Here is the question that gets typed into Google hundreds of times a month: are dogs allowed on Vande Bharat?

The reason most answers online are wrong: there are two completely different trains called Vande Bharat. They have different coaches, different classes, different pet rules.

Vande Bharat Express -- the orange chair car day train
Launched in 2019. Chair car only. No sleeping berths. No First AC. Day service under 10 hours. Over 164 services as of July 2026.
Vande Bharat Sleeper -- launched January 2026
First service Howrah to Kamakhya. Has 1A, 2A, 3A berths. Long-distance overnight service. A dedicated pet box has been introduced on select routes.

Vande Bharat EXPRESS -- dogs NOT allowed

Chair car only. No First AC. Indian Railways permits dogs in passenger coaches only in 1A coupes. Since Vande Bharat Express has no First AC, there is no legal class where your dog can travel with you. No dog box either.

Vande Bharat SLEEPER -- pet box only

A dedicated metal cage pet enclosure is built into both ends of the Vande Bharat Sleeper rake near the locomotive. Your pet travels in this box. You cannot be with your dog. Booking is entirely offline at the station parcel office.

  • Confirmed ticket required (RAC and waitlisted not accepted)
  • Visit parcel office at least 3 hours before departure
  • Vet fitness-to-travel certificate within 24 to 48 hours plus vaccination records
  • Approximately Rs 30 per kilogram of dog weight
At a glance comparison
Vande Bharat Express: No dogs. No exceptions. Chair car only, no dog box.

Vande Bharat Sleeper: Dogs in pet box only. Offline booking. Dog travels separately from you.

Regular trains with First AC (Rajdhani, Goa Express, Duronto): Dogs travel with you in 1A coupe when you book the full coupe under one PNR.

We took Apple on the Goa Express 12780 from Pune to Delhi in First AC in May 2026. Read the full verified account.

Sources: channeliam.com (May 2026), thecurrentindia.com (March 2026), Zee News (January 2026). Not personally verified by the team on Vande Bharat Sleeper.