Checking bags midway through a trip

[Naismith]

If one boards a train at a station without baggage service, and then transfers to another train at a station with baggage service (CUS), does one check the bags at the ticket window or at the baggage area?

 

[ehbowen]

In Chicago there are lines at the far end of the ticket counter specifically for checking baggage without purchasing tickets.

 

[Naismith]

Thanks.

In Chicago there are lines at the far end of the ticket counter specifically for checking baggage without purchasing tickets.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

Just remember that "luggage must be checked 45 minutes prior to scheduled train departure".

 

[Braniff747SP]

Just remember that "luggage must be checked 45 minutes prior to scheduled train departure".

I've found them to not be that strict on that end---I checked a bag at LAX twenty minutes before departure and they had no problem with it.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I've found them to not be that strict on that end---I checked a bag at LAX twenty minutes before departure and they had no problem with it.

The 45 minutes doesn't go into effect Sept 10th so I don't know how strictly it will be enforced. However, I would not count on such leniency, less than 1/2, quite yet.

 

[saxman]

Some of the stations I'm familiar with have very strict baggage cut-off times. Dallas and MSP come to mind.

 

[Braniff747SP]

I've found them to not be that strict on that end---I checked a bag at LAX twenty minutes before departure and they had no problem with it.

The 45 minutes doesn't go into effect Sept 10th so I don't know how strictly it will be enforced. However, I would not count on such leniency, less than 1/2, quite yet.

When the events spoken of happened, few months ago, I was told it was normally 45 minutes before departure. They where just being friendly, I'd assume.

 

[NW cannonball]

I've found them to not be that strict on that end---I checked a bag at LAX twenty minutes before departure and they had no problem with it.

The 45 minutes doesn't go into effect Sept 10th so I don't know how strictly it will be enforced. However, I would not count on such leniency, less than 1/2, quite yet.

When the events spoken of happened, few months ago, I was told it was normally 45 minutes before departure. They where just being friendly, I'd assume.

I've had Amtrak agents cut a lot of slack on this over the years. The policy was, or the agents just did - warn you not to count on this (and please please don't count on them being ABLE to cut you some slack).

But they need to CYA - lots of times they can get your bags on the train in short order,, but if it was a "job requirement" to do so, it would happen a lot less often. Yeah, most agents LIKE to be friendly and helpful, but if a commitment to get EVERY late bag on the train was part of their job description -- they'd fight it, and rightly so.

 

[SubwayNut]

NYP's baggage office is really strict about the 30 minute cut off time. I was standing by the baggage office dissembling it for the Lake Shore Limited and they screamed to the line "Last Call for the Silver Meteor" exactly a half hour before its departure. At least they had that courtesy. No one stepped to the front of the line. About ten minutes later someone came up trying to check a bag and was denied.

At least last October Seattle was enforcing only 20 minute baggage cut off times. These cut-offs were annouced in the station and I definately checked my bag through to Portland (while I stopped at the 3 central intermediate stations) less then a half hour before deparutre. I can see some stations still doing this but Amtrak wanting to make 45 the official policy and not write a policy on a station to station basis

If you look on the website of any airline you'll notice that the baggage cut off is a half hour for domestic flights but with exception of huge airline hubs where you have to travelled great distances to your gate (like Denver) where it is 45 minutes.

 

[williamflemming]

Actually, on the Cardinal at Trenton, they offered to put our bags in the baggage car on the train!, Of course, you would have to take them off though to, they wouldn't go to baggage reclaim.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Our Cleveland station agents are very nice people but they adhere strictly to the baggage check in time of 30 minutes.

The sliding door goes down at that time and they will not check any bags after that time.

That is probably true of smaller stations who have agents who serve dual roles as ticket agent, baggage handler, and (aid to old Amtrak passengers who don't always know what they are doing :giggle: )

Better safe than sorry on the time factors