Passengers are now permitted to travel with their furry friends on trains departing from Shenzhen North Station, following the announcement by the country’s railway authorities of an expanded pilot program for high-speed rail pet consignment service.

When the service was initially launched in April along the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway line, it was only available on 10 trains involving five stations.

It has now expanded to cover 38 trains and 25 stations across eight high-speed rail lines. Among the 25 stations are Beijing West, Zhengzhou East, Wuhan, Changsha South, Guangzhou South, Shenzhen North, and Shenyang North.

Each passenger is allowed to bring one healthy domesticated dog or cat, weighing no more than 15 kilograms and with a shoulder height under 40 centimeters.

Passengers can book pet consignment services through the “Pet Consignment” (寵物托運) feature on the 12306 railway app. However, reservations must be made at least two days in advance.

At the time of boarding, passengers are required to present their pet’s identification, registration documents, and animal quarantine certificate.

Pets will be accommodated in a specially designed animal compartment designated exclusively for them, which is equipped with air circulation, oxygen and humidity sensors, noise reduction, and odor control.

Railway staff will conduct regular checks in intervals no longer than two hours and provide water as needed, but feeding and owner visits during the journey will not be permitted.

Passengers need to arrive at the station two to six hours before departure and will be able to collect their pet within an hour of arrival — pick-up instructions will be sent via SMS or phone call.

The cost of the journey for the pet is based on distance. But during the pilot phase, a 30% discount will be applied. The current preferential fee for the Beijing-Shanghai route is 460 yuan (US$64) per pet.

For more information, please call hotlines 12306 and 95572 or inquire via the China Railway 12306 app.