Pawsome does NOT facilitate domestic pet relocations within India. The below information is outlined to help pet parents travel themselves with their pets.

We strongly feel that pets are most comfortable when travelling with their humans and hence we encourage people to relocate/travel WITH their own pets, unless impossible.

Based on our vast experience, we have prepared below an exhaustive list of things to be considered so that you can yourself easily plan to travel with your pets at much lower cost.

We always advise that air, train or road travel are as safe for your pets as for the humans. However, you should always consult your local vet just before the travel date and obtain a fit-to-travel certificate.

In case of aircrafts, there is a special animal hold area just below the cockpit designated for pets. It is temperature and pressure controlled. From our dealings with airlines personnel, we have learnt that the air which is circulated inside the human cabin is only passed on to the pet hold area. There is no switch on/off manual button. However, please be advised that NO HUMAN can visit / see the pet when the flight is in the air. Air travel may not be appropriate for anxious / old age / unwell pets. Also, we DO NOT recommend sedating the pets; no airline mandates it, as sedation is only given under medical supervision. Please read our post on travelling with Spicejet and AirIndia.

Indian Railways allows pets to be taken in 1st AC coaches of the trains. There is an option to take your pet in the dog box also (present in luggage van); but it is NOT recommended as it is unclean, non AC and not supervised. The 1st AC Cabin / Coupe is quite safe as pets are with you all the time. NO crate is required. The railway platforms can sometimes be overwhelming for the pets due to the crowd and noise around. Also beware of the local dogs on the platform/tracks. Care should also be taken when getting on / off the coach of the train. The door is generally at a height from the platform and hence there is a chance for your pet to fall / get stuck. You may use a plank or carry them in your arms. Read in detail about train travel with pets.

Road journeys by car / SUV are quite safe for pets comfortable with vehicles. In case of bigger dogs, care should be taken that they don't fall in between the seats, during sudden jerks. You may put a bench to cover the area completely. Frequent breaks are recommended.

If you are considering air travel, please check if there is DIRECT flight of Spicejet or Air India between the two cities. Airlines do NOT take pets on hopping / stopover flights. You may consider to deboard the pet at hopping station and then again book on the other flight, however it may NOT be feasible as it takes considerable amount of time to deboard and book pets. Also, it would be very expensive.

The airlines also have following restrictions and preferences.

  • No airlines allows pets less than 3 months of age.
  • Airlines allow pets only in Airbus and Boeing aircrafts, not in ATR or other smaller aircrafts.
  • Spicejet allows booking only through cargo terminals.
  • Air India allows booking through passenger and cargo terminals both. A passenger needs to travel in the same flight when booking through passenger terminal.
  • Spicejet mandates that a passenger should fly in the same flight.
  • Spicejet does NOT allow snubbed nose dogs like Pugs, Rottweilers
  • Air India in many cities prefers to send pets in the early morning or late evening flights only

Please call the airlines before booking your pet.

Train journeys are always a more feasible option due to the wide network of Indian Railways. However, not all trains have 1st AC. Please check which trains have 1st AC at www.irctc.co.in. Also, very long (>30 hrs) train journeys may be quite exhausting for some pets, so it may not be the most feasible option in that case. Read in detail about train travel with pets.

Roads are the most feasible and flexible option. However, please check the road and weather conditions before embarking on a road journey with your pet. Only 8-10 hours of drive per day (with multiple short stops) is advisable, so be prepared to lay over at nights in mid-towns. You may plan the stopovers in advance at towns/cities with hotels / airbnbs allowing pets. Check airbnb.in with the filter "Pets Allowed" to find pet-friendly accommodations.

Travel with your pets can also be optimized using any combination of air, train or road. For example, Pune to Dehradun can be broken down into Pune-Mumbai by road, Mumbai-Delhi by air and Delhi-Dehradun by road/train.

Travelling with your pet can be expensive depending upon the route, size of pet and travel time. Below major costs should be considered while planning travel with your pets. Read in detail about Cost Estimation for travelling with your pets using different modes - air, train, road.

Air Travel:

  • Your own ticket cost (if travelling with your pet)
  • Crate/Container cost (depends on size of your pet). You can buy new/used crates at a discounted price from us.
  • Pet Freight charges (depends on size of crate)
  • Other costs - pet cabs to and from the airport, fit-to-fly certificate, bowls, absorbent cooling mats, food, water.

Train Travel:

  • Your own ticket cost (minimum 2 tickets in 1st AC)
  • Parcel booking charges for pet
  • Other costs - pet cabs to and from the railway station, fit-to-fly certificate, bowls, absorbent cooling mats, food, water.

Road Travel:

  • Cab charges per km for going and returning (Depends on car size)
  • Toll taxes, per day waiting charge, driver allowance
  • Night stay charges at a pet-friendly hotel
  • Other costs - bowls, absorbent cooling mats, food, water.

Read in detail about Cost Estimation for travelling with your pets using different modes - air, train, road.

Air travel: You may check the availability at any of the aggregator websites like makemytrip.com, yatra.com etc. However, it is best to visit www.airindia.in and www.spicejet.com to know the exact make of the aircraft. Only Airbus and Boeing aircrafts are designed to carry live animals. ATR or any other small aircrafts are NOT designed to carry pets.

Please call the airlines before booking your pet.

Trains: Please visit www.irctc.co.in to check and book 1st AC train tickets. There are two types of enclosures in 1st AC - COUPE (of 2 berths) & CABIN (of 4 berths). Book minimum 2 tickets atleast for a COUPE (2-berths) to be allotted. However, it's better to book 4 tickets if possible, as there is maximum chance of a CABIN allotment. In case you do not get an entire COUPE / CABIN to yourself, you may have to remove the pet if the other passengers in the same COUPE / CABIN object.

Mid-week days are generally low rush and have higher chances of ticket availability. Please note that 1st AC tickets are NOT available in Tatkal.

Road: Please check availability of cabs with your local taxi operators.

Air travel is the fastest mode of travel. In case of cargo, you would be required to reach the cargo terminal with your pet minimum 3 hours before the flight time. In case of check-in from passenger terminal, minimum 2 hours before the flight time, you must reach with your pet. After landing, it takes  45-75 mins to receive your pet. In cargo booking, the time for your pet inside the crate is 2-3 hours more than passenger terminal check-in, as you have to check-in the pet earlier in cargo and cargo clearance after landing also takes extra time. Please be advised that you are NOT allowed to visit / see the pet after check-in. No human is allowed inside the pet hold area, when the aircraft is in air.

For train travel, you are required to book the pet from the railway station PARCEL office minimum 1 hour before the train departure. No formalities are required once you get down at destination. Although the train journey might be longer, the pet is NOT required to be in the crate and is always with you inside 1st AC CABIN / COUPE as allotted.

For road journeys, only 8-10 hours of drive per day (with multiple short stops) is advisable, so be prepared for overnight stays also.

Air - Original FIT-TO-TRAVEL certificate from your local vet is required; signed not more than 24 hours before the time of travel. Original vaccination records are required for them to check. Take 2-3 photocopies of certificate, vaccination records and your ID proof. Some airline cargo booking offices (especially Air India Hyderabad) ask for an Indemnity Certificate on a bond paper. Please call up the airline beforehand to confirm. Also, ONLY CASH is accepted at many cargo offices.

Sample fit-to-travel certificate is as below.

Train - Original FIT-TO-TRAVEL and photocopies of vaccination records and ID proof are required. If possible, please carry a print of your train ticket. You would be required to show the SMS for the CABIN/COUPE allotment. Please note that CABIN/COUPE is allotted only 4-6 hours before train departure when the chart is prepared. It is notified through SMS on the number used while booking the ticket.

Road - No documentation is required. However it is advisable to vaccinate the pet and carry a FIT-TO-TRAVEL certificate issued from a local vet.

In case you still have doubts/questions, feel free to bark at woof@pawsome.in and we would get back to you as soon as we can.

Safe travels... Woof woof!!!