Holiday Breaks With Dogs

Taking Dogs On Trains In Europe

We are passionate about holiday breaks with dogs and started travelling with our dog Benji when he was 8 months old! Since then, he not only has joined our adventures, but made them better! At Paws on Trains we aim for every dog owner to swap at least one of their holidays by car or plane to one by train. Taking dogs on trains in Europe is remarkably straightforward. Riding a panoramic train, hopping on a cable car or embarking on a lake cruise is memorable - and climate friendly.

Whether it’s your pooch’s first big adventure or he’s already a good traveler, with a carefully planned itinerary to tempting European destinations, you are guaranteed the most fun, hassle free and comfortable experience. Our goal is to take care of all the little details in planning, after all pets are part of the family, so why leave them at home? Our first European adventure with Benji was in Italy and Switzerland. We had a pet-friendly private car transfer from our home in south London to Eurotunnel Le Shuttle, for the easiest and fastest connection to mainland Europe from the UK.

A stop at the pet exercise area, followed by a quick visit at the pet reception, passport check-in and 35min journey on the Eurotunnel to Calais and we then continued by train to our first destination, Geneva. Easy to reach due to its location at the border between France and Switzerland, the city lies on the shores of Lac Leman or Lake Geneva, surrounded by the Alps and Jura Mountains, with views of the dramatic Mont Blanc. Montbrillant Hotel is conveniently located next to Geneva rail station and within walking distance to the city centre, lake and famous landmarks. The hotel is pet friendly and a key point for us was that the breakfast room had an outdoor opening where our dog could join us.

Geneva was a quick and pleasant stop where we enjoyed long walks along the promenade and views of the impressive Jet d’Eau, easily seen from many locations around the lake. For a unique experience with your dog, I highly recommend to sail on board the famous Belle Epoque boats and enjoy the exceptional views.

Heading to Italy, we crossed the beautiful and dramatic south-western part of Switzerland that offered us stunning views along the way.

Our first Italian destination was Florence and we travelled via Milan where we changed trains. It is important to walk for 5-10 minutes during each stop to allow you and your dog some exercise.

At Hotel Kraft in Florence we spent a most pleasant few days. The staff made us feel very welcome, we enjoyed delicious breakfasts and dinners at their rooftop restaurant along with stunning views of the city and the Tuscan hills. The rooftop pool is also worth mentioning, Benji was allowed to accompany us and enjoyed the shade for a few relaxing hours. We found Florence to be a great pet-friendly city, with its famous sites and plenty outdoor restaurants for us to enjoy and Benji to be most comfortable. Plus there was nothing more fun on an Italian summer day than to enjoy a dip in the river for him. Parco delle Cascine was also a nice surprise, a huge green pine forest in the middle of the city, only a few minutes walk from our hotel, perfect for our doggy walks. On our next adventure we took a regional Italian train to La Spezia, a town considered the hub for visiting the famous Cinque Terre villages and coastline. Upon checking in at The Poet Hotel, we were offered treats at reception, water bowls and a pet bed should we need it. It was a great choice and extremely pet-friendly, we met two other dogs with their owners on the hotel corridors occasionally and Benji could again join us at breakfast.

From La Spezia train station we purchased Cinque Terre day passes that allowed us to travel between the villages at leisure and without restrictions, as there is a 5-10 minute train ride between each station. We explored the beautiful villages mainly in the mornings and afternoons, to avoid travelling during high temperatures and enjoyed a swim in sea in Monterosso al Mare at a pet-friendly beach.

Water fountains in Italy are found at every step, which helped us keep Benji cool and hydrated, which is a very important concern when travelling with a dog. Don't forget to always monitor your pet’s health and behaviour while out on your new adventures together.

Our last destination is Lausanne back in Switzerland, for the last two nights, before returning to London. Lausanne, the Olympic Capital is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva and we enjoyed it most for the swim in the lake, sunset cruise and visit to the UNESCO-listed Lavaux vineyards terraces, all pet-friendly activities and unique. Movenpick Hotel is a dog-friendly hotel with no areas restricted to dogs. It has an ideal location and a beautiful breakfast terrace overlooking the lake. On our last day we scheduled a visit at the veterinary practice for Benji’s tapeworm treatment, a mandatory procedure to be able to safely bring him back home. The visit has to be timed so it complies with the legal requirements of the pill being administered no earlier than 24hr or later than 120 hours before entering the UK. It was a quick visit that allowed us to fully enjoy our last day in Lausanne. We returned to London via Paris, and the journey went as smooth as our outbound journey, with our private car transfer waiting for us at Calais station where our rail adventure ended.