport operators in North America. Small dogs and cats up to 20 pounds combined weight of pet and carrier are allowed on most Amtrak trains for trips up to seven hours, for a flat fee of about 26 USD (2026 pricing). The pet must stay in a soft or hard carrier at the owner's feet for the entire journey.
Bigger dogs, exotic animals, birds and rodents are not allowed. Service animals of any size travel free without the size or duration limits.
The Detailed Rules
- Weight: 20 pounds combined pet plus carrier.
- Carrier: maximum 19 x 14 x 10.5 inches, leak-proof and well ventilated.
- Trip length: up to 7 hours on most trains; longer routes accept pets on a segment-by-segment basis.
- Fee: around 26 USD per segment; pet counts as one carry-on.
- Reservation: book pet fare online or by phone; each train has a per-train pet cap (typically 5 pets).
- Age: pet must be at least 8 weeks old, vaccinated, and non-disruptive.
Routes That Do NOT Allow Pets
- Auto Train (Lorton VA to Sanford FL) - service animals only.
- Some Thruway bus connections operated by third parties.
- International segments crossing the Canadian border on Adirondack or Amtrak Cascades north of Seattle.
Long-Distance Trains
The Coast Starlight, Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief and other long-distance overnight trains accept pets under the same rules, boarding and disembarking within any 7 hour segment. Amtrak staff will help you plan pet stops.
Etiquette on Board
Keep the carrier zipped, on the floor at your feet (not on the seat), and take the pet to the vestibule at station stops for a short break. Snacks are fine; opening the carrier during the trip is not, since the pet counts as luggage under the fare rules.
Best Amtrak Routes for a Pet Trip
- Northeast Regional: DC to Boston, frequent stops for breaks.
- Cascades: Seattle to Portland, scenic 3 to 4 hour segments perfect for a first pet trip.
- Pacific Surfliner: San Diego to San Luis Obispo, coastal views and pet-friendly beach towns at either end.
- Downeaster: Boston to Portland ME, short comfortable rides.
What Amtrak Costs vs a Flight
Amtrak pet fee is a flat 26 USD regardless of trip length. Airline in-cabin pet fees now range 95 to 150 USD each way on Delta, United and American. For most eastern US city pairs, Amtrak with a pet costs a third of the equivalent flight.
How to Book the Pet Space
Amtrak sells a limited number of pet spaces per train, so the reservation is the part people get wrong. You add the pet to the booking at the time you buy your own ticket, either online where the route supports it or by calling Amtrak directly. Pet spaces cannot be added at the platform.
Check in at the station at least 30 minutes before departure and sign the pet release form. Your dog or cat stays in an approved carrier no larger than 19 by 14 by 10.5 inches, and the combined weight of pet and carrier must be 20 pounds or less.
Where Pets Are Not Allowed
Pets are excluded from Auto Train, most long distance sleeper services, business class on some routes, and any journey longer than seven hours. Canadian portions of cross border services follow different rules again.
Making the Journey Comfortable
Skip the big meal before departure and offer water instead. Line the carrier with an absorbent pad, bring a spare, and pick a seat near the vestibule so you can step off at longer station stops.
Carrier training in the two weeks before travel makes the biggest difference. Short sessions at home, with the door open and treats inside, turn the carrier into a familiar space rather than a trap that only appears on stressful days.
Costs and Which Routes Work Best
Amtrak charges a flat pet fee per journey segment on top of your own fare, which usually makes it cheaper than in cabin air travel once airline pet fees and carrier requirements are counted.
Short corridor services suit pets best. The Northeast Regional, Keystone, Pacific Surfliner, Hiawatha and Capitol Corridor are all comfortably inside the seven hour limit and have frequent departures if you need to rebook.
Service Animals Are Treated Differently
Trained service dogs travel free, are not limited to the pet spaces, do not need a carrier and are permitted on every route including Auto Train and long distance sleepers. Amtrak may ask the two ADA questions but cannot require documentation.
Emotional support animals do not qualify. Since 2021 they are handled under the standard pet policy, which means the carrier rules, the weight limit and the seven hour cap all apply.
Bottom Line
Amtrak takes small cats and dogs up to 20 pounds including the carrier on most routes under seven hours, for a pet fee and with a reservation made in advance. Book the pet space when you book your own seat, keep the carrier under the seat for the whole trip, and remember that service dogs travel free and without the size limit.
