Traveling with Service Animals

Service animals are trained to do work or perform tasks directly related to a person’s disability and are permitted in all areas where passengers are allowed.

A service animal must be under the control of its handler at all times and housebroken (trained to wait to relieve themselves at appropriate station stops—and not onboard). Amtrak personnel may ask what active task(s) the service animal performs. For the safety of all Amtrak passengers and staff, and the sanitation of our trains and facilities, passengers shall not misrepresent untrained animals as service animals, including pets, comfort or emotional support animals, animals in training, etc.

Fraudulent representation risks an animal being denied travel or removed from the train, and in many states may constitute a crime. Animals not considered service animals must follow the carry-on pet guidelines.

Amtrak personnel may ask what active task(s) the service animal performs directly related to the passenger’s disability. Conductors can provide information about station stops that provide sufficient time for the handler to walk the animal to a relief area. Passengers must check with the conductor at the designated station stop. Amtrak employees are not responsible for the care or supervision of any passenger's service animal. Passenger may include their service animal on their reservation during booking by completing the booking questionnaire.

Contact us at 1-800-USA-RAIL or email for accommodations such as accessible seating space for large service animals, if necessary and available. Ensure your animal is not sick prior to travel and let Amtrak employees know of any changes during travel.

A service animal must sit under the passenger's seat or at his or her feet. Service animals are not allowed to sit in the aisle, on seats or on beds. Passengers traveling with more than one service animal should be aware that space is limited.

• If the train schedule permits, you may walk your service animal at station stops provided that you stay within reasonable proximity to the train and re-board promptly when the conductor notifies you that the train is about to depart. If you plan to walk your animal during the trip, please notify the conductor when you first board the train.
• Not permitted: Litter boxes, animal pee pads, diapers, non-waterproof carriers, and other containers, bags, and packs to facilitate animal relief onboard. Animals must be housebroken and not relieve themselves onboard.
• For the Auto Train, there is only one stop in Florence, SC, which is a service stop that may be used as a station relief stop. Notify the Conductor and onboard personnel.

You must keep your service animal under control at all times. The animal should always be on an appropriate and sturdy leash, harness or other tether, unless this is not possible due to a disability or if the leash or other tether would interfere with the service animal's safe, effective performance of work or tasks, in which case the service animal must be otherwise under the handler's control. Animals are not permitted to be left unattended.

Amtrak personnel may require you to remove your service animal en route or from the station premises if:

• The animal is out of control, and you do not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog causes a significant disturbance by barking repeatedly and uncontrollably or is not housebroken) or
• The animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of other passengers and animals, e.g., biting, growling, snapping, displaying aggressive behavior.

If you are asked to remove your service animal, but you would like to remain on the premises and/or continue travel without the animal, you must make arrangements for another person or local animal control to accept custody of your animal, and you may be required to continue or begin your Amtrak travel at a later time or on a later date.