JR East mulls seats for dogs on some special Shinkansen rides

East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) is considering allowing passengers to travel with their pet dogs in adjacent seats amid COVID-19-induced sluggish ridership.

Canines normally cannot leave their portable cages on trains.

In May, JR East trialed the so-called Shinkansen package where passengers could ride with their dogs on the seats next to them.

Pets other than guide dogs are kept in cages with a total length, width, and height of up to 120 centimeters while on trains of JR companies and major private railway operators.

The total weight of the animals and their cages must be no more than 10 kilograms.

Shino Furukawa, 29, who is responsible for business planning at JR Eas., said the lingering effects of COVID-19 are behind the decision to consider the pet ride-along service.

Considering that many people got pets during the pandemic, Furukawa and her colleagues thought of introducing a framework for passengers to travel with their pets.

Furukawa said they decided on making a package on dogs because sightseeing destinations have already begun to court dog owners.

On specific trains, pet ride packages would be available, although the concept still faces significant obstacles. Animal allergies have caused some travelers to voice their worries.

Only a certain number of special rides for pets would be offered each year because the cleaning procedures would take extra time.