For years, pet owners asked to bring animals on high-speed trains. Now, China’s high-speed network is giving it a careful try.
By He Qitong and Wu Yufei
SHANGHAI — It took a team of five people to get Gama the cat onto the train: documents were checked, forms processed, the crate sealed, a black curtain pulled over it, and finally, the box wheeled down the platform and locked in the luggage cabinet.
Gama was officially on board China’s first pet-friendly high-speed train.
Until now, pets weren’t allowed on China’s high-speed rail network, and holiday travel for Xu usually meant leaving Gama behind. So when a limited trial opened to passengers last week, she was among the first to sign up.
The shift in policy comes amid a surge in pet ownership and years of frustration from owners with few good options. In China, pets are typically transported by slower trains, long-distance buses, or as cargo on flights — still the preferred option for longer trips.
In response, railway authorities began gathering public feedback last May on whether — and how — pets should be allowed on board. The debate focused on pricing, logistics, and concerns from non-pet-owning passengers.
The result: a limited trial launched along the Beijing-Shanghai line, with stops in five cities including Jinan, Nanjing and Hangzhou. Within days, it was trending online, as pet owners traded tips, early impressions — and growing concerns about whether their animals were passengers or just cargo with paperwork.
By the time her travel day arrived, Xu had already seen netizens’ anxiety piling up online. “It’s always been inconvenient to travel with my cat. So I had to try this and see whether it’s really as bad as people were saying,” she said.
Left: Xu Han’s Ragdoll cat, Gama, inside the crate provided by China Railway Express in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. Right: Xu and her cat arrive in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, April 10, 2025. Courtesy of Xu
Gama, as it turned out, handled the ride better than expected. Xu recalled watching the Ragdoll on a monitoring screen after staff shut the door: “She walked to the front of the crate instead of curling up in a corner. For my cat, not seeing people in a small space actually made her more relaxed.”
While Xu’s smooth ride offers one version of the trial, online, the mood remains cautious, with pet owners voicing concerns over safety, transparency, and cost.
So far, only a handful of animals have made the journey, and with prices between 360 and 460 yuan ($50–65), many are still weighing whether the service delivers on its promise. Railway officials say changes will come as feedback rolls in.
Trial run
On the first day of the trial on April 10, several dogs and cats were scheduled to depart from Beijing and Nanjing. But of the 10 bookings made for that Thursday from Shanghai’s Hongqiao station, only one pet completed the journey.
“Most orders were withdrawn due to incomplete documentation or issues with processing the required permits in time,” said Chen Ren, manager at China Railway Express’s Hongqiao Station, in Shanghai.
The rules mandate that passengers must arrive at the station two hours early with their pet, a valid ticket, ID, and an official quarantine certificate issued by a licensed veterinarian.
At a specially designated “pet exchange room,” animals are loaded into standardized crates sized for cats and small dogs under 15 kilograms. A screen inside displays temperature and humidity.
Crates for cats include a litter tray; dog versions come with space for a pee pad. The crate is fully sealed, with mesh vents on both ends and an opaque glass front. Once shut, it’s nearly impossible to see the animal inside. After each trip, the crate is disinfected.
From left: Xu Han’s cat and a passenger’s checked luggage are transported to the railway; the crate is placed in a luggage cabinet in the middle of the high-speed train; monitoring Gama on a staff member’s phone, April 10, 2025. Courtesy of Xu
The strict conditions have given some prospective passengers pause.
Mi Su, 35, booked a ticket for her Devon Rex on a Beijing-to-Jinan train for April 19. She was initially supportive, even calling the railway department to clarify the process and posted about it on Xiaohongshu, or RedNote. But after seven hours debating the crate design, she canceled the trip.
Her post echoed a wider unease. Online debate generated over 60,000 posts on Xiaohongshu and more than 70 million views on a related hashtag on microblogging platform Weibo. Many questioned whether the service treated pets as passengers and urged caution.
Though anxious, Xu said the actual experience eased her concerns. After she placed the order, China Railway Express called to walk her through the requirements. At the station, staff explained the process clearly — from the paperwork to how her cat would be monitored during the trip.
Each crate also comes fitted with lighting and a built-in camera that streams live footage to staff phones. Water is added every two hours through a hatch in the corner. Owners are not allowed to check on their pets during the journey and the cabinet stays locked until arrival.
“When I picked her up later, my cat had even used the litter box,” she said. “I think Gama must’ve felt pretty relaxed.”
Still, she’s unsure about longer trips. “One to two hours is fine, but if it’s three or four, I’d probably want to check on her during the journey,” she said. “I hope they can eventually allow owners to access the live video feed of their pets.”
Xu only managed to view the monitor once, when she happened to encounter staff on the platform. Officially, only railway staff can access the footage. “But if you talk to the staff escorting the pets, they might show you,” she noted.
Separation anxiety
For many pet owners, that ability to check in on their pets, even briefly, remains non-negotiable.
On six occasions, Guo has taken her Border Collie, Dijia, in a self-prepared cage on slower trains bound for Inner Mongolia on 30-hour rides. It wasn’t fast, but it made sense.
The 25-year-old content producer from the southwestern city of Chengdu said Dijia, who weighs 20 kilograms, traveled in a separate freight carriage, where Guo could check in at least three times a day and even walk her when the space was empty.
A dog waits to be transported at Beijing South Railway Station，April 10, 2025. VCG
Now, with high-speed rail offering a far shorter trip, Guo isn’t convinced. “If the cage is fully enclosed, and we have no way of knowing how our pets are doing — that’s too painful for us,” she said.
It’s why air travel, despite the cost and cargo restrictions, is still the preferred mode for many pet owners.
Althea Chang, 23, has flown twice with her Ragdoll cat, Laimi, between Beijing and Shenzhen, a journey of nearly 1,800 kilometers. Each trip, including security checks and cargo handling, took around five hours.
To book a spot, she calls the airline two days in advance to reserve space in the hold, secures a quarantine certificate, and shows up early with an approved crate. “I can’t know my pet’s condition during the flight,” she said. “So I wait with her until the last possible moment before going through security.”
According to China Railway Express, safeguards are in place. For instance, if the air circulation system fails, the crate triggers an automatic alert, prompting staff to open emergency ventilation panels. If a pet appears distressed, protocol is to remove the animal at the next station under the conductor’s instructions.
Compared to car rides, Xu said the rail system felt more reliable. “Some drivers treat pets like luggage,” she said. “But on the train, someone’s assigned to monitor them, even with an alarm in case something goes wrong. That gives me more peace of mind.”
Another question dogging pet owners: Is it worth the price? Fees are based on distance: 360 yuan for trips under 1,000 kilometers, 460 yuan for longer routes — already discounted by 30% during the trial.
Xu paid 117 yuan for her own seat and 360 yuan for Gama’s crate. “It’s a bit expensive for a short trip,” she said, “but the service was thorough.” She added she’d be willing to pay more, even double, if it meant keeping her cat by her side during the ride.
For others, the cost feels harder to justify, especially when paired with strict conditions and limited visibility. Guo, who once paid under 200 yuan to transport her dog on slower trains, says the current pricing feels out of sync with the experience.
Like many voicing their concerns online, she hopes for a dedicated pet carriage instead of placing animals in luggage cabinets. She also wants passengers to be allowed to bring their own cages, as long as they meet safety standards.
“I hope they take into account how much pet owners love and care for their animals,” she said. “Our pets are like family, not just cargo.”
Chen Ren, the manager at China Railway Express, explained that the service will be adjusted based on feedback during the trial phase.
As for a pet-friendly carriage that allows owners to ride with their animals, Chen said: “It might be feasible in the future, but it will depend on a comprehensive evaluation by the railway authorities.”
Editor: Apurva.
(Header imahe: A passenger checks in her pet for on a high-speed train at Hangzhou East Railway Station in Zhejiang province, April 10, 2025. VCG)