Can you bring your dog on the San Diego trolley, bus, Coaster or Amtrak?
Only in a carrier. MTS buses and trolleys and NCTD's Coaster, Sprinter and Breeze allow pets only fully enclosed in a carrier you can hold. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner takes dogs and cats up to 20 lb for $29, with a reservation.
- Trolley and bus
- Carrier only
- Surfliner pet fee
- $29
- Surfliner weight limit
- 20 lb
- Pet spots per Surfliner train
- 5
Non-service animals
Or 1,000 Guest Rewards points
Pet plus carrier
Service animals not counted
The short version
- MTS buses and trolleys take non-service animals only when they're fully inside a carrier you can hold on your lap.
- NCTD (Coaster, Sprinter, Breeze) also requires a carrier, which must sit on the floor or your lap and never on a seat.
- Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner takes dogs and cats up to 20 lb, carrier included, for $29 or 1,000 Guest Rewards points.
- The Surfliner sells only 5 pet reservations per train, in Coach only.
- Service animals ride every system free; on the Surfliner, emotional support animals go through the pet program.
There's no local transit line in San Diego County where a big dog on a leash can just hop on. Every system here says the same thing in different words: a pet rides in a carrier, or it doesn't ride. The one place a dog gets its own ticket is Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, and even there it's small dogs and cats only. We checked MTS's Rules for Riding, NCTD's rider rules and the Pacific Surfliner pet page on November 8, 2026.
Pet rules by system
| MTS bus and trolley | NCTD Coaster, Sprinter, Breeze | Amtrak Pacific Surfliner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pets allowed? | Only fully inside an enclosed carrier | Only small pets in an enclosed carrier | Dogs and cats, with a reservation |
| Carrier rule | One you can hold on your lap and carry by yourself | On the floor in front of you or on your lap, never on a seat | Max 19" x 14" x 10.5", hard or soft-sided |
| Size limit | Whatever fits a lap carrier | Not stated beyond 'small' | 20 lb, pet and carrier combined |
| Cost | Free | Free | $29 or 1,000 Guest Rewards points |
| Service animals | Always welcome | Allowed on all vehicles | Free; book as 'Passenger with Disability' |
MTS bus and trolley
- Pets allowed?
- Only fully inside an enclosed carrier
- Carrier rule
- One you can hold on your lap and carry by yourself
- Size limit
- Whatever fits a lap carrier
- Cost
- Free
- Service animals
- Always welcome
NCTD Coaster, Sprinter, Breeze
- Pets allowed?
- Only small pets in an enclosed carrier
- Carrier rule
- On the floor in front of you or on your lap, never on a seat
- Size limit
- Not stated beyond 'small'
- Cost
- Free
- Service animals
- Allowed on all vehicles
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner
- Pets allowed?
- Dogs and cats, with a reservation
- Carrier rule
- Max 19" x 14" x 10.5", hard or soft-sided
- Size limit
- 20 lb, pet and carrier combined
- Cost
- $29 or 1,000 Guest Rewards points
- Service animals
- Free; book as 'Passenger with Disability'
MTS buses and the trolley
- Carrier required: "Non-service animals must be fully contained inside an enclosed carrier" that you can hold on your lap and transport by yourself.
- Your responsibility: pets must be under your direct control at all times.
- The driver can say no: operators may refuse to carry an animal because of noise or other substantial disruption to service.
- Service animals: always welcome. A bus operator or MTS representative may ask whether it's a service animal and what task it's trained to perform.
Coaster, Sprinter and Breeze
- Carrier required: "Small pets are allowed only in properly enclosed pet carriers."
- Floor or lap only: carriers are never allowed on the seats and can't block seats, aisles, doorways or exits.
- Service animals: allowed on all NCTD vehicles, on a leash or harness (unless that interferes with their work), under your control, in a sit or down position, and not in the aisle or on a seat.
Pacific Surfliner to LA and beyond
Booking a pet on the Surfliner
- 01
Weigh the pet in its carrier
The limit is 20 pounds combined, and the carrier can be no larger than 19 x 14 x 10.5 inches.
- 02
Reserve ahead
Pets need an advance reservation. Each passenger can book one pet, and only 5 pet spots are sold per train.
- 03
Pay the fee
$29, or 1,000 Amtrak Guest Rewards points.
- 04
Ride in Coach
Pets aren't allowed in Business Class, the Café Car or on Thruway bus connections.
Taking a bike instead of a dog? See bikes and e-bikes on the trolley, bus and Coaster. Deciding between the two coast trains? Read Coaster or Amtrak. And once you've arrived, here are dog-friendly restaurants and bars.
Is this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on November 8, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Prices, fees, hours and rules change, often at the start of a year or season. Confirm with the official source linked below before you rely on a number.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
KEEP READING
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryRules for Riding
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) · Checked November 8, 2026
Carrier requirement for non-service animals, operator refusal, service animal questions
North County Transit District · Checked November 8, 2026
Small pets in enclosed carriers only, no carriers on seats, service animal conditions
- PrimaryPets on board
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner · Checked November 8, 2026
20 lb limit, carrier size, $29 fee, 5 per train, Coach only, ESA and service animal rules