Germany · Verbund rules
Can my dog travel on VBN buses and trains in Bremen and Bremerhaven?
Checked · Official source ↗
Yes — if you meet every condition.
What this means for you: Bremen takes dogs on a lead with a child ticket. The Deutschlandticket doesn’t cover the dog here. Muzzle only if it’s the aggressive kind — but the operator’s own advice is “find out before the trip”, which is what this page is for.
The rule, line by line
What VBN buses and trains actually say.
- Who gets on
- Any dog on a lead. Bremen’s own line: “Dogs must be leashed. Find out before the trip whether your dog needs a ticket and a muzzle.”
- Who doesn’t
- A dog off the lead; an aggressive dog without a muzzle.
- How much
- A dog outside a carrier needs a child ticket. Small animals in a carrier ride free.
- Where they ride
- On the lead, floor.
- Never, whatever the size
- Nothing by breed in the tariff.
- Where this applies
- Bremen, Bremerhaven and the surrounding districts — bus, tram, U-/S-Bahn and regional trains under the Verbund tariff. The cities inside the Verbund are below. Double-check who actually runs your service.
- Assistance dogs
- Guide dogs and assistance dogs ride free and are exempt from the muzzle rule. In Germany the harness or vest is the proof; carry the card too.
The cities inside the Verbund
Dogs on public transport in Bremen
One tariff, one rule for every operator in it. 1 of the 1 networks below take a big dog on a lead; where an operator adds its own term — a muzzle, a fee, a ban on the call-taxi — it’s in the row.
Where a big dog rides — on a lead, under the Verbund rule
There is one network where the idea is the same: lead, off the seats, and you clean up. Muzzles and fares vary, so read the row.
Child ticket for a dog outside a carrier; lead; muzzle for an aggressive dog.
Checked 14 September 2026. Local rules change more often than the area rule — recheck the week you travel.
Your next step
Before you book.
- Read every condition, not just the yes.Lead, muzzle, fare, where the dog sits — each one is a reason a driver can turn you away.
- Check who’s actually running your service.Subcontracted and rail-replacement services can run under a different rule.
- Screenshot the rule.The operator’s own page on your phone settles most arguments at the door.