France - Travel Arrangements for Pets

By plane

• If your pet is small, you can take it with you into the cabin, always providing you have a proper travelling bag or cage. Larger pets have to be inside a transporter/crate and go into the baggage compartment. In the last case, you may want to consider giving a tranquilizer to the pet, recommended of course by your trusted veterinarian.
• Buy the carrier cage some weeks before departure and let your pet enter and leave it whenever it feels like. You may even want to add his/her favoured blanket. After the animal feels comfortable, try closing  the door for a short period and see how the pet reacts. If you get the pet used to the transporter, it will be less stressful for them during the flight.
• Birds must travel in a cage and you have to cover the cage with a black blanket so they do not whistle during the flight. You have to advise the airline in advance and book a place in the freight service of the airline company. The cost of the plane ticket for your animal will be calculated according to its weight and the size of the cage. A sticker on the cage mentioning “IATA Live Animal Label" and "This Way Up" should be visible.
• Whether or no your animal travels with you or in the luggage compartment, the price for the ticket will be calculated on the same basis of excess luggage (even if you don't have luggage). Ask your airline company.

By train

• If you travel by train (SNCF company), you will pay for your dog or any kind of animal (if it’s more than 6 Kg), for 50 % of a second-class ticket.
  If the weight of your animal is less than 6 Kg, bring it with you in a travelling bag (45cm x 30cm x 25cm, maximum). You will have to pay the amount of 4,88 euros.