Travelling with your assistance dog

Specific guidance for travelling by air, boat, car, coach or rail with your assistance dog, including links to official sources of information, will help you with the A to Z of what to do to prepare for travel, how to go about it, what to do on a journey and how to successfully leave and return to the UK with your dog.

You will also find guidance if you are visiting the UK from Europe and other continents. Please be advised, the UK Equality Act 2010 in England, Scotland and Wales and Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in Northern Ireland supports the rights of disabled individuals to use a recognised assistance dog to assist them with their mobility and independence. Additionally, European regulation related to various modes of transport and travel also makes specific reference to the accommodation of recognised assistance dogs. However, on some modes of transport, including aircraft and ships, regulation in relation to the safety of the vessel, or its operation and other passengers, may take precedence over any rights an individual has with regard to their disability. The operator is usually obliged to justify their decision if challenged.

The resources on these pages have been created by Guide Dogs with the help, cooperation and support of members of the International Travel Working Group for Recognised Assistance Dogs. This group consists of representatives from UK government departments, government agencies, representative international travel bodies, transport and travel operators and Assistance Dogs UK.