Travelling with your dog: car, train and crossing the border

Whether it’s a day trip or a proper journey: travelling with your dog takes a bit of preparation. With the right restraint, the right paperwork and a few breaks, the ride becomes relaxed for everyone.

Rules and conditions change. Treat this as a starting point and always check the official, up-to-date source (your vet, the carrier, the government) before you set off.

By car: safety first

A loose dog in the car is dangerous, for the dog and for you. Secure your dog with:

• a seatbelt harness (clipped to the seatbelt), or
• a sturdy travel crate, well secured, or
• a boot/cargo guard that keeps your dog in the back.

Drive calmly, and give your dog regular breaks to relieve itself, drink, and stretch its legs. It’s best not to feed it right before setting off, an emptier stomach helps prevent car sickness. Is your dog not yet used to the car? Build it up gently with short, positive trips. And the golden rule: never leave your dog behind in a parked car in warm weather, more on that in our piece on dogs and heat.

By train or public transport

Dogs are welcome with many carriers, but the conditions differ: small dogs in a bag sometimes travel free, larger dogs sometimes need a ticket and/or a muzzle. These rules change regularly, so check the carrier’s current conditions (e.g. NMBS in Belgium, NS in the Netherlands) right before you travel. Travel outside rush hour if you can: calmer for your dog and for fellow passengers.

What paperwork does my dog need abroad?

If you’re travelling abroad, within the EU you’ll generally need:

• a microchip (mandatory identification),
• a valid rabies vaccination,
• a European pet passport with all of that recorded in it.

Mind the order: the chip must be fitted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination, if it’s the other way round, the vaccination doesn’t count and has to be redone. After that first vaccination, the EU also requires a waiting period of at least 21 days before you’re allowed to travel, that’s a hard limit, not a guideline. So arrange this well in advance with your vet, especially for a young dog that still needs its first rabies shot. More details in travel documents for your dog. Some countries also have extra requirements (for example, a tapeworm treatment, or rules around certain breeds). Travelling outside the EU? Then different, stricter rules apply.

Arrive well prepared

Bring what your dog knows from home: its food, a travel bowl for water, its bed or blanket, poop bags, and the contact details of a vet at your destination. Looking for a dog-friendly place to stay overnight or grab a drink along the way or at your destination? Browse stays and dining on GoPuppy.