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Pet Travel

Amtrak adds new options to bring pets on trains

Dogs and cats under 20 lbs. allowed on Northeast Corridor Acela trains

By James Leggate Fox News
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Every dog can have its day on Amtrak, as long as they're not too big.

Amtrak is expanding its pet program, allowing animal lovers to bring their little furry friends on Acela trains where it had not previously been allowed.

Dogs and cats weighing up to 20 pounds will be allowed on the trains, with eight pet spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Amtrak. In the past, pets were only allowed on weekend Acela trips.

Pets will be allowed in all cars other than first class and café cars of Acela trains, which run the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C.

Pets will be allowed in all cars other than first class and café cars of Acela trains, which run the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C. (Amtrak)

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Bringing a pet will cost $26, and the pets must remain in a carrier at all times, with the carrier stowed under a seat, according to Amtrak’s announcement. Pets will be allowed in all cars other than first class and café cars of Acela trains, which run the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, D.C. Pets were previously only allowed in coach class.

The expanded pet service comes after the Department of Transportation changed its emotional support animal rule in December to not consider them as service animals, meaning that airlines will not be obligated to allow them on flights unless the animals have training to assist a person with a disability.

Amtrak is expanding its pet program, allowing animal lovers to bring their small furry friends on Acela trains where it had not previously been allowed.

Amtrak is expanding its pet program, allowing animal lovers to bring their small furry friends on Acela trains where it had not previously been allowed. (Amtrak)

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Caroline Decker, Amtrak’s vice president of Northeast Corridor Service Line, said in a written statement that the railroad service is "delighted to expand our pet program."

"Our customers will now have more options for traveling with their pets on the Northeast Corridor," Decker said.

Amtrak’s pet program has been a popular offering since it launched on Northeast Corridor trains in 2015. More than 174,300 pets have ridden the trains since then. And even before the new expanded offerings, it brought in more than $4.3 million.

Dogs and cats weighing up to 20 pounds will be allowed on the trains, with eight pet spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Amtrak)

Dogs and cats weighing up to 20 pounds will be allowed on the trains, with eight pet spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis. (Amtrak)

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More details about Amtrak’s pet program are available on its website.

The expanded pet program is one of several upgrades Amtrak has added to Acela trains since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. For business class travelers, seat reservations can now be made with snapshots of the train’s capacity, including in the quiet car. And the service has upped its cleaning protocols and onboard air filtration, in addition to requiring masks and physical distancing.