Animals on public transport

Guide dogs and assistance animals

Guide dogs and assistance animals can travel for free on all Victoria public transport services.  

This includes:

• seeing eye dogs
• hearing dogs
• guide dogs in training
• assistance animals using an assistance animal pass or interstate accreditation.

Metropolitan services

If your animal isn’t a guide dog or assistance animal, it may still be able to travel with you on public transport in Melbourne.

Trams and buses (including rail replacement buses)

Only small animals are allowed and must be in a suitable animal container.

Trains

Animals can only travel on trains if they are:

• small animals in a suitable animal container.
• dogs wearing a lead and muzzle.

Dogs on trains

If you bring your dog on a train, you must:  

• keep your dog under control at all times  
• clean up any mess your dog makes  
• make sure your dog doesn’t sit on seats, or block doors or aisles
• avoid travelling on weekdays between 7am and 9am, or 4pm and 6pm.

V/Line services

Small animals (including cats and dogs) can travel on V/Line trains if they are in a suitable animal container that meets V/Line’s guidelines.  

Animals are not allowed on V/Line coaches, including rail replacement buses, unless they’re a guide dog or accredited assistance animal.

View V/Line’s information on bicycles, luggage and animals

Examples of suitable containers

A suitable container is specifically designed for a pet and should be:

• a suitable size for the animal
• ventilated for the animal
• secure to contain the animal for the duration of the journey
• can be easily accessed to provide any food or water to the animal during the journey
• clean.

Examples of suitable containers include, but are not limited to, the containers pictured below: