A few AmTrak (not autotrain) questions....

[SeaSpray]

We're considering taking AmTrak from Boston to Penn Station next year for our Disney cruise (DCL will be sailing all next summer out of NYC).

A few questions that some of you may know the answers to:

We'll be departing Rte 28 in Westwood, which does not have "Checked Baggage" as an option. I'm guessing that this means that we'll have to carry on all of our luggage. I have traveled on AmTrak before, but this time I'll have more luggage, and I am wondering how many pieces they allow. Also, if it's not checked, are there baggage handlers there to stow the larger pieces?? I've only ever taken carry-on sized pieces before, and duffel bags.

When we arrive in Penn Station, I'm guessing that we'll have plenty of time to make sure to get all of our luggage off before the train takes off. Some stations, the train barely comes to a complete stop before it takes off again. LOL But I'm fairly certain that it stops for quite a while, relatively speaking, when in Penn Station. Does anyone know this for sure??

After the cruise, I think it'll be easier because Penn Station claims to offer "Checked Luggage" so someone will take it and store it for us.

So, can any of you who travel on AmTrak share your experiences?? Thanks!

 

[My2Cinderellas]

Both stations have to offer checked luggage to use the service. it's only offered between the larger stations with longer stops. Small stations are a quick on/off.

When you board the train, there are luggage racks to leave your larger bags on, take carryons with you up to the seats. These racks are not secure so do lock your bags and don't leave anything valuable there.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What the PP says sounds right. Even though checked luggage is available at Penn Station, there won't be any way for you to access it in Westwood. Is there any way you could board and debark at South Station? Otherwise, it looks like you're going to have to haul your own luggage on the train in both directions.

What about the buses? Bolt Bus? MegaBus? See if they take luggage; maybe they stop closer to the pier, too.

 

[SeaSpray]

Both stations have to offer checked luggage to use the service. it's only offered between the larger stations with longer stops. Small stations are a quick on/off.

When you board the train, there are luggage racks to leave your larger bags on, take carryons with you up to the seats. These racks are not secure so do lock your bags and don't leave anything valuable there.

What the PP says sounds right. Even though checked luggage is available at Penn Station, there won't be any way for you to access it in Westwood. Is there any way you could board and debark at South Station? Otherwise, it looks like you're going to have to haul your own luggage on the train in both directions.

What about the buses? Bolt Bus? MegaBus? See if they take luggage; maybe they stop closer to the pier, too.

Ok, that makes sense (the bolded). I don't know what I was thinking. LOL

The reason that we always catch AmTrak at Westwood is because it's closer to us, and it's easier for us to get to, rather than go into the city, and there's very easy parking access at that station. For this trip, we'll probably leave our vehicle in long-term parking.

I think that my goal for this cruise is going to be packing as light as I can. lol If DH and I share 1 large suitcase and 1 medium suitcase, and each take a carry-on, then we should be ok.

 

[pepe of ohio]

Stations listed as un-manned and no baggage car access means you have to haul all your baggage on yourself and store it in your car.....usually an area at the rear.....if you board at Penn Station to go home, you must haul your baggage to your car so when you arrive at your Westwood station, you'll have it since they don't have access to the baggage car......

We board going down at an un-manned station and haul our stuff on and then we hit DC, layover there and we put our baggage in the baggage car there to continue on to Kissimmee......there they take it out of the baggage car and we claim it to go to WDW....

Leaving Disney to go home, we board in Kissimmee, let Amtrak handle our luggage in the baggage car and when we arrive in DC, we claim our luggage and keep it with us so when we board the next train to Ohio, again we arrive at an un-manned station we have to have access to our stuff since there's no access to a baggage car....

It's been the principle of 2 checked bags, none over 50# and 2 carry-ons....but we've seen this stretched past the limits many times but we rather keep it to what we can comfortably haul ourselves....

At the large stations (Penn, DC, etc) there are Red Caps (Amtrak porters) to help with your luggage, but there are only a few......but you can wait with your bags until one is free.......

 

[SeaSpray]

Stations listed as un-manned and no baggage car access means you have to haul all your baggage on yourself and store it in your car.....usually an area at the rear.....if you board at Penn Station to go home, you must haul your baggage to your car so when you arrive at your Westwood station, you'll have it since they don't have access to the baggage car......

We board going down at an un-manned station and haul our stuff on and then we hit DC, layover there and we put our baggage in the baggage car there to continue on to Kissimmee......there they take it out of the baggage car and we claim it to go to WDW....

Leaving Disney to go home, we board in Kissimmee, let Amtrak handle our luggage in the baggage car and when we arrive in DC, we claim our luggage and keep it with us so when we board the next train to Ohio, again we arrive at an un-manned station we have to have access to our stuff since there's no access to a baggage car....

It's been the principle of 2 checked bags, none over 50# and 2 carry-ons....but we've seen this stretched past the limits many times but we rather keep it to what we can comfortably haul ourselves....

At the large stations (Penn, DC, etc) there are Red Caps (Amtrak porters) to help with your luggage, but there are only a few......but you can wait with your bags until one is free.......

Thanks for the reply.

Westwood Station (RTE) says "Help with baggage during station hours" so that's good to know, because once we get our luggage onto the train, we can relax. lol

I think that we'll purchase decent luggage locks, and then we'll be ok. Hopefully we'll be able to find seats near where we stash the luggage. At Westwood, we are only the second stop after South Station in Boston, so normally we don't have trouble finding empty seats right away. Penn Station will definitely be more crowded, so we might not find seats close to where the luggage goes and/or not find seats all together.

Then again....now that I think about it... Penn Station is usually where a LOT of people get off, and get on... so maybe it won't be so bad.

I love the quiet cars, and they're not usually as filled as the regular cars. Maybe we should upgrade to Business Class seats.... (ok, now I'm just typing out loud... LOL).

Thanks again to everyone who replied, it was very helpful.