When I met my beloved Lola, an 18kg French Pointer, 13 years ago, I ended up buying a second-hand car because traveling with her by train or bus was simply an impossible mission. Many years have passed, Lola is no longer here, but the difficulty of getting around with a dog if you don’t have your own vehicle is still the order of the day. The options are scarce and expensive.
And be careful, it is not because there are few dogs: there are 7,562,893 specimens in the state, according to the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 of Spain. Well then, Renfe has just changed its rules to make life easier for those of us who have dogs and they can now sit with you on the seat next to the train.
What changes. From July 21, dogs weighing up to 40 kg will be able to travel with their owners throughout the state on all trains, that is, Renfe commercial services (AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed and Intercity) and Public Service services (Avant and Media Distancia). Note: Pets were already allowed nearby without a weight limit and without a ticket. With this measure, Renfe will become the first operator that allows the transport of large dogs.
Starting Tuesday, which is World Dog Day, your pet will be able to travel at your side. As explained in a Renfe statement“The dogs will occupy the interior space next to the window, next to their owners, who must lead them with a 1.5-meter non-extendable leash and with the muzzle on both at the station and at the time of boarding and disembarking.” A travel kit consisting of a seat cover and mat is delivered with the purchase.
Why it is important. Because the expansion and generalization of the dog service to almost the entire network eliminates a historical mobility barrier for those of us who have medium and large dogs, until now limited to the car or specialized transport.
On the other hand, for Renfe this service constitutes a new line of business (that 40 euro surcharge), reaching new potential users and also differentiating itself from the rest of the railway operators that compete in the liberalized Spanish market.
Context. The usual regulations for transporting Renfe pets It allowed the transfer of pets (they can be dogs, cats, ferrets, etc.) of up to 10 kg in a carrier without occupying a space and up to 10 euros extra cost.
This service is the expansion of the “Large Pet Project”, limited to railway corridors and some AVE lines on the Madrid-Barcelona, Madrid-Málaga, Madrid-Alicante, Madrid-València, Madrid-Zaragoza, Madrid-Granada and Madrid-Seville lines to transport large dogs. According to Renfehas already transported more than 800 dogs on its AVE trains. According to data from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and Agenda 2030 of Spain There are 15 million pets, of which approximately 50% of the total are dogs.
Under what conditions. The ticket can be purchased on the website, the Renfe app or at in-person and virtual agencies and when purchasing it, we will have to add a dog accessory of up to 40 kilos and the system will automatically assign you two adjacent seats. A novelty is that you can access the train with your dog from any intermediate stop and not only from the origin of the journey.
For people who do not like dogs, are allergic to them or simply do not want to share their space with animals, it is worth remembering that each train has a maximum of two dogs of up to 40 kg, located in the “pet friendly” car enabled for this purpose. Pet owners must bring and present official documentation in order and a cleaning kit with wipes, soaker, bags. In any case, 24 hours before the trip, Renfe will send an email with conditions and recommendations.
Limitations. In addition to dogs that exceed 40 kg in weight, puppies less than one year old, potentially dangerous breeds or bitches in heat are excluded from the service. Even if your dog meets all the requirements, you cannot use the service on connecting trains, on trains with alternative scheduled transportation plans or synergized seats.
Cover | Oscar Puente
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