How to transport a cat on a train: detailed instructions, rules and tips

Legislative regulation

If you are not allowed on a train with an animal, two points are considered. The first is that you have not carried out all the preparatory measures regarding the documents. Secondly, you simply forgot the animal at home.

Knowing and observing all the requirements that are needed to transport a cat on a train, the conductor will not reprimand you, and certainly will not refuse to board the carriage. Everything is explained by Russian legislation.

At the moment - in 2022 - there are two legislative acts regulating the transportation of pets on trains.

— The first act is Federal Law No. 18 of January 2003. This bill approves the rights and requirements for persons who have purchased a train ticket. They automatically become passengers in the vehicle in question and are responsible for complying with safety requirements.

— The second act is Order of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation No. 473 of December 2013. Here are the regulations for the transportation of passengers and animals by Russian Railways.

It follows from both legislative acts that you can transport a cat on a train. To do this, you just need to follow the rules.

How to transport a cat in a car

The main issue is safety. If you are traveling to the country with your pet and do not intend to cross the border, you are unlikely to need a package of documents.

The cat in the car should be in a carrier; it is better to place the carrier at the feet behind the driver's seat. This is the safest position. If a cat walks freely around the cabin or lies under the rear window, this is a big risk. During emergency braking, it will turn into a projectile that will straighten its claws and fly straight at the passengers or driver. It's better not to take unnecessary risks.

About the rules of transportation on various types of trains

Every cat owner, if he wants to take an animal with him on a trip, must prepare for the trip in advance. To do this, familiarize yourself with the general rules for transporting pets on a train, which highlight the following points:

Transportation of animals is possible only in specially designated carriages. They have corresponding icons. The owner of the animal purchases a ticket for himself, but in a special carriage where the transportation of animals is allowed.
Cats are small or indoor animals, so you can take them with you on the train. An important condition is to notify the conductor in advance of your intention to travel with a cat. To do this, it is enough to show the animal to the handler when boarding.
Cats must be kept in special baskets, houses, and carrier bags. There is no separation between an adult pet and a kitten.
There are also restrictions on the container in which a cat can be transported on a train. The total size of the sides of the bag or basket should not exceed 1.8 m. This is standard passenger hand luggage, so there is no need to purchase an additional ticket.
The owner of the cat is obliged to keep the cage clean, feed the animal in a timely manner so that it does not disturb others with its plaintive sounds.
The rules for transporting cats on the train do not exclude the fact that the conductor can remove the passenger along with the animal. This happens when there is a danger to others.

Short distances on the train can be covered without additional containers, keeping the cat on a leash and under constant supervision.

And regarding questions about how to transport a cat on a long-distance train , the following rules must be observed:

Long-distance trains are considered to be routes over 700 km. The cost of tickets for an animal depends on the distance of the journey.
A separate ticket must be purchased for the animal, the cost of which will be found out at the ticket office at the time the passenger issues the ticket.
If the ticket was purchased online, then 2 hours before departure you can purchase a ticket at the railway station ticket office.

Modern high-speed trains do not allow animals to be carried along with passengers. There are special carriages for them, for which you need to purchase a ticket. The luggage with the cat is handed over to the conductor, and they themselves go to the passenger carriage. The cost of such a ticket for a pet is 1.5 times higher than the standard tariffs for transporting an animal.

How to prepare your pet for a trip

When receiving a veterinary certificate, you should consult a doctor on how to properly prepare your animal for travel on public transport. If the trip is long, your veterinarian may recommend preventative vaccinations to strengthen the immune system.

To avoid various unpleasant embarrassments on the train and eliminate possible inconveniences, it is recommended to prepare your cat for the trip in advance. For this purpose, it will be necessary to carry out the following activities:

Feeding _ 1.5-2 hours before departure on the trip, the pet must be fed and given water. The animal should be fed moderately, otherwise it may vomit on the train.
Medicines . A couple of hours before the trip, it is recommended to give your pet a sedative. It is better to consult a veterinarian about choosing an effective and safe medicine. The most commonly used sedatives for animals are Stop-stress and VetSpokoin.
Fees . You need to get ready in advance, because in a hurry, important things can be forgotten. It is recommended to carefully check the availability of documents for the animal.
Peace of mind of the owner. Pets are sensitive to the mood and state of the owner. The owner should behave calmly and not be nervous, then the cat will be calm.

Rules for transporting animals

There are also rules on how to transport a cat on a train, based on issues of preliminary preparation of the pet.

Here they highlight:

It is required to be vaccinated against rabies, upon which veterinarians issue a certificate. Its validity does not exceed 30 days.
It is recommended to clean the animal of parasites. 1-2 weeks before vaccination, a deworming remedy is given.
If the cat has not been vaccinated for several years in a row, a double vaccination is required 20 days apart.

Vaccination will be required if the question arises of how to transport a cat on a train abroad. While a vaccination passport may not be required within the territory of Russia, you will have to obtain one to travel abroad. A vaccination passport is required to transport an animal in business class and high-speed trains across Russia.

Vaccination requirements

Even when preparing for your trip, you need to show your cat to a veterinarian. The specialist must check that the animal has the necessary vaccinations and assess its health status. Information on vaccinations must be indicated in the veterinary passport. In addition, you will need to obtain permission from a doctor in the form of a certificate to transport your cat by train.

If a veterinary passport has not previously been issued for the cat, this will need to be done before the trip. Before the trip, you will need to get another vaccination against rabies and be treated for worms. Advice on the need for other vaccinations can be obtained from the veterinarian who will conduct the examination. If you haven’t given your cat any vaccinations within the last year, it may take longer to prepare for the trip.

Documents for transporting a cat

It is necessary to carefully consider how to transport a cat on a train in Russia, regarding the required documents.
Until 2022, having a veterinary passport for an animal was mandatory. Without it, it was impossible to purchase a train ticket. Now there is no need for this, although the relaxation does not apply to all cases:

The Russian border crosses with a cat only if it has a veterinary passport and a stamp indicating that it has been vaccinated.
In business classes and high-speed trains, where the cat is placed with other animals, conductors require a veterinary passport.
Transporting a cat to an exhibition also requires the presentation of a veterinary passport.

It follows that it is better to obtain a veterinary passport for the animal in advance and vaccinate it. This will protect your pet from infection on the road.

Veterinary certificate

A certificate from a veterinarian is a certificate confirming the cat’s vaccinations and health status. Rules and features of obtaining a certificate from a veterinarian:

Receipt location . The document is issued only by a state clinic. Veterinary reports obtained in private offices are not valid.
Validity . The document is valid for 5 days from the date of receipt. After this period, the animal will not be allowed on the train. It is also necessary to take into account such a nuance as the need to re-obtain a veterinary report for the return trip.
Passport . The issuance of a certificate of health of the cat is carried out only if there is a passport for the animal, which will indicate the vaccinations given, the dates of deworming, and treatment for lice.
Timing of veterinary examination . All mandatory procedures for maintaining health and vaccination must be carried out no later than 30 calendar days before the intended use of public transport.
Chipping . If travel on the train is international, the animal must have a chip. A record of its presence must be made in the passport.

To buy a travel pass for an animal, you must provide a pet passport and a health certificate from a veterinarian at the ticket office.

What vaccinations should an animal have?

Only cats that have the appropriate vaccinations may be allowed to travel on public transport:

rabies;
calcivirosis;
viral hepatitis;
viral leukemia (vaccination is optional, not mandatory, but recommended);
dermatomycosis vaccine;
rhinotracheitis.

Considering the fact that vaccination is carried out from a certain age of the animal, accordingly, kittens aged 3-4 months are allowed to travel.

What to take with you on the road

Most owners, when going on a long journey for the first time, do not know what they need to take with them for their animal.

The following list of items will help:

Container for transportation. It is required, but a container means a carrying bag, a basket, a house and other items in which the animal will be comfortable. An important condition is that the pet must be in the “house”, so it is recommended to check the condition of the zippers and locks.
First aid kit. A first aid kit for an animal should contain essential supplies - antidiarrheal and painkillers, antiemetics, antiseptic, bandage and cotton wool.
Tray with filler. It is recommended to take a special filler that absorbs urine odors.
Dry diapers are disposable. They are put in a container so that the cat can relieve itself - animals on trips do not always go to the tray after being dropped into it.
Wet wipes and plastic bags. Will be needed to clean up after the animal.
Bowls for water and food.
Leash, collar or harness. Even if you don't keep your cat on a leash, it's a good idea to do so when traveling. The animal may become frightened at the station and run away.
Warm small blanket. The cat will need it for an overnight stay. It is recommended to take an unnecessary blanket or one that can be easily washed, in case your pet uses it for other purposes.
Toy. A favorite toy in a container will help your animal cope with stress.

When it comes to toys, you should not purchase a new item before traveling. It should remind your pet of home. Let it be a favorite sock or string, but it gives the cat some protection.

Transporting an animal from the CITES list

CITES is the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora. It regulates the transport of rare species of animals, plants and their parts, for example, hunting trophies. If your pet is included in the CITES Appendices, then in addition to the standard set of documents, you will need a CITES permit.

Here is the official list of all animals in Latin from the CITES Appendices. If the animal is included in the strictest Annex I, then to transport it you will need to obtain two permits: in the country of departure for export and in the country of entry for import.

Appendix II animals often only require an export permit, but it is best to check the rules of the country of entry. For example, to import into Europe you cannot do without a second permit - an import permit.

For Annex III pets you will have to obtain a certificate of origin. Regardless of the type of CITES application, additional documentation may be required in the country of entry.

Article VII of the CITES convention lists exceptions. For example, Appendix I animals bred in captivity for sale are considered Appendix II species.

To obtain a permit abroad, you must apply to the national environmental authority. In Russia, permits for the export and import of animals from CITES Appendices I or II are issued by Rosprirodnadzor. The necessary documents are listed in Order No. 47 of the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation. You can read what is required in practice and how the procedure goes in the reviews of experienced travelers. Here are stories about how a CITES permit was obtained for a turtle and the Venezuelan Amazon.

If your animal is not included in the CITES Appendices, but it is something exotic, and not just a cat, dog or ferret, it makes sense to go to the zoo and get a certificate on the official form about the species.

Sedatives for cats

If your pet is nervous on the road or behaves inappropriately, it is better to use sedatives. The list of effective means includes:

Fitex are special drops that are easy to give during a trip. It is better to use them before boarding the train so that the animal can calm down and endure the journey more easily. It is better to give drops a month before travel, since the product has a cumulative effect.
Stopstress is a faster and more pronounced effect. It is not addictive, it is recommended to give it in drops.
Fospasim is a homeopathic remedy whose action is aimed at eliminating fearfulness, panic, stress and aggression.

You can contact your veterinarian in advance and explain the problem of the animal’s behavior on the way. In extreme cases, a specialist injects the cat with a sleeping pill. The cat will sleep for a long time.

Condition of the cat after transportation

After the move, the animal, of course, continues to experience stress. This happens not only because of the transportation itself, but also because the animal ends up in a completely new place for it, in a new apartment.

Basically, the behavior of the animal is as follows:

refusal to eat for several days (1-3 days);
refusal to go to the toilet (up to 24 hours after moving);
the animal does not make contact with the owner, hides under the sofa or in another secluded place.

After 2-3 days, this condition passes and the cat begins to behave as usual. After a week, Mars had already completely settled down - his appetite returned, he began to go to the litter box and behave like the master of the house.

Useful tips

Transporting a cat on a train is difficult for owners, since during the entire time people are worried about the condition of their family member. You can make the animal’s fate easier by following these recommendations:

You cannot limit your cat's access to water. Place a bowl of water in the container and constantly monitor its contents.
At stations you are required to walk your cat. A leash is used for this. Walk with her as far as possible from large crowds of people, but observing safety precautions.
During a walk, you need to check whether the animal has gone to the toilet. If not, health problems may arise. Sometimes the animal does not go to the toilet, eat or drink during the trip, which can last up to 3 days. In this case, immediately upon arrival you need to contact a veterinarian and explain the situation. The doctor will prescribe treatment to eliminate dehydration and restore the functions of the urinary system.
For food, it is better to take dry cat food on the road. But if your pet has not tried it before, it is better to keep the same food and provide it on the train. Otherwise, you may experience stomach and intestinal upset.

Monitor your cat's condition closely during the trip. If the situation allows, you can remove the animal, which is on a leash, from the container and hold it in your arms. Or put him to sleep next to you if you know for sure that he won’t run away. To avoid funny things, it is better to tie the leash to the train table.

In addition to our article, we recommend reading the story of one traveler with a cat. You will find a lot of useful information in it - https://pikabu.ru/story/v_poezd_s_kotami_4974906

Food and drink during the trip

It is unlikely that your cat will want to eat or drink during the trip, as transport is a stressful event for the animal.

I took with me some dry food and 2 cat sausages as treats. The cat ate the treat, and even then in several passes, but did not touch the food.

It's the same with drinking. You can completely refuse water, since nothing will happen to the animal during the day, and an extra trip to the toilet in a carriage will be uncomfortable.

Travel registration

Nowadays, tickets are purchased in two ways, which determine the specifics of further actions:

Order a ticket via the Internet. As a rule, on the websites of railway companies, when purchasing a ticket, you can select all the additional functions, which include transporting a pet, which will increase the cost of the ticket. Upon arrival at the station, you just need to show your passport and present the ticket printed from the website;
When ordering a ticket through the website, pay attention to the carriages marked with the letter Z - these are the ones you need
Purchasing a ticket through the station ticket office. When purchasing a ticket directly, you inform the cashier about the presence of the animal and discuss the package of necessary documents and the final cost of the ticket, after which you redeem it.

It is advisable to notify Russian Railways employees of your intention to transport the animal in advance (two to three days before the day of departure). You can do this by calling the toll-free number 8-800-222-07-66.

The simplest procedure for transporting a cat applies to all trains

Please note that commuter trains do not require containers. It is enough to pay an additional fee for the animal, and entry into the carriage is open.