Excess Carry-on Baggage Fee Began October 1, 2015

[jebr]

Then I'll ask: how do you board with more than the allotted carry-on luggage amount without creating a safety or delay issue?

By carrying one 33 inch bag rather than two 28 inch bags.

That's larger, not more. Much of the argument was allowing extra bags for first class passengers. I don't know of too many places that allow even first-class passengers to bring on (or check) larger than normal bags, just usually allow one or two free bags instead of paying for them.

If sleepers truly allow for larger bags than coach does, then yes, the policy should be amended. There may be room in a bedroom for a larger bag against the wall, especially if you're the only one in it. However, it'd have to be able to be out of the way for liability reasons (for example, if there's an evacuation needed there can't be luggage blocking the door or pathway to get out of your bedroom.) A roomette doesn't really have any more room than a coach seat for storage, and coach and roomettes both have the same luggage rack downstairs on Superliners.

I really can't imagine that coach requires smaller bags than sleepers do, though. I trust (perhaps naively) that Amtrak has set the carry-on policy at an amount that can fit in the proper storage areas, and it's set at the limit of what that can be. Proof otherwise would be nice, especially if that proof shows that coach can only handle the current baggage size, but rooms can hold more safely.

 

[PVD]

Most of the previous posters notion that a single reasonable set of rules is easier to implemement and enforce is probably correct. That points out one of things we have all agreed on about Amtrak, the inconsistencies. Roomettes don't get larger if 2 people are booked in them. As a single traveler the upper bunk in a viewliner makes a great luggage rack, with 2 in the room, if both passengers brought their allowance, it might be very difficult to stow safely no matter what. The over the hall stow space is ok, but is not large On a SL sleeper the racks downstairs are pretty generous, but again 2 people in the roomettes can generate twice as much baggage in the same occupied room. If 4 people travelled day mode in a bedroom or family bedroom, the amount of luggage could be ridiculous. Just as a note, I am trying to point out things about the system, not what affects me personally as it might appear. Since all of my travel is major station to major station, with checked baggage service available I will probably never be face with a problem because of this.

 

[mjaynes288]

I support this new rule. Hopefully it will avoid trips like my first overnight. I was traveling with my service dog. I made the mistake of calling to book. They insisted I use the transfer seat. When I got on the train at 11 pm there was a huge stack of baggage in the accessible area. My dog had less space than at a normal seat. People came in and out all night moving the stack. My service dog was almost stepped on too many times to count. I was also worried about the possibility of an avalanche.

 

[PVD]

Rules or not, anyone who is inconsiderate to a legit service dog is a piece of garbage. I'm pretty sure all of us on this board agree on that!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Ditto on the POS that dis the Handicapped and their service animals!

 

[mjaynes288]

No one was intentionally inconsiderate. It was a full train on Jan 2 so people were traveling with Christmas presents. The pile was there before I got on. The lights were dimmed because it was night. The reading spotlights were off and I did not know they existed. People do not watch where they step. My dog was in a down stay so he was about 6 inches tall and not moving. No one noticed him.

 

[PVD]

It's unfortunate anything happened, but I am glad to hear it was not deliberate. This being a discussion board, people throw stuff up from all directions (including myself), sometimes just to get a reaction, but I think everyone's sense of decency would have been offended by the thought of deliberate meanness or indifference.

 

[Rail Freak]

Has anyone noticed if sleeper pax are still bringing larger bags onboard since Oct. 1st?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I've been on Six LD and Corrider Trains in the past 10 Days

(#2/#20/#190/#43/#29/#21) and have seen Lots of Very Large Suitcases and people carrying on more baggage than the new policy allows!

It looks like this will be another of those Amtrak YMMV expierences!

The example shown in PGH of what the Maximum size Suitcase allowed on Amtrak is, was an astoundingly large bag, but the 50 lb. limit is mentioned by signs, the agents in Staffed Stations and by robo e-mails sent out to those with reservations.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

I noticed the other day a Baggage Sizer has shown up on the platform at Norman (OK) for the Heartland Flyer. It is much more generous than what you see at the airport and even though the Flyer is a very small train (currently 2 Superliner Coaches) the Conductors have always found places to safely stash copious amount of bags and large items that show up from time to time.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

I've been on Six LD and Corrider Trains in the past 10 Days

(#2/#20/#190/#43/#29/#21) and have seen Lots of Very Large Suitcases and people carrying on more baggage than the new policy allows!

It looks like this will be another of those Amtrak YMMV expierences!

The example shown in PGH of what the Maximum size Suitcase allowed on Amtrak is, was an astoundingly large bag, but the 50 lb. limit is mentioned by signs, the agents in Staffed Stations and by robo e-mails sent out to those with reservations.

Keep in mind they may have paid $20 for each extra or oversized bag brought onboard.

 

[jebr]

I would expect them to be tagged as such, though. The ones I saw on the Builder that were oversized had an orange tag signifying they had paid the fee and a couple of orange stickers were placed on the bag.

 

[Rail Freak]

I understand the situation & have no problem paying the extra $20! It is worth the money for my needs!

 

[Bob Dylan]

As my old Grandpappy used to say:

"Travel Light and Travel Right!"

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

On the Keystone yesterday going north out of PHL (which loses its lovely rural charm as soon as it hits the NEC and gets filled with rude and annoying people, just like the regular regionals), two millenials stashed a couple of huge suitcases in an alcove (they barely fit) and then brought them out after the conductor had gone by and put them on the floor blocking the door.

I had to ask them to move them so I could get out that door to get off at TRE (not all doors open there), and they did it, but grudgingly, because they actually had to stop staring at their phones and do something useful.

 

[Rail Freak]

I happened to be going close to the STP location today, so I stopped by. I asked the agent if I paid the $20 fee for my 33" bag in ABQ would they tag my bag so it would be tagged for my trip all the way back to STP? He said that I would charged $20 dollars for every train I boarded, meaning $20 for ABQ, $20 for LAX, $20 for CHI & $20 for WAS????????????

 

[Thirdrail7]

I happened to be going close to the STP location today, so I stopped by. I asked the agent if I paid the $20 fee for my 33" bag in ABQ would they tag my bag so it would be tagged for my trip all the way back to STP? He said that I would charged $20 dollars for every train I boarded, meaning $20 for ABQ, $20 for LAX, $20 for CHI & $20 for WAS????????????

This is not entirely accurate. The fee is good for a continuous trip provided there aren't any stopovers. Transfers are not considered stopovers unless there is a lapse.

In other words, you would have one charge for your entire trip you listed above unless you decided to hang out in CHI for two days and then continue your trip to STP. Then, you would pay an additional fee from CHI-STP, not CHI-WAS and WAS-STP..

 

[Rail Freak]

I happened to be going close to the STP location today, so I stopped by. I asked the agent if I paid the $20 fee for my 33" bag in ABQ would they tag my bag so it would be tagged for my trip all the way back to STP? He said that I would charged $20 dollars for every train I boarded, meaning $20 for ABQ, $20 for LAX, $20 for CHI & $20 for WAS????????????

This is not entirely accurate. The fee is good for a continuous trip provided there aren't any stopovers. Transfers are not considered stopovers unless there is a lapse.

In other words, you would have one charge for your entire trip you listed above unless you decided to hang out in CHI for two days and then continue your trip to STP. Then, you would pay an additional fee from CHI-STP, not CHI-WAS and WAS-STP..

I'm not doubting you, but where do you get your info?

 

[OBS]

Thirdrail7 is correct and no doubt got his information from the same memo I read regarding the implementation of the program...

 

[Rail Freak]

Thirdrail7 is correct and no doubt got his information from the same memo I read regarding the implementation of the program...

How would anyone know that I paid in ABQ ?????

 

[Thirdrail7]

Thirdrail7 is correct and no doubt got his information from the same memo I read regarding the implementation of the program...

How would anyone know that I paid in ABQ ?????

The same way they will know you bought a ticket. If you know you're going to exceed the maximum allowable limit, you can declare it in advance (which is recommended) and the fee will be added to your reservation. When you purchase your reservation, the fee will show up the same way your ticket does. When a conductor scans your ticket, the bag fee will also appear on the manifest.

The same goes for the connecting crew. The fee will follow since it is in your itinerary.

 

[jebr]

I believe they also tag the bag with an orange luggage tag indicating the fee has been paid. That is what I saw on the coach luggage rack, anyways, on my trip on the Empire Builder.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

To elaborate a bit: the excess baggage charge is collected once per logical trip. A logical trip is basically a collection of segments, in the same reservation, where the connecting time between segments does not exceed 23.5 hours. If the time exceeds 23.5 hours, it considered a stopover which ends the trip. Continuing travel from this point starts another logical trip and triggers collection to the excess baggage charge again.

Passengers boarding/paying at staffed stations should have their bags tagged with orange excess baggage tags. Baggage that has been checked for size/weight and is within the limits is to be labeled with a Baggage Screened sticker.

If a passenger boards at an unstaffed station or is otherwise found onboard with unpaid excess baggage, the conductor is to have the passenger contact 800-USA-RAIL to have the excess baggage charge added to the reservation. If paying by credit card, the passenger will complete the transaction over the phone and the conductor will lift the baggage ticket in the EMD (ticket scanner). Passengers paying cash will have an onboard ticket issued, the receipt of which is proof of payment.

If future conductors have any questions, they can verify payment by checking the excess baggage ticket in the EMD while cash payers have the hand issued receipt. I believe passengers connecting who paid onboard can have an excess bagge tag applied at the next connecting station as well.

 

[Rail Freak]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't the airlines base their bag measurements on linear inches?

 

[Ryan]

Not for carry on sizing, no.