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🚂 CITY-TRIP ITINERARY · 10 DAYS · WITH YOUR DOG
A train-friendly European city trip with your dog
Four iconic capitals — Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin — connected by direct dog-friendly trains. Pet-welcoming hotels, parks, and the live Booking.com map for every city.
🇫🇷 Paris→🇧🇪 Brussels→🇳🇱 Amsterdam→🇩🇪 Berlin
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Duration
10 days
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Cities
4 capitals
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Transport
Train (Eurostar / Thalys / ICE)
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Budget
€1,200–€2,500
🐾 Why this route works for dog owners
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Every leg is a direct, dog-friendly train. No flights, no airline cargo holds — just leashed walks from station to hotel.
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All four cities have major fenced off-leash parks within a 20-minute walk of the central stations.
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No border paperwork inside the Schengen zone — you only need a valid EU pet passport with up-to-date rabies vaccination.
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Each city has at least one 24/7 emergency vet clinic — saved in the practical info below.
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The route avoids the heat-stress risk of southern Europe — comfortable for short-haired and brachycephalic breeds even in summer.
CITY BY CITY
Your stops, your hotels, your map
Start in the city where over 500,000 dogs share life with their owners. Paris is unusually relaxed about four-legged guests: the Marais, Saint-Germain and Canal Saint-Martin all welcome leashed dogs in cafés and on terraces. The 850-hectare Bois de Boulogne and 995-hectare Bois de Vincennes — both reachable by metro — give your dog space to run after long museum mornings. The metro accepts small dogs free in carriers; larger dogs need a reduced ticket and a leash.
⭐ Must-do with your dog: a sunset walk along the Canal Saint-Martin
The 4.5 km canal between République and La Villette is fully pedestrianised, lined with dog-friendly café terraces, and ends at the 55-hectare Parc de la Villette where dogs run off-leash on the central lawns.
🏨 Recommended pet-friendly hotels
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🗺️ Live map — all pet-friendly hotels
Two hours by Thalys from Paris-Nord. Brussels is one of the calmest pet-friendly capitals in Western Europe: less crowded than Paris or Amsterdam, with a strong café culture and the gigantic Forêt de Soignes (4,400 hectares of beech forest) on the city's southern edge. Bus, tram and metro accept dogs free of charge. Most Belgian restaurants and shops welcome dogs without question — a water bowl at the door is a common sight.
⭐ Must-do with your dog: the Bois de la Cambre + Forêt de Soignes loop
Take tram 7 to Vivier d'Oie. The Bois de la Cambre (122 ha) flows directly into the Forêt de Soignes — a continuous 4,500 hectares of beech forest, with off-leash zones around the Étangs de Boitsfort.
🏨 Recommended pet-friendly hotels
★★★★★
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🗺️ Live map — all pet-friendly hotels
Direct Eurostar from Brussels-Midi (1h45). Amsterdam is built for dogs: the Vondelpark (47 ha), the Westerpark and the Amstelpark all have off-leash zones; trams accept dogs with a small ticket; the canals are walking territory for hours; and the entire Jordaan neighbourhood is a low-traffic dog walker's paradise. Watch out for the bikes — they always have priority and are fast.
⭐ Must-do with your dog: the Vondelpark morning loop
Enter from the Stadhouderskade gate at 8:00. The 47-hectare park has multiple off-leash sections and you'll meet hundreds of locals doing the same morning ritual. Coffee at 't Blauwe Theehuis afterwards — dogs welcome on the terrace.
🏨 Recommended pet-friendly hotels
★★★
Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam
9/10·140 €/night
🐾 Pet fee €15/night
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🗺️ Live map — all pet-friendly hotels
Direct ICE train from Amsterdam Centraal (~6h, dog ticket ~€8 on Deutsche Bahn). Berlin is widely considered the most dog-friendly capital in Europe: an estimated 100,000 registered dogs, dogs on every U-Bahn and S-Bahn line, dogs in shops, dogs in offices. The Tiergarten (210 ha right in the centre) and the Volkspark Friedrichshain have huge off-leash sections. The Prenzlauer Berg and Kreuzberg neighbourhoods are full of dog-friendly cafés.
⭐ Must-do with your dog: a Tiergarten + Spree riverside walk
Start at Brandenburg Gate, cross the Tiergarten to Schloss Bellevue, then follow the Spree down to Museum Island. Roughly 6 km, mostly off-leash territory inside the park. Locals stop for currywurst at Curry 36 — dogs welcome at the standing tables.
🏨 Recommended pet-friendly hotels
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★
🗺️ Live map — all pet-friendly hotels
🚂 Transport between cities
Paris→Brussels
⏱️ ~1h25 · Thalys / Eurostar (direct)
🐾 Small dogs in carrier €7, larger dogs €30 (one ticket per dog).
Brussels→Amsterdam
⏱️ ~1h50 · Eurostar / Thalys (direct)
🐾 Same fares as Paris–Brussels. Dogs travel beside you, not in cargo.
Amsterdam→Berlin
⏱️ ~6h20 · Deutsche Bahn IC Berlin (direct, 4 daily)
🐾 Small dogs free in a carrier. Larger dogs need a Hundeticket (half adult fare, ~€20–40) and must be muzzled and leashed.
📋 Before you go: paperwork, vaccines, vet contacts
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EU pet passport with valid rabies vaccination — required at every hotel check-in. Vaccine must be at least 21 days old, less than 12 months for the standard 1-year jab.
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Microchip ISO 11784/11785 — mandatory for all four countries. Must match the passport number.
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No tapeworm treatment required for this route (only relevant for UK / Ireland / Finland / Norway / Malta).
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Save the four 24/7 emergency vets in your phone before you leave: Paris (CHV des Cordeliers, +33 1 47 47 47 47), Brussels (Vétérinaires d'Uccle, +32 2 374 80 99), Amsterdam (Medisch Centrum voor Dieren, +31 20 379 98 00), Berlin (Tierärztliche Klinik Falkenried, +49 30 8541 7099).
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Carry a soft muzzle in your bag at all times — required on Deutsche Bahn ICE/IC and on the Brussels and Berlin metros for larger dogs.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can I really do this whole trip with no flights?▾
Yes. All three legs are direct trains, all dog-friendly. Total train time is roughly 9h45 spread over 10 days — very manageable for most dogs, especially with longer city stops in between.
How much does the trip cost for a couple with a medium dog?▾
Budget €1,200–€2,500 depending on hotel category. Train fares total ~€450–€700 for 2 adults + 1 dog if booked 4–6 weeks ahead. The dog's pet fee is €0 to €50 per stop depending on the hotel.
When is the best time of year for this route?▾
May–June and September are ideal: mild temperatures (15–22 °C), uncrowded parks and full hotel availability. July–August can hit 32 °C in Paris and Amsterdam — uncomfortable for dark-coated dogs.
Can I shorten this to a long weekend?▾
Yes — Paris + Brussels (4 days) is the easiest two-city version. The Eurostar between them is just 1h25 and pet rules are identical.
What if my dog is over 25 kg?▾
All four cities are large-dog friendly. The only friction point is metros where a leash + occasional muzzle are required. Hotels: most luxury properties accept dogs up to 25 kg, but call ahead to confirm if your dog is heavier.
All practical guides
Travel confidently with your pet across Europe — guide by guide.
📋→🚂→✈️→🚗→🏨→
Pet passport by country
Microchip, rabies vaccine, country rules
Train travel with your dog
SNCF, Eurostar, DB, Renfe, Trenitalia…
Flying with your pet
Cabin vs hold, airlines, IATA
Road-tripping with your dog
Laws by country, Eurotunnel, ferries
Choosing a pet-friendly hotel
Red flags, fees, key questions