Can you take a dog on a train in Spain? The simple answer is yes you can. Of course there are various restrictions that are in place. We took the Iryo train from Madrid to Malaga, but the rules for Renfe were pretty much the same.
Small Dogs
Small dogs up to 10kg are allowed on most routes but they must stay within their carrier. The carrier can be a maximum size of 65x35x35cm which is a decent size allowance. You can book the pet ticket along with your own and there is an additional cost of €10. However, if you book the premium tickets, then there is no pet fee. For our journey we paid an additional €15 for the Infinita Bistro ticket which gave you extra leg room, a welcome drink, meal on board and a drink with your meal. So it’s definitely worth paying the extra for the better seat as you get more leg room for the carrier as well.
You are allowed to take 1 dog per person and it doesn’t seem that there are any restrictions on the number of dogs allowed on board. Nor is there any specific seating for them.
Our experience on board was very positive. The staff weren’t strict on keeping the bag closed either. It was a very pleasant journey.
Big Dogs
Big dogs are also allowed to travel on board but there are a lot more restrictions. Dogs up to 40kg are allowed on board at a cost of €40. They aren’t allowed in premium carriages and humans must by a Singular ticket category. They are also only allowed on certain routes;
Madrid – Atocha / Chamartín Barcelona – Sants, Valencia – J. Sorolla, Seville – Santa Justa, Málaga – María Zambrano, Córdoba and Zaragoza – Delicias
There are specific seats that you must sit in which are very limited so it’s recommended to book well in advance. We did try to book these seats 2 months in advance so I didn’t have to go in my carrier, but they were already booked out.
In order to travel in these seats with a dog up to 40kg not in a carrier you must sign a declaration form. You must present this form at least 1.5 hours before your scheduled departure. You will be last to board the train and first to get off. Small dogs are also allowed to book these seats if you don’t want to be in a carrier. But given there’s restricted seats and the hassle of arriving much earlier, in our opinion it’s better to just choose the carrier option.
Conclusion
It’s pretty easy to travel with a dog on a train in Spain. We had a great experience with Iryo from Madrid to Malaga and would definitely recommend to anyone. It’s a much nicer experience than flying with a lot more flexibility. We much prefer train journeys to plane rides.
Have you been on a train in Spain before?
Woof woof, Wylie x
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Thank you for the article, but your initial conclusion isn’t quite accurate. If you have a dog that’s more than 10Kg, the simple answer seems to be ‘no’, with some route exceptions.
The post explains exactly how you can travel with a dog up to 40kg which explains the requirements and routes that it’s available on. So I’m not sure how you can say it’s not accurate. It details exactly how and where you can do it. Which is taken directly from the train companies website.