If you are due to travel by train soon and are planning to do so with your dog or cat, the SNCF's new rules on pet travel should interest you. From now on, there will be a single fare for your pets, whether or not they take up space on the train, explains the SNCF on its website. You'll need to book a ticket for your furry friend for €7. This is the same rate for all animals. The rules are therefore more advantageous than the previous ones, since before this update on Thursday 23 June, the fare was much higher if your pet weighed more than 6 kilos, and did not fit in a basket.
The end of expensive pet bills?
The cost of his ticket then amounted to "50% of the full price of a second-class ticket, calculated on the basis of the mileage scale", recalls Capital in an article on Thursday 23 June. A high cost for all those who were forced to travel with their pets. Many internet users complained on Twitter about the high fares for their canine companion, placed on the passenger's lap and at his feet. Last summer, France Inter journalist Laurence Thomas reported on Twitter that she had bought a ticket for her dog that was more expensive than her own on a Le Havre-Paris journey.
But that's now over. For guide dogs there is an exception: there is no need to buy tickets for them, as they travel free of charge - they will nevertheless have to show documents proving their education as guide or accompanying dogs, says the SNCF. They do not have to be muzzled. Animals allowed on board are small "dogs, cats, rodents, domestic rabbits, aviary birds, reptiles and amphibians", placed in a closed bag or basket of a specified diameter. They must not exceed the following dimensions: 45 cm x 30 cm x 25 cm. Please do not forget the documents necessary for their identification.
Final clarification: this fare only applies to journeys made on board TGV INOUI, INTERCITÉS, and TER trains, excluding trains in regions with free fares such as Normandy, New Aquitaine, Pays de la Loire and the South region. For Ouigo trains, you must choose the "animal" option when booking your ticket. This costs €10, regardless of the weight of your dog or cat, compared to €15 previously. And if you're taking an international train, refer to the fares of each company, summarised by SNCF Connect on thispage.
