Jorge Hinojosa
AFTER years of campaigning by pet owners, there is finally good news for those travellers in Spain who like to take their pooches with them.
Renfe has announced it will allow dogs weighing up to 40kg to travel on certain high-speed trains between Madrid and Barcelona.
Spain’s train operator announced it will carry out a three-month long pilot test beginning September 13 and running until a week before Christmas.
“This pilot test is one more step in the company’s commitment to its customers, as we think it is really important for our passengers to travel with their pets.” said a spokesperson in a statement from Renfe.
The current rules only allow animals weighing up to 10 kg to travel on trains as long as they are carried within a crate, with the exception of support dogs.
During the pilot test, one large dog per passenger would be allowed, with a maximum of two large dogs per train, as reported by Renfe in a press release.
Other EU countries like Germany, Italy and the Netherlands allow big dogs to travel with their owners in the train.
Renfe has teamed up with petcare company Purina to draw up guidelines for the pilot test, which if successful could be rolled out on other popular routes across Spain.
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