Taking your dog to Luxembourg, from paperwork to footpaths

On paper, few European countries are simpler to visit with a dog than Luxembourg. Once you’re there, trains don’t charge the dog and the region with the most trails lets it on all of them. The hard part for a British owner is the paperwork, which runs on a timetable in both directions. What there isn’t is a general rule for hotels, museums or castles, and that’s worth knowing before you go. Here’s what I could confirm on official sources and what I’d do.

The paperwork, before you leave

Luxembourg is in the EU, so Defra’s pet travel rules for EU trips are the ones that count. The microchip goes in first, or during the same appointment as the rabies jab; get the order wrong and the jab has to be repeated. Puppies can’t be vaccinated until they’re 12 weeks old, and from the first rabies jab you count a minimum of 21 full days before departure. Last comes the animal health certificate, which only an official vet can sign.

That certificate is the part people trip over. From the date the vet signs it, you have 10 days to enter the EU; after that it covers 6 months of travel within the EU and your return to Great Britain. Each separate trip needs a fresh one. A pet passport is no use for GB residents crossing into the EU, whichever country issued it. There’s one more detail to check calmly. According to the Spanish foreign ministry, Luxembourg has kept an official list of dangerous dog breeds since 2008. I couldn’t read that list on an official source, so I won’t list breeds, but if your dog is a guarding or fighting type, ask before booking anything. Your own documents are covered in Luxembourg entry requirements.

Can dogs go on trains, buses and trams?

Yes, and this is where Luxembourg makes life easy. CFL says dogs of any size travel free on trains running on the Luxembourg network. There are three conditions. The dog must be on a lead, it can’t sit on the seats, and it mustn’t be a risk or a nuisance to other passengers, with a muzzle recommended in some cases. Small pets go free in a basket or carrier.

For buses and trams, Guichet.lu states that passengers can use public transport with pets or assistance animals. Add the fact that public transport is free for everyone, and getting round the country with your dog costs nothing. How that works is explained in Luxembourg free public transport. If you plan to cross a border by train, CFL asks you to check conditions and fares for the animal first.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Echternach on Booking.com and filter by area before price.

Getting there with your dog

I’d drive, crossing the Channel by ferry or tunnel and heading through France or Belgium. Your dog travels beside you, gets a break whenever it wants one and every valley stays within reach. Flying depends entirely on the airline’s cabin and hold rules, which I haven’t checked one by one, so ask yours. The rules of the road once you’re there are in driving in Luxembourg.

Trails, hotels and the unwritten bits

For me the Mullerthal is the best part of the country to bring a dog, for a specific reason. Its regional tourist office says dogs on a lead are allowed on every trail, and assistance dogs are always welcome. Its countryside rules say exactly that, keep dogs on a lead and stick to marked paths. The same website lists hotels and campsites marked “pets allowed” in Echternach, Berdorf, Beaufort, Larochette, Consdorf, Reisdorf and other villages. If you’re coming to walk, start with the Mullerthal Trail.

Beyond that, I couldn’t find a general rule. Not for hotels, which each decide, nor for museums, castles, the Pfaffenthal lift or the funicular. I’d email the hotel with my dog’s size and weight and ask about any supplement, and at castles I’d ask at the ticket desk or the local tourist office.

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Coming home

Don’t let the return catch you out. Before re-entering Great Britain, your dog needs a tapeworm treatment given by a vet and written onto its certificate, in a window that opens 120 hours before arrival and closes 24 hours before it. If you’re driving home over two days, that means finding a vet in Luxembourg or on the way at the right moment. I’d book the appointment before you even leave the UK.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Echternach and pick one that fits your day.

Where the bus does not go, a car does: compare car hire in Luxembourg before you arrive rather than at the desk.

If you still need a way in, check the best ticket deals to Luxembourg from where you are.