A passenger arranges a transport case for his cat at Wuhan Railway Station in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, July 1, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua)
Chongqing - On October 31, at the high-speed rail pet consignment counter of Chongqing West Railway Station, Wang was busy completing shipping procedures for his cat. He was relocating to Guiyang for work and was pleased that his cat could now travel on the same train.
"I can send my cat directly on the high-speed train I'm taking and pick it up as soon as I arrive in Guiyang," Wang said. "Before, I had to use logistics companies, which were expensive and made me worry about safety during transit."
The service he used marks Chongqing's first-ever high-speed rail pet consignment program, which was recently launched at Chongqing West Railway Station.
China launched a pilot high-speed railway pet consignment service in April, covering five stations and 10 trains on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed rail. Now, the program has expanded to 40 stations and 50 trains across major lines.
On the railway ticketing app, eligible trains now display a green "宠" (pet) sign, helping passengers easily identify which routes allow pet consignment. After purchasing a train ticket, travelers can directly access the "pet consignment" option online to book the service, fill in their pet and contact information, and await approval, which is usually completed within two hours.
According to the High-Speed Rail Pet Consignment Guide, passengers could ship healthy, domesticated cats and dogs weighing up to 15 kilograms and under 40 centimeters in shoulder height. Pets travel separately from owners but on the same train, under dedicated supervision and care.
The online booking window for same-train pet consignment has been shortened to one day to improve convenience. Each ticketed passenger can now consign up to two pets.
The system also supports "pet-only" bookings or "solo pet travel." Owners can reserve such shipments by phone 2–5 days in advance. Under this option, each person can consign one pet.
Growing pet ownership and travel demand
China's growing pet population is driving demand for such services. According to the 2025 China Pet Industry White Paper, there are 40.88 million cat owners and 36.01 million dog owners in China—an increase of 18.3 million and 2.11 million, respectively, from 2018. 18.7% of pet owners reported spending on pet travel, and 28% of them said they found it difficult to travel with pets.
On December 15, 2024, at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, a pet dog prepares to board a pet charter flight operated by Hainan Airlines from Northwest China's Xi'an to the southern city of Sanya. (Photo/Xinhua)
Beyond rail, other transport providers are adapting to rising demand for pet-friendly travel. Since 2025, several airlines have piloted or expanded in-cabin pet services, while Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport opened China's first dedicated pet lounge in 2024.
City bus systems also joined the pet-friendly wave. In January 2024, Guangzhou introduced three special bus routes for passengers with cats, and in April the same year, Shenzhen launched the H239 pet-friendly bus line, allowing passengers to reserve seats for their pets.
According to market consultancy iiMedia Research, China's pet economy reached 592.8 billion yuan (about 83.22 billion U.S. dollars) in 2023, up 20.1% year-on-year, and is projected to grow to 1.15 trillion yuan by 2028. Analysts noted that as pets are increasingly seen as family members rather than just emotional companions, consumer spending on pet food, supplies, medical care, and entertainment continues to rise, signaling broad growth potential for China's pet economy.