Still 24 hour prior baggage check?

[me_little_me]

Last time we traveled from Savannah, I had to argue with the agent because he didn't want to allow us to check our bag the evening before the train left until I told him the Amtrak web site said you could check it 24 hours prior. It did say it then. I can't find it now. Julie gives her usual evasive answer. Anyone know if and where that is documented on the site?

 

[TinCan782]

All I see is "Temporary Bag Storage"...I don't think that is what you are looking for.
https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/baggage-policy/at-station-baggage-services.html

 

[F900ElCapitan]

I haven’t looked over the website, but the agents in Seattle recently (earlier in February) did tell me that baggage could be checked 24 hours in advance.

 

[Samsbigtrip]

Last time we traveled from Savannah, I had to argue with the agent because he didn't want to allow us to check our bag the evening before the train left until I told him the Amtrak web site said you could check it 24 hours prior. It did say it then. I can't find it now. Julie gives her usual evasive answer. Anyone know if and where that is documented on the site?

It's here (accessed today, 18 Feb 2020) - but I think you need to check that your station has a "Temporary Store". In case the link doesn't work it says:

Temporary Bag Storage
Customers holding tickets for Amtrak travel may store their items in Parcel Check service when available for $10 per item for 24 hours. Check the station detail page for the stations you'll be visiting to see if they offer this service. Customers that don't have an Amtrak ticket may store items for $20 per item for 24 hours (valid photo ID required).​

https://www.amtrak.com/onboard/baggage-policy/at-station-baggage-services.html

 

[Rasputin]

I think that there is some confusion here. I believe the original question was whether you could check your baggage the day before you leave on the train not whether you could check a bag for temporary storage during the day (Parcel check) and pick it up later in the day.

Being able to check your luggage the day before your trip is a great convenience. We did this in Flagstaff a few years ago. We checked our luggage the night before and then we didn't have to get up extra early to check our luggage 45 minutes before departure in the wee hours of the morning.

 

[MARC Rider]

I've had no trouble checking bags a couple of days in advance at both Baltimore and Boston. I once checked bags to Havre, MT to arrive a couple of days before I did, and, again, there was no problem. Never checked bags from Savannah, though. We checked a bag at Miami one, but that was right before the train left. We got to the station just in time to meet the cutoff.

I hope this isn't some new policy, as I'm planning to advance-check some bags to Boston in a couple of weeks. Given that there's only one train with a baggage car up the NEC to Boston, you pretty much have to do it the day before if you want your bags available when you arrive.

 

[Samsbigtrip]

I think that there is some confusion here. I believe the original question was whether you could check your baggage the day before you leave on the train not whether you could check a bag for temporary storage during the day (Parcel check) and pick it up later in the day.

I'm with you now! My bad :-(
I was confusing "checking in a bag and never seeing it again until you reach your destination" with "leaving a bag with Amtrak staff in a safe and secure place and retrieving it later for proper checking-in and boarding"!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Amtrak's new website is big on stock photos but short on helpful details. Amtrak's phone system is a big fan of Clueless Julie but hates the idea of letting you talk to any station staff. I made some inquiries but found nothing actionable. All you can do is call the reservations number and hope you get a useful answer, write down the name and time of the call, and hope that information will help persuade a defensive station clerk to honor the deal. This is the reality of doing business with Amtrak.

 

[Samsbigtrip]

Amtrak's new website is big on stock photos but short on helpful details. Amtrak's phone system is a big fan of Clueless Julie but hates the idea of letting you talk to any station staff.

I was lucky enough to get chatting to someone on Trip Advisor and as she works close by the King Street Station in Seattle she actually walked over there and asked all the questions I needed answers to - such as: which is the best entrance with fewest stairs and what time does the place that keeps your luggage safe until you need it to check it in and/or board the train open? What a star!

 

[dogbert617]

Amtrak's new website is big on stock photos but short on helpful details. Amtrak's phone system is a big fan of Clueless Julie but hates the idea of letting you talk to any station staff. I made some inquiries but found nothing actionable. All you can do is call the reservations number and hope you get a useful answer, write down the name and time of the call, and hope that information will help persuade a defensive station clerk to honor the deal. This is the reality of doing business with Amtrak.

Sadly to say, Amtrak's website has long had issues when it came to finding important minor details, such as being evasive about properly mentioning whether checked baggage checks can be done one night before the morning the station is unlocked before a train's arrival, whether you can check in bags or not. I wouldn't be surprised if the annoyance of finding minor but still important information about how Amtrak works, frustrates a limited percent of travelers to the point that sadly to say, at least in some cases they opted not to take Amtrak in the end? And ugh don't get me started on Julie, which I'll admit I've always tried to avoid using in favor of live agents, or asking any minor issue(but still important) questions about Amtrak on this message board!

 

[Bonser]

Speaking of baggage checks. We're traveling from SF to NWK at the end of June. In the past we've checked our bags at the Temporary Transit Terminal. Now that it's closed the Amtrak bus leaves from the street at Salesforce Ctr. Will Emeryville check my bags when the bus arrives only 30 minutes before the Zephyr?

 

[chakk]

Speaking of baggage checks. We're traveling from SF to NWK at the end of June. In the past we've checked our bags at the Temporary Transit Terminal. Now that it's closed the Amtrak bus leaves from the street at Salesforce Ctr. Will Emeryville check my bags when the bus arrives only 30 minutes before the Zephyr?

I rode the bus from the Salesforce Center to Emeryville to board the CZ in Nov 2019 and saw several bus passengers check their bags at the EMY counter for the CZ.

 

[Bonser]

I rode the bus from the Salesforce Center to Emeryville to board the CZ in Nov 2019 and saw several bus passengers check their bags at the EMY counter for the CZ.

Thanks for that info. As we're taking 3 trains east, I was hoping that would be the case.