Following on from the news earlier this month that MTR is considering letting passengers travel with their pets, it has now been confirmed that the railway operator will soon run a trial period for dogs and cats to be allowed on board.
The two-month trial will commence in May, allowing commuters to travel with pets only on the light rail trains. This is the part of Hong Kong’s rail network that covers parts of Tuen Mun, Yuen Long, and Tin Shui Wai in the northeastern New Territories. Travellers who wish to take part in this scheme will need to purchase an electronic pass every month for $99 – these will be available on the MTR mobile app from April 11. This pass will allow passengers to bring one pet along on unlimited rides over weekends and public holidays. Of course, pet owners will still need to pay their own human travel fares as usual.
The scheme is only limited to cats and dogs, and owners must keep their furry friends inside a pet carrier or a backpack, and ensure it is fully closed before entering the platform area. You can’t cheat by bringing a huge bag either, as the carrier must be compliant with MTR’s luggage restrictions – so the total dimensions cannot exceed 170cm and the length of any one side of the carrier cannot be longer than 130cm.
There’s more: passengers who travel with pets can only board and alight from the last door of the light rail trains, and must remain at the rear of the compartment throughout their journey. This last one sounds like a bit of overkill, considering the animals will already be safely stowed in bags, but Hong Kong’s slowly growing pet inclusivity is still better than no progress.
If all goes well, then we might possibly be looking at the expansion of pet-friendly rail travel in more parts of Hong Kong come July.
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