​​​​​​​​​​​Travelling with  a guide, hearing or assistance animal​​​

​​​​​​On this page you’ll find information about travelling with guide, hearing or assistance dogs or assistance animals, including definitions, criteria, conditions of carriage and how to book.

Certified assistance animals are permitted on board, please discuss your exact requirements with your travel consultant to determine if you will be able to safely use the service.

For customers travelling with an approved assistance animal, our luggage policy allows for one additional luggage item (up to 20kg maximum) to allow for additional items required for travelling with an assistance animal. Note that our onboard team can only provide assistance with carrying small hand-held luggage up to 7kg maximum.

​​Are animals permitted on our services and at our stations?​​​​​​

For the safety and comfort of all customers, animals are not permitted on any Gulflander service or station except for:

  • Guide, hearing and assistance dogs that are trained and certified in accordance with the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009 (Qld) with an identity card issued in accordance with that Act. This includes a guide, hearing and assistance dog under training. 

or​​

  • ​​​​​Animals that meet the assistance animal requirements as outlined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (“assistance animal”), being animals that assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of the disability and meets standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place, with an approved assistance animal pass.​

Note: Emotional support, therapy, companion or comfort animals are not accepted for travel on our services as they do not have public access rights. Further, they are typically not specifically trained to alleviate the effects of a person’s disability.​

A booking is required for all assistance animals, and they will be carried free of charge on Gulflander​ services. The Onboard team will allocate a carriage and suitable seating location for customers and their assistance animal on the day of travel. To book with us please visit our Contact us page.

For terms and definitions please refer to Guide, hearing and assistance dogs | People with disability | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au).​

Animal identification and other documents required

​We have a list of pre-approved training organisations and assistance animal passes that we accept. If you hold an assistance animal pass issued by one of these organisations or as listed below, that is all you need to provide to travel with your assistance animal.

Gulflander​ will accept documentation and passes for assistance animals that are issued by any of the below:

  1. ​​Approved trainers and training institutions | People with disability | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au), opens in new window
  2. Translink (see note below), opens in new window
  3. Transport for NSW, opens in new window
  4. Victorian Public Transport, opens in new window
  5. Government of WA, opens in new window
  6. Young Diggers, opens in new window
  7. Revolutionary Assistance Dogs Inc​, opens in new window
  8. mindDog Australia, opens in new window

Gulflander will also accept passes for assistance animals issued by organisations accredited or recognised by any of the below: 

  1. Assistance Dogs International, opens in new window
  2. ACT Government Domestic Animals Act 2000, opens in new window
  3. South Australian Dog and Cat Management Board, opens in new window
  4. Western Australian Government Dog Act 1976, opens in new window​

Note: To obtain a Translink Assistance Animal Pass, in addition to a health professional declaration and a veterinary declaration, an applicant may provide a training declaration from a professional training organisation/individual, or an applicant may provide a training declaration if the animal is trained by the applicant or another individual. The Translink application form states to allow up to 15 working days for the application to be processed, this time period should be considered when planning your travel with us.

Gulflander will consider passes issued by other organisations that deliver appropriate training but are not on the above lists and links. To enable us to confirm training, we may require documentation, or request information about your training organisation. Please let us know at the time of booking if you do not hold a pass from an approved trainer or training institution as listed above.

In the absence of evidence or identification, travel with the assistance animal may not be approved. If you are unable to provide sufficient evidence that the assistance animal has been trained, please discuss with us in advance of travel.

​Sample Images of Identification for Handlers/Trainers

The following images of cards issued by the Queensland Government for handlers and trainers of guide, hearing and assistance dogs will be accepted by Gulflander.


Translink Assistance Animal Pass dog (front)​​

Translink Assistance Animal Pass dog (front)​

Translink Assi​stance Animal Pass dog (back)

Translink Assi​stance Animal Pass dog (back)

Translink Assistance Animal Pass cat (front)​​

Translink Assistance Animal Pass cat (front)​

Translink Assi​stance Animal Pass cat (back)

Translink Assi​stance Animal Pass cat (back)


Primary Handler Identification


Puppy Carer Identification


Primary Handler Identification (requires alternate handler)


Alternate Handler Identification


Approved Trainer Identification


Employee Trainer Identification


Identification back of card


Images of identification for animals
​

A Guide Dog walking with a harness

A Guide Dog walking with a harness

​

A Lions Hearing Dog - wearing an identifying coat and lead

A Lions Hearing Dog wearing an identifying coat and lead

​​


Handler/Trainer responsibilities while travelling with us

Handler/Accompanying Trainer Responsibilities:

​To carry sufficient evidence that the assistance animal has been trained, including handler or trainer identification. This may include a Translink Assistance Animal pass.

  • Trainers and handlers must display their identity card on request.
  • Ensure your assistance animal wears their identification badge/medallion, coat, vest or harness if:
    • ​an identification badge/medallion, coat, vest or harness has been issued to your assistance animal as part their training; or 
    • an identification badge/medallion, coat, vest or harness is required by a law of a State or Territory that provides for the accreditation of assistance animals (for example, dogs certified under the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009 (Qld) are required to wear an identifying coat).
  • To ensure the assistance animal is under the direct control of the handler or a trainer at all times, this includes taking the assistance animal off the train for comfort stops.
  • For their safety, the assistance animal must be seated on the floor in the space allocated by Gulflander. Assistance animals must not be placed on an adjacent seat or impede the aisle way. Assistance animals may only be placed in the lap of the handler/trainer temporarily and as necessary at the handler/trainer’s allocated seat to provide required assistance to the handler/trainer.
  • To ensure the good behaviour and hygiene of the assistance animal. This includes cleaning up any mess made by their assistance animal and picking up after it when toileting in a public place. If the animal’s behaviour or hygiene impacts on the safety and wellbeing of other customers or the onboard team, the handler and assistance animal may be asked to leave the service when it is safe to do so. If this occurs, Queensland Rail is not responsible for any additional costs incurred, such as flights, coach transfers, car hire, taxis/ride share or accommodation.
  • It is recommended that you supply absorbent bedding or a mat suitable for your assistance animal that is clean and in good condition.
  • If a carrier is being used for the assistance animal, this must also be clean and in good condition.​​
  • Please approach an onboard team member on the platform prior to joining your service to discuss aspects of your journey including taking the assistance animal off the train for comfort stops.
  • You may be liable to pay for any damage caused to Queensland Rail property by the assistance animal, including covering the cost of cleaning, repairing or replacing the property.

Back to Accessible travel