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How Much Does It Cost to Take a Pet on a Train? $29 One-Way on Capitol Corridor and the Downeaster, $39 Out of State on NC by Train
Riding a train with a cat or a small dog costs a flat fee that most owners do not see until the last screen of checkout. On four of the corridors that publish it, the fee is $29 each way, and Amtrak says plainly that the amount varies by route and is charged for every travel segment. This guide pulls the published numbers from Amtrak and its state-sponsored lines, shows how a round trip or a connecting trip adds up, and explains what the rules around the fee, including the 20-pound limit and the seven-hour cap, mean for your budget. It also notes what the ferries and city transit systems say, because those are usually cheaper.
What Amtrak says about the pet fee
Amtrak's pet page lists no dollar amount. It states that pet fees vary by route and appear in the price summary when you reserve, and that the fee is assessed for each travel segment. The program covers dogs and cats only, with a combined limit of 20 pounds for the pet and its carrier, on trips of up to seven hours on most routes. Only one pet is allowed per customer reservation, and the pet must be at least eight weeks old. Pets ride in Coach Class and Acela Business Class. Because the fee is per segment, a trip that changes trains is charged more than once.
What the state-sponsored lines charge
Several lines operated with state partners publish the number themselves. Capitol Corridor lists $29 one-way and tells riders to add the pet during booking. The Amtrak Downeaster states that the fare for pets is $29.00 one-way. Pacific Surfliner's onboard page lists $29 each way, although its 2022 launch announcement quoted $26 or 800 Amtrak Guest Rewards points, which shows that these fees move over time. The NC by Train page says it charges $29 for travel within North Carolina and $39 for travel outside it. Check your own route on the reservation screen before you plan around any of these figures.
A round trip costs double, and a connection costs more
The published fee is for one direction. At $29, a round trip on a single corridor costs $58. On the North Carolina schedule, a round trip that leaves the state costs $78 in pet fees at $39 each way. A trip with a transfer is the case that surprises people: if each leg is a separate segment charged at $29, two legs in each direction would be $116, though the actual amount depends on how your route is ticketed, so treat that number as an illustration and not a quote. The fee is paid on top of your own fare.
Rules that can add costs or block the booking
The weight limit includes the carrier, so a 14-pound cat in a 7-pound carrier is already over the line. Amtrak lists a maximum carrier size of 19 inches long, 14 wide and 10.5 high. Space is capped as well: Capitol Corridor allows at most six pets per train, and Pacific Surfliner says its spaces are limited, so a full train can mean paying for a different departure. Capitol Corridor also says a pet reservation cannot be combined with Tap2Ride, multi-ride tickets or bus connections. Amtrak asks you to check in at the ticket office 45 minutes before departure at staffed stations so that agents can complete the pet paperwork.
Service animals are treated differently
Pacific Surfliner says service animals are exempt and travel at no charge, while emotional support and security animals fall under the pet program and pay the fee. Alaska's ferry rules say there is no charge on any route for a service animal or service animal in training accompanying a person with a disability. If you are not sure which category applies to your animal, our guide to service dog and emotional support animal letter costs explains what the documents are and are not.
Ferries and city transit rules
Alaska Marine Highway rules require pets to be in an approved carrier or kept in a vehicle with an adult passenger on the car deck, and they say crews call a 15-minute pet visit about every eight hours on long sailings. The policy document I read does not list a separate pet fare, but Alaska law requires a health certificate for dogs and cats entering the state. Washington State Ferries say that starting by July 1, 2026 pets may ride in cabin areas, with cats and other animals crated and dogs in a harness or crate; the coverage I found mentioned no pet charge. New York's MTA rule allows pets only when enclosed in a container, so for subway trips the cost to plan for is a carrier, not a ticket.
Train, plane or a sitter: comparing the full trip
A $29 train fee is small beside the alternatives. A flight carries its own per-direction charge, covered in what it costs to fly with a pet, and leaving the animal behind has a price too. Dog boarding rates are laid out in our dog boarding guide, and cat-sitter visits against cattery stays are compared in the cat boarding guide. For a three-night trip, a $58 round-trip pet fee is likely to be lower than a boarding bill, but the 20-pound and seven-hour limits decide whether the train is available at all.
Checklist before you book
Confirm the weight with the carrier on the scale. Read the pet fee on your own route's checkout screen, then multiply by every segment in both directions. Check whether your ticket type, such as a multi-ride pass, allows a pet reservation, and book early because spaces are limited. Fees and rules were taken from Amtrak, Capitol Corridor, the Downeaster, Pacific Surfliner, NC by Train and state ferry pages in October 2026, and they may have changed since.
This guide covers costs and transport policies only. It is not veterinary advice; ask a veterinarian whether your pet is suited to travel.
All content is fact-checked under our editorial standards.