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Can anyone tell me how the checked baggage service is? We are going from Springfield, Ma to Oceanside, Ca. in September and don't want to lose our bags along the way. With all the cuts that have taken place we were courious. Thanks Steve Holyoke, Ma
CK Member # 589
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Many medium and small stations no longer offer checked baggage due to employee layoffs. If you starting from and ending at major stations checked baggage service should be available. Check with Amtrak to be certain. Once your baggage is in the baggage car you will not be able to retrieve any items. I recommend bringing a carry-on with the things that you may need or are important to you. My experience is that checked baggage usually reaches it's correct destination much better compared to airlines.
mho357 Member # 1204
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Steve,
We checked bags on four long distance trains in June and had no problems at all.
FTW-CHI-BOS (connecting in CHI) PHL-CHI CHI-FTW
Your mileage may vary.
Cheers,
Mark
reggierail Member # 26
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A good idea would be to put your reservation number on your luggage tag. It would make it easy for an Amtrak employee to look up your itinerary in case your bag does stray. I did that on a trip I took several years ago from LA to Syracuse, NY. I was on the Texas Eagle, my bag went out on the Southwest Chief. I arrived in Chicago & went to the Metropolitan Lounge. When I checked in the attendant told me my bag was already in Syracuse and the baggage people there had called after checking my itinerary. How's that for service, my bag arriving a day before I did. Reggie
sideout1961 Member # 1297
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Thanks for you replys. My parent are kind of nervous about checking there baggage. I welcome any other opinions on this subject.
irish1 Member # 222
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i have used checked baggage on every long distance train in the u.s. everything from strollers to fishing poles and never had a problem. like someone said earlier just make sure you have what you need on the train with you. checking the baggage sure beats toting everything around. have a nice trip.
61008 Member # 1839
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checked baggage at Emeryville? I am arriving on the Zephyr and have a ticket on the Thruway bus to San Francisco. I want to know if checked bags will make it from the baggage car to the bus without me having to retrieve them myself. I tried calling Amtrak and they don't seem to know specifics at that station; I got a phone listing for the station but there's no answer. Any help appreciated.
TheAmtrakMole Member # 1698
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**The solution to most checked baggage questions can be easily answered by picking up the phone and dialing 1.800.872.7245. While I have no reason to doubt what 61008 posted, I seriously doubt that the Amtrak agent who took the call would be unable to figure out whether or not EMY handles checked baggage. However, it is entirely possible that 61008 reached the one or two completely clueless agents employeed by Amtrak. Let's begin our "Amtrak Checked Baggage Primer":
1) Biggest Mistake in the World Dept.: Making the uneducated assumption that every station you're going through handles checked bags. Many do not. In fact, if you are headed to a 'smaller locale', (ie. MOT or WSP), chances are good that you will NOT be checking bags. 2) The Nobody Told Me Dept: You are an adult and responsible for your own actions. Unlike airlines, not every place served by Amtrak has personnel on duty. Some places, (ie. NDL or ALP), are places where the train stops to take on or discharge passengers. Nothing else occurs. When booking an Amtrak trip, ask the Res Agent what are the baggage restrictions, if any. Don't rely on a Res Agent to volunteer the info. Many do, but a lot do not. 3) Shoot the Messenger Dept: Try to keep your rage and venom down to a minimum when the Res Agent tells you there is no checked baggage to your destination. The Res Agent has no control over who staffs what stations or what staffed stations do or not handle checked bags. Vent at your congressmen, your senators, your president, David Gunn, 60 Massachusetts Ave and let them know that you're traveling to *insert city here* and how it is just a damn shame that *insert city here* is a) unstaffed, b) staffed but not not handling bags or c) staffed & handling checked bags but because of staffing cutbacks is closed on the night you arrive and now you are limited to carry-on bags only. 4) Tales of the Hound Dept: Many non dedicated Amtrak Thruway Bus connections (ie. Greyhound, Trailways, Frontier) DO NOT handle checked bags. Even though you may be starting someplace that DOES handle checked bags (ie. LAX, MTZ, CHI) if your down line connection is to a bus, better check those baggage restrictions. 5) Carry-on Bags Dept: The latest Amtrak Decree: Carry-on bags should conform to the following dimensions: 28"x 24" x 14" and weigh under 50 lbs. Stay tuned though, like anything with Amtrak that could change by to- morrow. 6) Free Tip Dept: Pack half the clothes and bring twice the money. 7) He Didn't Help Me Dept: On board train personnel (ie. Conductors, assistant Conductors, Lounge Attendant) are not REQUIRED to assist the traveling public with their carry-on bags. Some do, many more do/will not. Don't be surprised/pissed/angry/filled with an righteous- holier-than-thou attitude when the OBS picks up your bag and puts it right back down and tells you "It's too heavy." Know what? He's right, it is too heavy. SEE #3---Don't use your cell phone to call and complain to a Res Agent that no one will help you with your bags, Res Agents can't help you. 8) Allied Van Lines Dept: Amtrak is not a moving company! They do not exist to transport your household goods (ie. desktop computers, televisions). If you find yourself relocationg from NPN to OLW, hire a moving co. 9) The NE corridor Dept: Ironic as it is, the area in the country with the most Amtrak service has almost no trains that handle checked baggage. There are a few that do, but there aren't many. 10) It Never Ends Dept: Feel free to add more baggage info, I'm sure I've forgotten something.
------------------ ---The Amtrak Mole ---All your PCs are belong to trash
[This message has been edited by TheAmtrakMole (edited 08-04-2002).]
TheAmtrakMole Member # 1698
posted
**As far as connections coming off the Zephyer at EMY: If you are going to SFC, they handle checked bags. SFS, SFW and SFF DO NOT HANDLE checked bags. If you are still not sure, call Amtrak and for the love of all that is reasonable make sure you have your RESERVATION NUMBER in front of you. An Amtrak Res Agent can assist you so much better if he/she can look at your res. Ooooo...the countless times people call up and say they are going to San Fran and ask if there is checked baggage. Depends on final destination. Don't get annoyed if the Res Agent asks for your reservation number. Do you want correct information or not? People call ALL THE TIME asking about checked baggage from CHI-EMY and once I am able to pry a res number from them, their trip shows that they are also going to place with NO CHECKED BAGS like YOS or NAP. If someone from Amtrak tells you that your trip is limited to two pieces of carry-on luggage, accept that as a reality for your trip. Don't try to be cute either, thinking--AND IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY--"Well...I'll just check my bags through to LAX and pick them up before getting on the Coast Starlight, since DUN doesn't handle checked bags." Don't try to 'work' the system. If where you are headed doesn't handle checked bags, you are limited to two pieces of carry-on luggage and that's the end of it. Short checking your bags is a good way to lose them.
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