It is possible to take a dog on a train in the UK. In fact, all public transport in the UK is very pet friendly. I took the train from Newcastle Central Station to Glasgow recently. First I took the train from Newcastle to Edinburgh and then changed trains from Edinburgh to Glasgow. The first train I took was LNER (London North East Railway) and the second one was with Scotrail. However, I booked both trains under one ticket using The Trainline.
I did not have to pay for a ticket for myself and there were no additional charges at all. All of the staff in the station, the lounge and on the train were very helpful and all seemed to love having dogs on board.
We chose to book First Class tickets on the train as it was only an additional £10 and that gets you a slightly better seat, access to a lounge at the station while you are waiting as well as a drink and snack on board.
First Class Lounge at Newcastle Central Station
Our train from Newcastle to Edinburgh was delayed by about 30 minutes so we took advantage of the lounge to wait in the warmth. The lounge is located across the bridge from the main entrance and at the bottom of the stairs. Dogs are allowed in here no problem and they even brought me a bowl of water which was super nice. There were crisps, soft drinks, tea and coffee available for the humans. As it was Christmas time, they also had mince pies available and some sparkling wine, however this was none alcoholic so it wasn’t so popular!
LNER Train
We finally got on board the train to Edinburgh and it was very spacious. There was only one other ocuple in our carriage so it was very quiet. We were originally given individual window seats which seemed strange as we were travelling as a couple of humans together. But as the train was so quiet we moved to a table of 4 which gave me my own seat. I always travel with my trusty Scoot travel blanket I got from a trip on Scoot airlines which I put on the seat before I sit down so I don’t cause any mess or leave any hairs behind.
Unfortunately, the food and drinks did not get loaded to the train so we weren’t able to have any food and drinks on board despite them being included. We were told to make a complaint and we are waiting to hear back from LNER to see if we can get some compensation from them.
The journey was very pleasant and smooth. I am pleased the train was empty as it meant I got my own seat. Had we been stuck with our original seats, it would have not been so nice as I would have had to sit on mammy’s knee the whole way or on the floor which would not have been so nice.
However I was very comfortable on my trip.
First Class Lounge in Edinburgh
The original train we were booked on from Edinburgh to Glasgow was cancelled which was not so bad as we would have missed it anyway because of our delay. So we were able to take the next available one which meant that we had some time to kill. We therefore checked out the first class lounge in Edinburgh too.
It was very similar to the one in Newcastle with similar decor. The food and drinks selection was exactly the same and they also tried to give us some alcohol free wine. There were a few other doggos in here that I got to meet too. The staff were again all very friendly. This lounge is located upstairs from the LNER ticket office and a bit more difficult to find. They were a lot more strict on entry fully checking tickets and making us check in on the Scottish Covid app.
ScotRail Train
The Scotrail train from Edinburgh to Glasgow was not as nice as the LNER train. It was a lot smaller with less carriages and only half a carriage for first class. The seats seemed pretty much the same as the standard carriages and there was no food or drinks available at all. You weren’t able to reserve seats in advance so if it was busy you may not actually get one at all. Thankfully, it was quiet and we managed to get another table of 4 so I got my own seat. I wouldn’t pay any extra for first class on this train alone. But I think the extra money was worth it for the first leg of the journey.
Taking a Dog on a Train in the UK Conclusion
It’s very easy to take a dog on a train in the UK. It doesn’t cost anything and most of the staff seem to love having dogs on board. I would definitely like to take more trains around the UK and very much look forward to doing so in the future.
You can check out my Youtube video of the full journey for more information. Don’t forget to like and subscribe to my channel.
Let me know in the comments if you enjoy train travel. Woof woof, Wylie x