Train Transfer Question

[cutecreativegal]

I am planning a long trip from NY to California. There is a transfer from Chicago with a four hour wait to the next train. Do the trains work like the planes, in that your checked baggage will be transferred to the next train for you?

When i get to California, then i have to switch to a bus.

How does baggage claim work when you arrive at your destination? Is that also like the airport?

Please let me know.

Thank you!!

:unsure:

 

[the_traveler]

Welcome!

Yes, it is similar to the airlines if you check your bags and there is a connection (like in Chicago). Your checked baggage will be transfered between trains for you. I'm not sure about checked baggage between a train and Thruway, though. I've never done it. Perhaps others that have can answer.

As far as claiming your checked baggage, it varies by station how it's done. Some like LA and Washington have like an airport type belt. Some like New York have a baggage room to claim them. Some like SLC and Grand Junction, CO have it where you claim your bags right from the luggage cart. In all cases, the baggage claim checks are compared.

 

[RRrich]

No it is NOT like the airlines. Amtrak hardly ever loses bags.

 

[AlanB]

If you're going to Emeryville CA., then they'll bring the checked bags to the bus where you'll claim your bags and then the driver will place them under the bus for you. At that point you more or less have to start being responsible for them.

 

[cutecreativegal]

No it is NOT like the airlines. Amtrak hardly ever loses bags.

LOL!! :lol:

 

[cutecreativegal]

If you're going to Emeryville CA., then they'll bring the checked bags to the bus where you'll claim your bags and then the driver will place them under the bus for you. At that point you more or less have to start being responsible for them.

Ok, well that hopefully shouldn't be to bad....i'm just gonna have a straight trip from Emmeryville to SF less than an hour.

Thank you so much!!!!!

 

[Zevzec]

Important! Note carefully the last thing the_traveler said:

In all cases, the baggage claim checks are compared.

I.e., unlike an airline, where you really only need the claim checks if your luggage is lost, on Amtrak you always need them -- they will check them when you pick up your bags. I almost learned this lesson the hard way the first time around; it took me a couple minutes to find what I had done with the claim checks. So hold onto the claim checks.

 

[Chris J.]

Important! Note carefully the last thing the_traveler said:

In all cases, the baggage claim checks are compared.

I.e., unlike an airline, where you really only need the claim checks if your luggage is lost, on Amtrak you always need them -- they will check them when you pick up your bags. I almost learned this lesson the hard way the first time around; it took me a couple minutes to find what I had done with the claim checks. So hold onto the claim checks.

They'll transfer the bags for you, that includes some buses; as I've checked a bag from San Francisco (Ferry Building), which only has bus service. I've also had the bags transferred on bustitutions - as far as I know it just depends if the two stations have checked baggage.

When I first used Amtrak I picked up my bag from the carousel in Washington station and started to walk out with it (like at an airport) until I was stopped by an employee wanting to see my claim check (and I then had to dig around to find which pocket I'd put the thing in). I don't know what they do if you've lost the check; but I'd rather not find out first-hand. Even at Flagstaff (where you get your bag off the cart) someone is there to check.

This made me feel a lot happier checking my bag ahead of me - it was put in a room for a day until I claimed it (again I needed the check).