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Getting There with Your Pet in Germany

Flying into Frankfurt on Lufthansa, Deutsche Bahn's genuinely workable pet fares, why FlixBus won't take pets at all, and driving or ferrying in from a neighbouring country.

Shiba Inu in a pilot uniform and sunglasses in front of a small airplane

Guides in this topic

5 guides · updated October 2026

  • Dachshund resting in a blue travel carrier at an airport terminal

    Flying into Germany on Lufthansa

    Lufthansa's cabin limit is 8kg including the carrier, roughly house-cat-and-small-dog size, with larger animals travelling in the hold or as dedicated air freight instead.

  • Cat peeking out of a backpack carrier held by a passenger on a train

    Deutsche Bahn: Taking a Dog on German Trains

    A genuinely workable system: a small pet in a closed carrier rides free on Deutsche Bahn, a bigger dog pays half the normal fare and needs a leash and muzzle, and assistance dogs always ride free.

  • Woman holding a small dog while riding a city bus

    FlixBus: No Pets, With One Exception

    A rule worth knowing before you book, not after: FlixBus carries no pets at all, anywhere on its network, with the single exception of a certified service dog.

  • Two dogs sitting in a protective back-seat cover inside a car

    Driving In: The Autobahn & Schengen Borders

    No staffed checkpoint waiting at most German land borders, since it's inside the Schengen area — but that doesn't remove the paperwork, it just means nobody's there to check it on the day.

  • Dog standing on the blue deck of a ferry beside the railing

    Ferries from Denmark: Scandlines

    The main short sea routes into Germany from Denmark carry pets at no extra charge and with no advance booking needed — though a muzzle applies the moment a dog leaves the car.