Travelling to London with your dog

Thinking of taking your dog to London, or perhaps turning your trip into a road trip through England, Wales or Scotland? A little preparation is essential. Since Brexit, there are a few important things to bear in mind, from having the right travel documents and arranging the mandatory tapeworm treatment to choosing how you’ll enter the UK with your dog.

As it’s a journey we love making ourselves, we’ve put together everything you need to know to make travelling to the UK with your dog as straightforward as possible.

What does your dog need to travel to England?

If you’re travelling from Belgium or another EU country to Great Britain, your dog must:

• be microchipped;
• have a valid rabies vaccination;
• have a valid EU pet passport;
• receive a tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before arrival;
• enter the country via an approved route.

If it’s your dog’s first rabies vaccination, you’ll need to wait at least 21 days after the vaccination before travelling.

Don’t forget the mandatory tapeworm treatment

This is probably the most important part of your trip to plan carefully. Your dog must be treated against tapeworm by a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before arriving in Great Britain.

Make sure your vet records the product used, the date and the exact time of treatment correctly in your dog’s passport and signs the entry. Without a valid tapeworm treatment, your dog may be refused entry at the border.

Tip: schedule your vet appointment based on when you’ll actually arrive in England, rather than simply working from your departure date.

How can you travel to England with your dog?

There are several ways to travel from Belgium. If you’re driving, you can take LeShuttle or cross the Channel by ferry. Travelling directly from Brussels to London by passenger train, however, isn’t currently an option if you’re bringing a pet dog.

Taking your dog on LeShuttle: Calais – Folkestone

One of the easiest ways to travel with your dog by car is LeShuttle. You drive onto the train in Calais and, around 35 minutes later, arrive in Folkestone. Tip: don’t be too quick to drive straight past it – Folkestone itself is a lovely place to explore with your dog, especially in summer!

Your dog stays with you in the car throughout the crossing. Before departure, your dog’s microchip and travel documents are checked at the Pet Reception. I have to admit, I found it quite nerve-racking the first time – imagine getting there only to discover that something isn’t quite right and your dog can’t travel... These days, I actually enjoy this part of the journey. You see all sorts of travellers arriving with their dogs for their checks, and the staff have always been incredibly friendly. It almost feels like the official start of the holiday.

Once the checks are complete, you drive onto the train and stay in the car with your dog. Around 35 minutes later, you’re in Folkestone and ready to continue your journey towards London or elsewhere in England.

Taking your dog on the ferry to England

Another option is to take the ferry from Calais or Dunkirk to Dover. How your dog travels depends on the ferry operator and the type of crossing you book.

With DFDS, dogs travelling on the Calais–Dover and Dunkirk–Dover routes must remain in the car during the crossing. For safety reasons, passengers aren’t allowed to stay on the vehicle deck. You can visit your dog during the crossing, but you’ll need to arrange this with the crew.

The very first time we travelled to the UK with our dogs, we took one of these ferries to Dover. We hadn’t looked into the rules for travelling with dogs carefully enough beforehand and only realised when we got there that our dogs would have to stay in the car while we left the vehicle deck. Given the length of the crossing, I didn’t feel comfortable leaving them there on their own.

Thankfully, that isn’t the case with every ferry. On P&O Ferries’ Calais–Dover route, for example, you can book access to a dedicated Pet Lounge. Your dog can stay with you during the crossing, and there’s also an outdoor area where dogs can stretch their legs.

There are other options on longer routes too. With Stena Line between Hook of Holland and Harwich, for example, you can choose between a kennel and a pet-friendly cabin where your dog can stay with you.

These days, we always choose LeShuttle ourselves. Not because the ferry can’t be a good option, but because we love having our dogs with us throughout the journey and the crossing only takes around 35 minutes. For us, it’s the most relaxing way to travel to the UK together.

Can you take your dog to London by train?

Travelling directly from Belgium to London by train sounds like one of the easiest options. You board in Brussels and, just a few hours later, you’re right in the heart of London. Unfortunately, that isn’t currently possible if you’re travelling with a pet dog.

Eurostar does not allow pets on services to and from London. Recognised assistance dogs are the exception. So, for now, anyone wanting to travel from Belgium to London with their dog will need to find another way across the Channel.

That could become interesting over the next few years, though. Virgin Trains is working on plans to launch its own services between London and cities including Brussels, Paris and Amsterdam from 2030. This could bring Eurostar its first real competition for passenger services through the Channel Tunnel.

Whether dogs will be welcome on these future international trains remains to be seen. Dogs are certainly a common sight on British trains: many domestic rail services allow passengers to bring their dogs free of charge, although the exact rules vary between operators.

We’ll certainly be keeping an eye on whether more competition on the London route could bring some good news for dog owners too. A direct train from Brussels to London with our dogs right beside us? We’d definitely be on board. Until then, LeShuttle and the ferry remain the main options for travelling from Belgium to London with your dog.

Can you fly to London with your dog?

Flying to London with a dog is considerably more complicated. Pets entering Great Britain by air generally have to travel as cargo, which means you can’t simply bring a small dog into the cabin with you.

For a holiday from Belgium, LeShuttle or the ferry will therefore usually be far more practical.

What documents do you need to travel to England?

Brexit has changed the requirements for human travellers too. Belgian citizens visiting the UK for tourism will generally need a valid passport and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA).

Always apply for your ETA through the official UK government website or app.

Exploring London with your dog

Once you arrive, London is surprisingly easy to explore with a dog. Dogs can travel free of charge on Transport for London services, including the Underground and buses, as long as they’re kept under control and on a lead.

Be careful when it comes to escalators: dogs shouldn’t walk on moving escalators themselves. Whenever possible, use a lift or the stairs, or carry your dog if it’s safe to do so.

You’ll also find plenty of dog-friendly hotels, pubs, cafés and restaurants across London – one of the many reasons we love visiting the city with our dogs.

Exploring the rest of the UK with your dog

If you’re travelling in your own car, there’s no reason to stop at London. From Folkestone or Dover, you can easily continue towards the English coast, the Cotswolds, the Lake District, Wales or even Scotland.

The same pet entry rules apply to England, Scotland and Wales. Different rules apply to Northern Ireland, so make sure you check these separately if Northern Ireland is part of your itinerary.

UK travel regulations can change, so always check the latest information on GOV.UK and with your chosen transport operator before travelling.

With a little preparation, crossing the Channel with your dog is actually quite straightforward. And once you arrive, the fun can begin. The British are known for their love of dogs, and four-legged visitors are warmly welcomed in so many places. All the more reason to explore not just London, but the rest of the UK together too! :-)