how much ahead of departure can I check baggage at NYP?

[penfrydd]

Ideally, I'd take the Vermonter from Brattleboro to NYP. There's no checked baggage at Brattleboro, so I'd like to check them for the Cardinal upon my arrival at NYP. Then I could leisurely visit with my son in NYC. I've got a sleeper on the Cardinal. Can I just leave my bags in the Metro Lounge, or should I check them into baggage upon arrival.

Haven't done checked baggage before, so I don't know the procedure. I suppose leaving them at the Metro Lounge would be easiest as we'd have access to whatever carryons we wanted.

Any thoughts?

 

[MARC Rider]

Unlike the Metropolitan Lounge in Chicago, the Club Acela in NYP has no provisions for the secure storage of baggage. It is, indeed possible to check your bags the day before departure. (In fact, I took a trip earlier this month an checked my bags 2 days before departure, just to make sure the bags would be at my destination when I got there.) I believe the southbound Vermonter arrives at NYP at about 7 PM or so, and the Cardinal leaves sometime the next morning. Thus, if you checked your bags the night before, they should go out on your train.

 

[zephyr17]

Most stations will accept it within at least 24 hours before departure. NYP has different policies in some areas, though, so I don't know if they follow that general rule or not. My guess is they do.

 

[the_traveler]

I do believe NYP is also 24 hours prior to departure.

 

[BCL]

You can always try and pay for parcel check if they won't allow you to check in early. It's $5.50 per piece per 24 hours or fraction thereof. I think they allow multiple days, but I'm not 100% sure.

We just wanted to go to Times Square without having to lug our stuff. It was there for less than 3 hours, but we paid the full fee before heading for the airport.

I looked up one place near Penn Station that does luggage storage.

http://www.schwartztravel.com

http://www.yelp.com/biz/schwartz-travel-and-storage-new-york-2

It's slightly more than Penn Station's rates, but I'm sure they'll store for multiple days.

 

[battalion51]

Since Club Acela will close overnight you would not be able to leave your bags there overnight. As was stated by others you should be able to check your bags in so long as the baggage desk is open when you arrive off of 55/57. According to Amtrak.com the baggage desk is open from 5:15A-9:45P, so you should be ok to go as long as your arrival isn't severely delayed.