Travelling With a Dog From Trivandrum: Train, Flight, Road and Gulf Arrivals (2026)

As of November 2026, per Indian Railways' luggage rules and IRCTC's pet booking guide:

• •With you in First AC or First Class: allowed only when the entire 4-berth cabin or 2-berth coupe is allotted to a single PNR. In practice, book the whole coupe for two people or the whole cabin for up to four. Requests for a coupe or cabin can be made at the Divisional Railway Manager or General Manager office, and IRCTC says they are given due consideration, not guaranteed.
• •Alone in the dog box: a small compartment in the guard's luggage-cum-brake van. You must hold a ticket on the same train. Only some trains have a dog box, and it is not air-conditioned.
• •Puppies and kittens small enough to carry in a basket can travel with you in any class after paying the usual booking charge.
• •Not allowed: AC 2-tier, AC 3-tier, AC chair car, sleeper class and second class compartments.

If fellow passengers object to a dog in a shared First Class compartment, the railway can move the dog to the guard's van with no refund. Dogs found without a booking are charged at six times the luggage rate. The rules also say dogs must have a collar and chain, and owners must arrange their own food and water.

IRCTC added online booking for dogs and cats. The process, from IRCTC's own guide:

• •Book your own First AC or First Class ticket first.
• •Wait for the first chart. Dog booking opens only after the first chart is prepared and closes when the final chart is made.
• •On irctc.co.in, open the Trains menu and choose Dogs/Cats Booking. It redirects to the railway parcel website, where you log in with your mobile number and an OTP.
• •Enter your PNR. If the coupe or cabin is confirmed on your PNR, you can select the number of pets, enter an ID and pay.
• •The luggage ticket comes by email and SMS, and the booking appears on the TTE's chart.

The freight is not refunded if the PNR is cancelled, the train is cancelled or it runs late. Charges are calculated at Scale L luggage rates on a notional 60 kg for a passenger compartment and 30 kg for the dog box.

Dog-box bookings and any questions are handled at the parcel office, so visit the parcel office at Thiruvananthapuram Central a few days before travel. Ask whether your train has a dog box, what health papers they want to see, and how early to report on the day.

Airline policies differ more than most people expect. As of November 2026, per each airline's own website:

• •Air India (Paws on Board): dogs and cats up to 10 kg including the carrier travel in the economy cabin, in a soft kennel of 17 x 10 x 9 inches that fits under the seat. Pets from 10 to 32 kg go as checked baggage in an IATA-standard hard crate, and heavier pets as cargo. Domestic charges are listed as Rs 7,500 per sector in the cabin and Rs 16,000 as checked baggage. Book through customer support at least 48 hours before departure; the minimum age is 8 weeks for the cabin and 3 months for the hold. Snub-nosed breeds are not carried in the hold, and pets cannot be sedated.
• •Akasa Air (Pets on Akasa): cats and dogs aged 3 months or older on domestic flights, up to 10 kg in the cabin, 32 kg as airport check-in and 100 kg from the cargo terminal, with two pets in the cabin and one in cargo per flight. Booking is by phone at least 24 hours ahead, and the vet health certificate must be obtained within 72 hours of travel. Check whether Akasa actually flies your route from TRV.
• •IndiGo: says it does not permit pets or animals on its aircraft, except guide dogs.
• •Air India Express: says it does not currently offer a standard pet-in-cabin service and asks passengers to contact customer support.

At TRV, check the flight number before paying. An AI flight is Air India; an IX flight is Air India Express, which has a different policy. Air India's connections must also stay on Air India; it does not accept pets transferring from other airlines.

For most trips within Kerala, and to Bengaluru, Chennai or Madurai, the car is the most practical way to take a dog. The main risks are heat and an unrestrained dog.

• •Never leave your dog in a parked car. The American Veterinary Medical Association says the inside of a car can rise by about 20°F (11°C) in 10 minutes and more than 40°F (22°C) in an hour, even in shade and with windows cracked.
• •Restrain your dog with a crash-tested car harness or a secured crate large enough to stand, turn and lie down in.
• •Drive early morning or evening between March and May, keep the AC on, and carry water and a bowl.
• •Plan short breaks for water and a toilet walk on a leash, away from the highway edge.
• •In the monsoon, avoid letting your dog wade through floodwater or drink from puddles, which can carry leptospirosis.
• •If your dog gets car sick, ask your vet before the trip rather than giving any human medicine.

Heavy panting, drooling, wobbliness, or very red or pale gums on a hot day are signs of heatstroke: cool your dog and go to a vet now. Our heatstroke prevention guide for Kerala covers this in detail.

Many Trivandrum families live and work in the UAE, the wider Gulf, the UK or Canada, so this section is for families relocating home with a dog. As of November 2026, per the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS) under India's Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying:

• •Where you can land: pets must arrive at an AQCS-notified port. AQCS lists stations in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, and the government opened AQCS clearance for pet dogs and cats at Cochin International Airport on 10 October 2024. Trivandrum is not on these lists, so for most Kerala families Kochi is the closest entry point.
• •Who qualifies: under the baggage rules, up to two pet dogs or cats can come with an owner who shows at least two years' continuous stay abroad and proof of transferring residence to India. Re-imports of dogs originally exported from India have their own route. Other cases, including short visits, need a DGFT licence first.
• •Advance NOC: apply on the ATITHI 2.0 portal at least 7 days before you fly, with the vaccination and microchip certificates, an official health certificate in the AQCS format, your ticket and passport. AQCS aims to issue the advance NOC within 1 working day, and airlines will not carry the dog without it. AQCS lists an application processing charge of Rs 1,000 for imports.
• •Rabies timing: the rabies vaccination must be given more than one month but within 12 months before embarkation.
• •On arrival: AQCS staff examine the dog and documents. A healthy dog gets the final NOC at the airport; a dog showing signs of disease goes into quarantine for 15 days at the owner's cost.

Airline rules apply on top of this. For example, Air India accepts pets in the cabin on some flights from the UAE but not on flights from India to the UAE. A pet relocation agent can help with the paperwork, though AQCS says passengers can apply directly without a third party.

Travelling together is wonderful when it works, but for many trips the dog is happier at home or in good care. Boarding is often the kinder option when:

• •Your only train option is the brake-van dog box in April or May.
• •Your dog weighs more than 32 kg, or is a snub-nosed breed that airlines will not carry in the hold.
• •The trip is short and the travel day would be longer than the time at the destination.
• •Your dog is elderly, anxious, unwell or still finishing puppy vaccinations.
• •You are visiting Kerala from abroad and travelling around India, where most domestic flights from TRV will not take a dog.

Neolokam is a dogs-only, cage-free farm near Malayinkil, east of Trivandrum city on the Kattakada side, with 1.5 acres of shade, open ground and a stream, three Malayali staff on site and 24/7 human care. Long-term boarding is Rs 444 per day standard, Rs 555 with additional care and Rs 666 for heavy and giant breeds, and monthly boarding runs from Rs 9,999 to Rs 17,777, all plus 18% GST. Every dog needs current rabies, distemper, parvovirus and leptospirosis vaccination with proof, tick prevention within 3 days before arrival, and a trial visit first. Pickup and drop-off can be arranged; the team confirms availability for your locality and dates.