Overview
- Renfe put the rule into force on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, extending travel for dogs up to 40 kilograms to AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed, Intercity, Avant and Media Distancia services across its network.
- Each train will carry at most two large dogs in a designated 'pet friendly' coach with the booking system auto-assigning two contiguous seats—window seat for the dog and the adjacent seat for the owner—and a paw icon marks eligible services.
- Travelers pay a €40 supplement per one-way trip on AVE, Avlo, Alvia, Euromed and Intercity while Avant and Media Distancia apply their standard pet fares, and some trips are excluded such as puppies under one year, potentially dangerous breeds, females in heat and trains with special-link or alternative-transport plans.
- Owners must present up-to-date vaccination records or an EU pet passport, use a fixed 1.5 m leash and a muzzle for station boarding, carry a cleaning kit, and Renfe will provide a seat cover and mat at access control to limit contamination.
- The move builds on pilots that began in 2022 on key corridors and is meant to attract riders, but passenger groups and officials warn it could cause seat shortages, allergy and hygiene issues and require close monitoring of operational impacts.