China's high-speed rail network has expanded its pet transport services, giving travelers more flexible options to bring animals on-board.
Passengers can now either travel with their pets in designated compartments or book separate tickets for them. For pets traveling alone, reservations must be made two to five days in advance, with required information and quarantine certificates submitted online. Each traveler may bring up to two pets when accompanying them, or consign one pet per trip when sending separately.
The expansion makes China’s high‑speed rail network more accessible for pet owners, offering new flexibility and convenience on one of the world’s busiest transport systems
Wang Yujue, business manager at China Railway Express, outlined the procedures for pet transport under the expanded service.
"When placing an order, customers should provide consignor and consignee details, and must bring the pet along with a valid animal quarantine certificate to complete procedures on-site. Once the pet is loaded, the consignor will receive a text notification with the train number, and the consignee will be notified upon arrival to collect the pet with valid identification," he said.
Prices range from around 500-1,300 yuan (about 74-190 U.S. dollars) per pet for separate transport, and from 360 yuan to 860 yuan (about 59-132 U.S. dollars) for pets traveling with their owners.
The latest expansion adds services at 11 stations in north and central provinces, as well as 50 high-speed train routes. With the expansion, a total of 121 high-speed rail stations and 228 train services across China now offer pet transport services.
China expands pet‑friendly travel options on high-speed rail
