Amtrak expands pets-on-board program to Chicago-St. Louis trains

Amtrak is now allowing pets on trains along its Chicago-St.Louis corridor.

The national intercity passenger railroad's Lincoln Service and Texas Eagle trains are the final Midwestern routes to adopt the pet-friendly policy. Amtrak's entire Midwest network now allows pets on board, railroad officials said in a press release.

Dogs and cats weighing up to 20 pounds each are accepted in carriers that can be placed underneath riders' seats. Reservations are required, and a passengers need to pay a $25 fee for their pets.

"With this change in place, some of the most popular destinations in the region are connected by pet-friendly trains, including the state capitals of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Missouri," Amtrak officials said.

Since Amtrak launched a pilot pets-on-board program in Illinois in 2014, more than 5,600 pets have been carried along state-sponsored Amtrak trains with a Chicago hub.

The railroad allows pets on trips of up to seven hours across the United States.