# Baggage Restrictions for Northeast Regional NYC to DC



## bgmtrans (Jun 7, 2009)

Hi I have purchased a ticket on the Northeast Regional from Newark to DC getting on at Penn station Newark. I was originally going to board at the airport but it said there was no checked baggae available from that station.So I looked at the Penn station remarks and it said we were allowed two checked bags.

My friends (5 of them ) have also purchased tickets on the NE regional from NYC to DC all of them planning to bring one suitcase and one carryon. We are all coming from Australia.

I called Amtrak to ask about the difference in the economy seats and the business seats.During that conversation I was told that we were not allowed to bring cases over 28 by 22 by 14 inches on this service. I asked what about the checked baggage service and was told there wasn't any. I went and looked at the website again and this really isn t how it is represented.My friends all also were under the impression after reading the website that we were going to be able to check the bags in.

So my question is, how strict are they on enforcing this rule?

Our bag will be bigger then the requires limits..length on these bags is probably 31 inches.

Someone told me that they don't care as long as you can carry it yourself, but I don't want to find out the hard waythat this isn't so.

Any help? Thanks so much


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## amtrakwolverine (Jun 7, 2009)

the regionals do not have checked baggage. the station does but not all trains offer that service. you allowed 2 carry-on luggage. the rule is if you can carry it don't need help and are not struggling to lift it they don't ask.


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## jackal (Jun 7, 2009)

As KISS_ALIVE indicated, you can check your bags, but not all trains--including your Regional--offer checked baggage service. What this means is that you can check your bags, but when you arrive in DC, your bags will still be sitting in Newark until the next train comes along that has checked baggage service (either one of the long distance trains, excluding the Cardinal, departing from New York southward, or the overnight Regional #67). When that train arrives, you'll then have to return to Union Station in Washington to collect your bags.

It has been the universal experience of virtually everyone here that Amtrak never enforces any sort of carry-on size limits, as long as they don't grossly exceed the limits (e.g. a 200-lb steamer trunk or a long set of skis or something) and as long as you're able to manage your own bags without requesting assistance from the staff.


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## [email protected] (Jun 7, 2009)

Thank you to both of you for the information.

I am leaning towards putting my luggage on the much earlier checked baggage train service on the carolinian. However that would mean that my bag will get there twelve hours before me. Is the secured baggage area safe enough for it to be there for 12 hours? I am leaning towards trying it but my friends are not thinking they are willing to risk thier luggage sitting at Union ST for that long.

Does anyone know if letting the luggage go 12 hours ahead of us is a good or bad idea?

Thanks again


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## the_traveler (Jun 7, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Thank you to both of you for the information.
> I am leaning towards putting my luggage on the much earlier checked baggage train service on the carolinian. However that would mean that my bag will get there twelve hours before me. Is the secured baggage area safe enough for it to be there for 12 hours? I am leaning towards trying it but my friends are not thinking they are willing to risk thier luggage sitting at Union ST for that long.
> 
> Does anyone know if letting the luggage go 12 hours ahead of us is a good or bad idea?
> ...


The baggage claim area at Washington is a track similar to an airport's baggage claim. When you exit that area, your tag is checked. And they collect and hold the unclaimed bags in a back room. IIRC, this baggage claim area is also the location where security is also based.

I personally would not be too concerned.


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## Guest (Oct 16, 2009)

Hi I have a similar problem travelling from Washington DC to New York Penn.

My cases are slightly larger than the 28 by 22 by 14 inches set by Amtrak - However I'm pretty confident we will be able to take them on board as they won't be heavy.

My question is, is the room on the train for storing large cases other than in the overhead baggage rails?

Thanks


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## MrEd (Oct 16, 2009)

There are some bars on the space above the seats, so it limits the size of the bags you can place up there.

I would think store them at the end of the car, just inside the door, there is normally space for them.


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## Long Train Runnin' (Oct 16, 2009)

Yes, there are luggage storage areas on the ends of cars, although you could fit those bags over head even if your bag is 6 inches over each one of the measurements set by Amtrak.


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## transit54 (Oct 16, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Thank you to both of you for the information.
> I am leaning towards putting my luggage on the much earlier checked baggage train service on the carolinian. However that would mean that my bag will get there twelve hours before me. Is the secured baggage area safe enough for it to be there for 12 hours? I am leaning towards trying it but my friends are not thinking they are willing to risk thier luggage sitting at Union ST for that long.
> 
> Does anyone know if letting the luggage go 12 hours ahead of us is a good or bad idea?
> ...


I have done it once and it worked out perfectly fine. That being said, assuming that you don't have a compelling reason for checking the bags, I can assure you that you'll be able to bring them on board. Every time I travel on Amtrak I see people with enormous suitcases, and I've personally traveled with several friends who carried obscene quantities of luggage on board. The unwritten rule of Amtrak carry-ons is _if you can carry it on __without assistance__, you can bring it on._ I've never seen the overhead bins on the train anywhere close to capacity, either. Even in a packed car.


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## Chris J. (Oct 16, 2009)

rnizlek said:


> [email protected] said:
> 
> 
> > Thank you to both of you for the information.
> ...


I checked a bag a day early from San Fran to Seattle. The only problem was that the guy I spoke to at Seattle thought I said bike not bag (maybe my accent; or perhaps a result of the wine tasting...) and so went off looking for a bike (which of course he didn't find). It was in a baggage room, tho unlike other Amtrak stations I didn't notice anyone checking the luggage tickets with the checks at the Seattle carousel (maybe I just didn't notice).


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## Green Maned Lion (Oct 16, 2009)

Amtrak does insure checked baggage and all legitimate contents against theft. It will be safe.


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## Hamhock (Oct 16, 2009)

I find that it's a little easier to fit items into the overhead bins on Acela versus a Regional Amfleet; Acela has doors on the bins, whereas the Amfleet cars use a raised ridge at the edge of the open-air rack (and hence, less clearance space to squeeze something in). This is anecdotal, though, so your mileage may vary.


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## wayman (Oct 16, 2009)

Hamhock said:


> I find that it's a little easier to fit items into the overhead bins on Acela versus a Regional Amfleet; Acela has doors on the bins, whereas the Amfleet cars use a raised ridge at the edge of the open-air rack (and hence, less clearance space to squeeze something in). This is anecdotal, though, so your mileage may vary.


Indeed, your _mileage_ may vary on the Northeast Corridor ... according to the printed timetable, even ... by as much as a mile! :lol: (The bizarre "is it 225 or 226 miles from New York to Washington" variance we assume is a typo of some sort!)


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## the_traveler (Oct 16, 2009)

rnizlek said:


> Every time I travel on Amtrak I see people with enormous suitcases, and I've personally traveled with several friends who carried obscene quantities of luggage on board. The unwritten rule of Amtrak carry-ons is _if you can carry it on __without assistance__, you can bring it on._ I've never seen the overhead bins on the train anywhere close to capacity, either. Even in a packed car.


I was on a Regional out of BOS last night that was *PACKED*! (OK, it departed at 5:35 PM and it was full of people going home from work. But every seat, and then some  . was full!) There was still plenty of room in the overhead bins!


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## TransitRider (Oct 16, 2009)

KISS_ALIVE said:


> the regionals do not have checked baggage. the station does but not all trains offer that service. you allowed 2 carry-on luggage. the rule is if you can carry it don't need help and are not struggling to lift it they don't ask.


Sir,

The Regional has a baggage car only at the last trip that leaves DC at 10:00pm that leaves goes to Boston at 7:15am next day. This is only one that has baggage cars. So he could use this trip but I dobut.

Thanks.


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## the_traveler (Oct 16, 2009)

TransitRider said:


> KISS_ALIVE said:
> 
> 
> > the regionals do not have checked baggage. the station does but not all trains offer that service. you allowed 2 carry-on luggage. the rule is if you can carry it don't need help and are not struggling to lift it they don't ask.
> ...


That is true about the Regionals, but between Newark - Penn and Washington, there are other trains (including the Silver Meteor, Silver Star and Crescent) that also have a baggage car. The baggage could also be checked and carried on these!


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## profwebs (Oct 16, 2009)

Glad this topic came about. I'm thinking about going from Pittsburgh to Lynchburg again and using the new regional, the trip is quite a bit cheaper.

$119 for the CL / Crescent vs:

$68 for the CL / Regional

Not bad and depending when I go, can almost pay for a roomette on the CL with the savings.

1 question I had when thinking about this, even tho most are saying the bins never fill up: Is there quite a bit more storage in biz class due to the 2 x 1 seating?


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## the_traveler (Oct 16, 2009)

I would say there was 25% more luggage space, as there are 25% fewer seats!


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## AlanB (Oct 16, 2009)

Well no, there isn't 25% more storage space. The storage space is the same as a regular car. There's just less of the space used. And it isn't exactly 25% either, since one didn't loose 25% of the seating from a normal car. Not only are there less seats because of the single seat/double seat pattern, but also there is simply more room between seats. The pitch is greater between seats, so it's probably more like 30% to 35% less seating, and therefore a similar loss in the amount of storage space used.

On the other hand, it's not uncommon to see some of the space disapear with boxes for the cafe car.


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## the_traveler (Oct 16, 2009)

I did say it wrong. Of course there is not more storage space per car. It should have been worded as "more storage space *per person* or *per seat*"!


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## DET63 (Oct 17, 2009)

TransitRider said:


> KISS_ALIVE said:
> 
> 
> > the regionals do not have checked baggage. the station does but not all trains offer that service. you allowed 2 carry-on luggage. the rule is if you can carry it don't need help and are not struggling to lift it they don't ask.
> ...


I think the OP was interested in transporting baggage from Newark to D.C., however, so information about a baggage car in the s/b direction would be more useful.


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## Shanghai (Oct 17, 2009)

On most business class cars, there is storage space for luggage on the car, usually behind the last seats.

I often take a NEC from NYP to WAS, then on the CL to Chi. I check luggage to CHI or to points beyond. My luggage usually travels on the LSL.

On one trip to CHI, the CL arrived on time but the LSL was three hours late. I had to wait until the LSL arrived to get my luggage.


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## Guest (Nov 25, 2009)

I'm taking the Northeast Corridor from Washington DC to New York Penn in two weeks.

My case is a bit larger than Amtrak's limits (28 by 22 by 14 inches) - will I get away with taking this on board and is there room to store either overhead or in luggage bins?

I'm travelling at midday so trains are unlikely to be busy, right?


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## Ryan (Nov 25, 2009)

If you can carry it on yourself, you'll be fine.


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## Guest (Nov 27, 2009)

Does anyone know how they calculate these measurements *28 by 22 by 14 inches*? I'm guessing for a standard suitcase it will be the *Length (height) by Width by Depth?*


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## alanh (Nov 27, 2009)

If you think about it, it doesn't matter -- as long as one side is 28", one side is 22", and one side is 14", you can rotate it until it fits. It doesn't matter what side the handle is on.


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## the_traveler (Nov 27, 2009)

Even if you check it, I don't think it really matters if it is *29* X 22 X 14 - unless it is extra large (like 6 feet long) or over the 50 pound limit! 

But I could be wrong about that. But if you can carry it easily by yourself without assistance, and you can carry it on and store it, I have never seen anyone questioned about it. The only time is like if it's on the seat, and they need the seat, you may be asked to store it overhead or at the end of the car.


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