Board your dog or take it along?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Taking your dog depends on how you travel. By train it rides with you only in a whole First AC or First Class coupe or cabin, otherwise in the brake-van dog box; by air only Air India and Akasa Air take it in the cabin (up to 10 kg with the carrier), and IndiGo and Air India Express carry no pets at all. Abroad, plans take weeks to months.
A stay needs current vaccines, your pet's own food and a written routine, and for a dog that copes with new places, it can be the simpler choice for a short trip.
What each choice asks of you
| Option | Taking your dog | Leaving it in a stay | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train | A whole First AC or First Class coupe or cabin on your PNR, or the brake-van dog box; a vet fitness certificate from the 24 to 48 hours before; dog-box booking 3 hours ahead | Not stated | Southern Railway |
| Flight, small dog | Cabin on Air India or Akasa Air, up to 10 kg with the carrier, Rs 7,500 | Not stated | Air India |
| Flight, big dog | The hold, up to 32 kg on Air India and Akasa Air, 35 kg on SpiceJet | Not stated | Akasa Air |
| Snub-nosed breeds | Cabin only on Air India and Akasa Air; SpiceJet refuses them | No travel restrictions | SpiceJet |
| Sedation | Not allowed on Air India or Akasa Air | Not stated | Akasa Air |
| Abroad | Weeks to months of planning: the UK alone needs a 3-month wait after a rabies blood test | Not stated | GOV.UK |
| Health papers | A vet certificate within the airline's or railway's window | Vaccination record; each sitter or facility sets its own policy | Air India |
Which to choose when
- Take your dog when it is small enough for the cabin on your route, or you are going by car, and it copes with travel.
- Think twice about flying a snub-nosed breed: Air India and Akasa Air take them only in the cabin, SpiceJet not at all, and flat-faced dogs overheat more easily.
- Leave it in a stay when the trip is short, the journey would be long or by an airline that carries no pets, or the destination's rules take months.
Planning either way
Book early, airlines limit pets per flight (two in Air India's Economy cabin; three in all on an Akasa flight), and keep your dog's vaccination record ready for a stay or a journey.
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
Should I board my dog or take it on holiday in India?
- It depends on the journey. A small dog can fly in the cabin on Air India or Akasa Air, and any dog can go by car; by train it needs a whole First AC or First Class coupe or the dog box. If the route rules your dog out, or the trip is short, a stay is usually simpler.
How many pets can fly on one flight in India?
- Air India allows at most two pets in the Economy cabin; Akasa Air carries three per flight in all, two in the cabin and one in the hold, first come, first served.
Can I take a snub-nosed dog on a flight in India?
- Only in the cabin on Air India or Akasa Air, if the dog and carrier weigh 10 kg or less. Neither carries snub-nosed breeds in the hold, and SpiceJet refuses them.
Keep reading
- Travelling with a pet in India
- Flying with a pet in India
- Dog in train rules
- Road trips with a dogCarriers, harnesses, breaks and hot cars.
- What to pack for your pet's stay
Keep exploring
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- IRCTC: Online ticket booking of dogs and cats: general terms and conditions, and user guide (opens in a new tab)
- Air India: FAQ: rules for carriage of pets (opens in a new tab)
- AVMA: Warm weather pet safety (read in a web-archive copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Southern Railway: Rules for carrying pet dogs in trains and procedure for booking (press release 426/2022-23, 2 November 2022) (opens in a new tab)
- Air India: Travelling with pets (opens in a new tab)
- Akasa Air: Pets on Akasa: policy and FAQ (opens in a new tab)
Show all 10 sourcesShow fewer
- SpiceJet: Terms and conditions of carriage: carriage of live animals (AVI) (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK: Rabies blood tests (opens in a new tab)
- Scientific Reports (2020): Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness in UK dogs (opens in a new tab)
- Veterinary Evidence (2022), RCVS Knowledge: Heatstroke and brachycephalic dogs: is there an increased risk? (Knowledge Summary) (opens in a new tab)