Dogs on the Dartmouth Steam Railway: The Round Trip Works

Short answer: Yes. Dogs are welcome on the Dartmouth Steam Railway trains and on the river boats. That means the classic day — steam train from Paignton to Kingswear, ferry across to Dartmouth — works entirely with a dog.

The short answer

Yes. Dogs are welcome on the steam trains and on the riverboats. It is one of the few genuinely dog-friendly paid days out in Torbay, and the whole route works without anyone having to stay behind.

The day it makes possible

The railway runs along the coast from Paignton to Kingswear. At Kingswear, the passenger ferry crosses the Dart into Dartmouth. Both legs take dogs, so you can do train, ferry and town as one continuous outing — and Dartmouth is one of the most dog-friendly towns in the county when you get there.

Before you board

• Keep the dog on a short lead on platforms and in carriages.
• Steam engines are loud. A nervous dog may not enjoy the platform as the engine arrives.
• Period carriages have limited floor space — a large dog will need a little planning.
• Check fares and any dog charge when booking, as these can change.

In Dartmouth

Café Alf Resco opens at seven with a covered courtyard and is famously dog friendly. Dudley's on Lower Street welcomes dogs and has one of the best gluten-free menus on this coast — closed Wednesdays. The Sail Loft on Foss Street has plenty of room.

Dartmouth Castle welcomes dogs on leads, and the little ferry out to it is the best approach.

Getting to Paignton

Paignton has a mainline station, so you can arrive without driving at all. The seafront is flat and level, and Paignton Beach South opens to dogs from 1 October.

Santa trains

The railway runs festive services in December. If you are planning one with a dog, check the policy for those services specifically, as special trains can run under different rules.

Checked against the attraction's own published policy in September 2026. Dog rules change — ring ahead if you are driving any distance.