Hong Kong Mtr Makes Pet-friendly Travel Permanent: Cats And Dogs Now Welcome On Light Rail Year-round

Published on August 21, 2025

As portion of its ongoing committedness to inclusivity, MTR Corporation has revealed that its Light Rail pet-friendly programme will go a semipermanent characteristic arsenic of September 2025. The last ruling follows a proceedings that began successful May, past extended connected nan spot of enthusiastic rider response. Under nan scheme, residents whitethorn recreation connected nan Light Rail with cats and dogs each Saturday, Sunday and statutory holiday, easing play and vacation journeys for pet owners and deliberately fostering a much pet-welcoming ambiance passim nan territory.

A Trial Turned Success

At first, nan strategy looked for illustration a short-lived experiment, rolled retired by MTR Corporation to spot if travelling pinch furry companions connected Light Rail could really work. The tally lasted from May to August, pinch pet owners asked to fork retired HK$99 a period for a “Cat/Dog Carrying Pass” connected apical of nan regular fare. Each traveller could return conscionable 1 pet per trip, and a group of strict rules had to beryllium followed to support some animals and humans comfortable.

The rules were straightforward: each pet had to enactment wholly wrong a bearer pinch nary appendages sticking out, nan designated boarding doors were intelligibly marked, and nan furry impermanent had to enactment astatine nan backmost of nan compartment for nan full trip. Passenger feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and nan MTR pointed to minimal effect connected work levels, making it easy to explanation nan aviator a occurrence correct from nan get-go.

High Passenger Satisfaction

MTR Corporation has received much grounds of its committedness to building a much welcoming and pet-friendly situation via a study linked to nan caller trial. An overwhelming 95% of each respondents—pet owners alongside group travelling without pets—voiced affirmative views connected nan scheme. Such wide endorsement shows that, pinch bully readying and nan correct guidelines, group and their animal companions tin stock nan trains, platforms and concourses without inconvenience.

Buoyed by this enthusiastic response, MTR Corporation has decided to transportation nan programme connected beyond nan trial. The general preamble of a imperishable argumentation will return effect in September 2025, and nan usability will support a adjacent business pinch applicable community, carrier and business circles successful bid to support journeys safe, soft and pleasant for each azygous passer-by—two-legged and four-legged alike.

Steps to Apply for nan Permanent Pet-Friendly Arrangement

For pet owners who wish to proceed utilizing this pet-friendly work connected nan Light Rail, nan process to use for nan imperishable statement is elemental and straightforward. Here are nan steps:

1. Register arsenic an MTR Mobile Member:
   • To begin, travelers must registry arsenic an MTR Mobile personnel connected nan MTR app if they person not done truthful already. This rank is basal to entree nan e-store and acquisition nan “Cat/Dog Carrying Pass.”
2. Log successful to nan MTR Mobile App:
   • After registering, users request to log into their MTR Mobile account.
3. Navigate to nan MTR e-Store:
   • Within nan app, users tin spell to nan MTR e-Store conception to acquisition nan required pet pass.
4. Purchase nan “Cat/Dog Carrying Pass”:
   • Pet owners tin prime nan walk for nan existent aliases adjacent almanac period and proceed pinch payment.
5. Receive Confirmation:
   • Once nan costs is completed, pet owners will person an email confirming their purchase.
6. Access nan Pass:
   • The “Cat/Dog Carrying Pass” will beryllium disposable successful nan “My Collections” conception of nan MTR Mobile app wrong 30 minutes of nan acquisition confirmation.

Travel Guidelines for Pet Owners

To guarantee nan information of each passengers and pets, nan pursuing guidelines must beryllium adhered to erstwhile walking pinch a pet connected nan Light Rail:

• Carrier Requirements:
  Pets must stay afloat wrong a pet-specific carrier, which should beryllium afloat enclosed pinch nary exposed assemblage parts. The carrier’s mixed dimensions (length, width, height) must not transcend 170 cm, pinch nary azygous broadside exceeding 130 cm.
• Boarding and Alighting:
  Passengers pinch pets must usage nan past doorway of nan Light Rail train to committee and alight. This ensures a smoother travel of passengers and helps support order.
• Travel Area and Times:
  This strategy applies exclusively to Light Rail services connected Saturdays, Sundays, and nationalist holidays.
• Passenger Behavior:
  Passengers pinch pets should stay astatine nan rear of nan compartment passim nan travel to minimize disturbances to different passengers.
• Fare Requirements:
  The “Cat/Dog Carrying Pass” is not a valid fare summons and does not switch nan regular fare ticket. Pet owners must still salary nan modular fare for their ride.
• Prohibited Items:
  Pet strollers aliases wheeled carriers (such arsenic shopping carts) are not allowed connected nan Light Rail.
• Cleanliness and Hygiene:
  Pet owners are encouraged to bring their ain cleaning supplies to negociate immoderate pet discarded and support cleanliness wrong nan train.
• Compliance:
  MTR unit reserve nan correct to inquire passengers to coming their “Cat/Dog Carrying Pass” and verify nan specifications of their pet carrier. Non-compliance pinch nan rules could lead to refusal of introduction aliases ineligible consequences.

Expanding Pet-Friendly Initiatives Globally

Hong Kong’s pet-friendly Light Rail inaugural is portion of a increasing world inclination of accommodating pets successful nationalist proscription systems. Several different countries person taken steps successful 2025 to connection akin services:

• United States: Amtrak, nan nationalist rider obstruction service, expanded its pet policy, allowing dogs up to 40 pounds connected astir routes, further catering to pet owners’ needs for train travel.
• Hungary: MÁV Group, Hungary’s state-owned railway operator, allows free recreation for dogs wrong nan superior connected suburban trains and connected interurban services, helping beforehand pet-friendly recreation crossed Europe.
• Australia: The Spirit of Tasmania ferry work now allows dogs successful cabins connected definite ships, pinch pet-friendly accommodations disposable for passengers walking pinch their pets.

These developments bespeak a world push toward making nationalist proscription much inclusive and convenient for pet owners, improving nan recreation acquisition for some humans and their furry companions.

Conclusion: Enhancing Hong Kong’s Public Transport Experience

Hong Kong’s MTR Corporation has wisely opted to cement its pet-friendly rule, sealing a compact yet potent advancement toward a wide transit strategy that welcomes each commuters, tails aliases nary tails. While nan trains rumble, nan argumentation stands guard, gifting pet guardians a safe, fuss-free measurement to stock a ride. As a result, nan conveyance morphs into a mild, communal abstraction wherever dogs, cats, and discerning humans stock nan soft hum of nan MTR world. Observers elsewhere tin chalk this occurrence arsenic a light-touse beacon, nudging different world metropolises to soft nan measurement for pet sharers and reshape nan characteristic of nationalist carrier everywhere.

[Source: China Daily]