by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:59 AM ET, Mon July 9, 2018
For animal lovers hitting the road this summer, Amtrak announced its five-state Midwest network will now welcome dogs and cats on its regional trains.
The final addition to Amtrak's pet-friendly policy comes after the completion of major track improvements along the Chicago-St. Louis corridor route, which is served by Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains.
To board an Amtrak train with a pet, customers must make ticket reservations and pay a $25 surcharge or redeem 800 Amtrak Guest Rewards points each way. Dogs and cats can weigh up to 20 pounds and must be placed carriers that can be placed under the seat of each pet owner.
Amtrak has safely carried more than 5,600 pets and their owners on state-sponsored Amtrak trains with a Chicago hub. The pet policy in the Midwest began with a pilot program in Illinois in 2014 and became permanent in 2015.
The pet policy is now applicable nationwide on trips of up to seven hours.
Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily and connects more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces. The rail company reaches 400 additional destinations via connecting bus routes.
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