Checked vs no checked baggage

[LookingGlassTie]

Got a question:

Hypothetically, if I'm traveling on a route where I'd have to transfer between trains, and the first train doesn't have checked baggage available, will my bags be checked on the next train if CB is indeed available?

In other words, if I were to take a NER train (without checked baggage) and transfer to a CL train (with checked baggage), will my bags be checked on the CL or would I have to carry them on as i did on the NER?

Thanks!

 

[CCC1007]

It depends on where your bag is checked too, it might follow on a later train or it may take an alternate route and arrive earlier or later than your train. This summer a person at whitefish asked to verify that their bag was on the train, they were enroute to Santa Barbara from the east coast, and their bag took the southwest chief and coast starlight instead of the empire builder.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

You should be able to check them at Washington between trains if your NER arrives in plenty of time. Or you could check them at your NER departure station (even the the day before), but as CCC1007 said, the bags may not go on the same CL as you or even on the CL (it could go north to NYP and then on the LSL.

 

[valkyrie]

Since your initial train does not have checked bags, they will be checked on the CL only if you check them at WAS. This should be possible so long as you arrive in WAS with sufficient time to check your bags before the cutoff for accepting checked bags which I believe is 45 minutes or an hour before departure of the CL (someone else can advise us here). Otherwise you'll need to carry them on yourself.

 

[Ryan]

Not true. As mentioned above, it may be possible to check the bag if the origin station handles checked baggage. It'll simply go on a different train to WAS.

 

[the_traveler]

As said, if a train that serves your station offers checked baggage AND your final destination also offers it, you can check your bags before THAT trains departure. It will be carried on that train, while you travel on the Regional.

As an example: Most Regionals serving Richmond (except 65/66/67) do not offer checked baggage service, but the Silvers do. If you check your bags before those trains depart, your bags will be carried on them. But note that your bags may arrive after you arrive at your destination & you may have to return to that station to get your bags. You may need to check them in at Richmond the day before your trip.