Check Bags at Different Station than ticket

Another baggage question....

I am ticketed Elyria, Ohio to Albany round trip. I live very close to the Elyria station (less than 10 min) which does not have baggage check, and about 30 min from Cleveland, which has baggage service. Does Amtrak allow me to check baggage from one location, and pick up the train from another? Note if I pick up the train in Elyria, I pass through Cleveland both ways.

I think this question would be best directed towards Amtrak Customer Relations. This website is not affiliated with Amtrak, we just enjoy discussing passenger trains here. I suspect that Amtrak will insist that your trip begin and end at the same station to which you baggage is checked.

burt said:

Another baggage question....

I am ticketed Elyria, Ohio to Albany round trip. I live very close to the Elyria station (less than 10 min) which does not have baggage check, and about 30 min from Cleveland, which has baggage service. Does Amtrak allow me to check baggage from one location, and pick up the train from another? Note if I pick up the train in Elyria, I pass through Cleveland both ways.

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If I get you correctly, you will go to Cleveland, drop off your luggage, then go to Elyria, and board the train?

I just want to clarify if you are talking about same train number, but different days, or something.

WICT106 said:

This website is not affiliated with Amtrak, we just enjoy discussing passenger trains here.

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We're not affiliated with Amtrak, but the site was created specifically to address questions like this from people seeking to learn more about Amtrak travel.

Burt, I've never done it, but I suspect that you won't have any issues. Have you already bought your tickets? If not, one solution could be to buy two tickets - one from Elyria - Cleveland and another from Cleveland to wherever you're going. Check your bags using your Cleveland tickets and give the conductor both tickets when you board.

Cho Cho Charlie said:

burt said:

Another baggage question....

I am ticketed Elyria, Ohio to Albany round trip. I live very close to the Elyria station (less than 10 min) which does not have baggage check, and about 30 min from Cleveland, which has baggage service. Does Amtrak allow me to check baggage from one location, and pick up the train from another? Note if I pick up the train in Elyria, I pass through Cleveland both ways.

Click to expand...

If I get you correctly, you will go to Cleveland, drop off your luggage, then go to Elyria, and board the train?

I just want to clarify if you are talking about same train number, but different days, or something.

Click to expand...

Yes, trip on Thursday, so Wednesday evening drop off my baggage at Cleveland station, which is on my way home from work. Board the train Thursday morning in Elyria, 450AM. First stop would be Cleveland about 30-40 min later.

On the way back, baggage would be left in Cleveland, I would get off train in Elyria, then stop by the Cleveland station a few more hours on my way to work.

Hope that makes sense.... gets me some more sleep ahead of a very early morning departure...

WICT106 said:

I think this question would be best directed towards Amtrak Customer Relations. This website is not affiliated with Amtrak, we just enjoy discussing passenger trains here. I suspect that Amtrak will insist that your trip begin and end at the same station to which you baggage is checked.

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Yes, ultimately I think you're right. Just thought there might be others who have already experienced this given that not all stations handle baggage on Amtrak.

burt said:

Another baggage question....

I am ticketed Elyria, Ohio to Albany round trip. I live very close to the Elyria station (less than 10 min) which does not have baggage check, and about 30 min from Cleveland, which has baggage service. Does Amtrak allow me to check baggage from one location, and pick up the train from another? Note if I pick up the train in Elyria, I pass through Cleveland both ways.

Click to expand...

This should not be a problem. The day of your departure, drop your bags at Cleveland and show your Elyria to Albany tickets. The station is staffed starting at 9:30pm and closing at 1pm the next day. Coming back, just tell the Albany agent you want to short-check your bags to Cleveland, and head over the day of your arrival and pick them up.

PRR 60 said:

burt said:

Another baggage question....

I am ticketed Elyria, Ohio to Albany round trip. I live very close to the Elyria station (less than 10 min) which does not have baggage check, and about 30 min from Cleveland, which has baggage service. Does Amtrak allow me to check baggage from one location, and pick up the train from another? Note if I pick up the train in Elyria, I pass through Cleveland both ways.

Click to expand...

This should not be a problem. The day of your departure, drop your bags at Cleveland and show your Elyria to Albany tickets. The station is staffed starting at 9:30pm and closing at 1pm the next day. Coming back, just tell the Albany agent you want to short-check your bags to Cleveland, and head over the day of your arrival and pick them up.

Click to expand...

Perfect! That's what I'll plan to do. I'll check back with you all after the trip.

Thanks all

I'm guessing the answer is ultimately going to depend on the specific agents working at the Cleveland and Albany stations on the days you stop there.

While what you are proposing seems perfectly reasonable, Amtrak's website specifically says that checked baggage "is only available to ticketed

passengers whose origin and destination stations offer checked baggage." So technically if you are ticketed from Elyria to Albany you do not

qualify to check a bag and the agents in Cleveland and Albany would be within their rights to refuse to accept your luggage.

The workaround, as stated above, is to buy a ticket from Elyria-Cleveland and then Cleveland-Albany and vice-versa. However, it appears as though

that would increase the cost of your journey.

burt said:

PRR 60 said:

burt said:

Another baggage question....

I am ticketed Elyria, Ohio to Albany round trip. I live very close to the Elyria station (less than 10 min) which does not have baggage check, and about 30 min from Cleveland, which has baggage service. Does Amtrak allow me to check baggage from one location, and pick up the train from another? Note if I pick up the train in Elyria, I pass through Cleveland both ways.

Click to expand...

This should not be a problem. The day of your departure, drop your bags at Cleveland and show your Elyria to Albany tickets. The station is staffed starting at 9:30pm and closing at 1pm the next day. Coming back, just tell the Albany agent you want to short-check your bags to Cleveland, and head over the day of your arrival and pick them up.

Click to expand...

Perfect! That's what I'll plan to do. I'll check back with you all after the trip.

Thanks all

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Do NOT do that based on recommendations here. Do TWO things:

1. Call Amtrak Customer Service and ask if you can do that. If possible, get it in writing. If not, call the ticket agent in Cleveland and ask them if they will let you do it. You can try stopping by the agent in Elyria and they can possibly call a buddy in Cleveland to get an OK.
2. Come up with an alternate plan in case the agent on duty refuses to allow it. That can happen. What will you then do? Remember, you can always leave some stuff home but on the return trip, you may have a problem if they allowed it on the outgoing trip and denied it on the return.

With heightened security, agents at a station from which you are not leaving may be wary of allowing you to drop off luggage. The return should be less of a problem since you will be getting on with the baggage.

me_little_me said:

burt said:

PRR 60 said:

burt said:

Another baggage question....

I am ticketed Elyria, Ohio to Albany round trip. I live very close to the Elyria station (less than 10 min) which does not have baggage check, and about 30 min from Cleveland, which has baggage service. Does Amtrak allow me to check baggage from one location, and pick up the train from another? Note if I pick up the train in Elyria, I pass through Cleveland both ways.

Click to expand...

This should not be a problem. The day of your departure, drop your bags at Cleveland and show your Elyria to Albany tickets. The station is staffed starting at 9:30pm and closing at 1pm the next day. Coming back, just tell the Albany agent you want to short-check your bags to Cleveland, and head over the day of your arrival and pick them up.

Click to expand...

Perfect! That's what I'll plan to do. I'll check back with you all after the trip.

Thanks all

Click to expand...

Do NOT do that based on recommendations here. Do TWO things:

1. Call Amtrak Customer Service and ask if you can do that. If possible, get it in writing. If not, call the ticket agent in Cleveland and ask them if they will let you do it. You can try stopping by the agent in Elyria and they can possibly call a buddy in Cleveland to get an OK.
2. Come up with an alternate plan in case the agent on duty refuses to allow it. That can happen. What will you then do? Remember, you can always leave some stuff home but on the return trip, you may have a problem if they allowed it on the outgoing trip and denied it on the return.

With heightened security, agents at a station from which you are not leaving may be wary of allowing you to drop off luggage. The return should be less of a problem since you will be getting on with the baggage.

Click to expand...

Do you have any experience of Amtrak not permitting short-checking bags? I don't. But since you said, "that can happen", I guess you do. I'd love to hear the details of what happened.

I've checked bags CHI-ALB when I was ticketed CHI-SPG. I've checked bags WAS-NWK when I was ticketed WAS-NYP.

me_little_me said:

You can try stopping by the agent in Elyria and they can possibly call a buddy in Cleveland to get an OK.

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Elyria is an unstaffed station.

me_little_me said:

With heightened security, agents at a station from which you are not leaving may be wary of allowing you to drop off luggage.

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Shouldn't be an issue as Cleveland, like many larger Amtrak stations, offers "baggage storage" for a fee. The fee is currently

$4 per 24-hour period.

But you are correct in that the OP should have a back-up plan. It appears as though others have done this successfully, but

as I said earlier in this thread, I suspect it's going to depend largely on the agent on duty.

fairviewroad said:

But you are correct in that the OP should have a back-up plan. It appears as though others have done this successfully, but as I said earlier in this thread, I suspect it's going to depend largely on the agent on duty.

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Agreed, it's really going to come down to the person at the station. And my guess is that if there is to be a problem, its more likely to occur in ALB, not CLE.

Not saying that there will be a problem, just that if any one were to balk at checking the bags, it's more likely to happen in ALB.

burt said:

Yes, trip on Thursday, so Wednesday evening drop off my baggage at Cleveland station, which is on my way home from work.

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What time in the evening? Cleveland's station is closed from 1 pm to 9:30 pm.

All, I'm going to leave a little earlier for work tomorrow and stop off at the Cleveland station to see what they have to say.

Thanks for all the input. Again, I know this is an easy question to ask Amtrak directly, but figured also that because many stations do not have checked baggage that many people here would have experienced a similar situation.

If I get a good feeling it will work, I'll try it. Otherwise, I'll reticket and depart from Cleveland

burt said:

All, I'm going to leave a little earlier for work tomorrow and stop off at the Cleveland station to see what they have to say.

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Sounds like a decent idea, but just because they say that they'll do it, doesn't mean that Albany will.

burt said:

Thanks for all the input. Again, I know this is an easy question to ask Amtrak directly, but figured also that because many stations do not have checked baggage that many people here would have experienced a similar situation.

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Ask Amtrak 5 times and the odds are good that you'll get at least 4 different answers. Sadly Amtrak is well known for handing out conflicting information.

burt said:

If I get a good feeling it will work, I'll try it. Otherwise, I'll reticket and depart from Cleveland

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Be careful with reticketing, as that could kick the buckets on you. You could end up paying a lot more if the bucket has changed since you first book. So I implore you to please be careful with that, ask them what will happen if you change the reservation before you do so.

Gee, with all this hassle, it seems like we are trying to send this poster to Hopkins and Southwest Airlines. I reiterate my position that this is not even slightly an issue. All he wants to go is check bags and use CLE since Elyria does not offer the service. He has a valid ticket for the travel. That's all that's needed. If the CLE agent agrees, then that's it. On what grounds would anyone on the Amtrak end have a beef with it?

OK - I stopped by the Cleveland station this morning. He said no problem to check bags in Cleveland in pick up the train in Elyria. I also called Amtrak this morning, and they said the same. So I'll have to take it on faith at this point.

Will go to the station to box up my bike and check it. The box is HUGE, so I didn't take it home. Will pick up the train in Elyria and cross my fingers

Will check back and let you all know how it went.

Thanks for the help! looking forward to my first Amtrak experience.

As Alan stated, I do not think you will have any problem in Cleveland. We use this station often and the agents there are the best. Very friendly and accommodating.

I can not see why the Albany agents would care unless they have some kind of security issue. Best wishes and have a great trip.

burt said:

OK - I stopped by the Cleveland station this morning. He said no problem to check bags in Cleveland in pick up the train in Elyria. I also called Amtrak this morning, and they said the same. So I'll have to take it on faith at this point.

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OK, sounds like you've done due diligence. Good luck, and please do let us know how it turns out.

Railroad Bill said:

I can not see why the Albany agents would care unless they have some kind of security issue.

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Bill,

It's not a security thing that would stop him in Albany. In fact if there were any security thing, it would be going the other way, since CLE would have no way to know if he actually boards in Elyria. In Albany they know he's getting on the train.

It's the "lazy" thing that could stop him. An agent who doesn't wish to be bothered dealing with checking the bags could play the card that he's not going to CLE and therefore they can't check anything to CLE. That's my worry. It's not a big worry, maybe 5% to 10% chance, but there still is a chance if one bumps into the wrong agent.

Hopefully there will be no issues!

AlanB said:

Railroad Bill said:

I can not see why the Albany agents would care unless they have some kind of security issue.

Click to expand...

Bill,

It's not a security thing that would stop him in Albany. In fact if there were any security thing, it would be going the other way, since CLE would have no way to know if he actually boards in Elyria. In Albany they know he's getting on the train.

It's the "lazy" thing that could stop him. An agent who doesn't wish to be bothered dealing with checking the bags could play the card that he's not going to CLE and therefore they can't check anything to CLE. That's my worry. It's not a big worry, maybe 5% to 10% chance, but there still is a chance if one bumps into the wrong agent.

Hopefully there will be no issues!

Click to expand...

it's a zero worry.

AlanB said:

fairviewroad said:

But you are correct in that the OP should have a back-up plan. It appears as though others have done this successfully, but as I said earlier in this thread, I suspect it's going to depend largely on the agent on duty.

Click to expand...

Agreed, it's really going to come down to the person at the station. And my guess is that if there is to be a problem, its more likely to occur in ALB, not CLE.

Not saying that there will be a problem, just that if any one were to balk at checking the bags, it's more likely to happen in ALB.

Click to expand...

Hi Alan, I was able to track down the number to the Albany station and called them. The person I talked to said absolutely no problem. So hopefully whoever is working that day sees it the same way

Thanks

burt said:

AlanB said:

fairviewroad said:

But you are correct in that the OP should have a back-up plan. It appears as though others have done this successfully, but as I said earlier in this thread, I suspect it's going to depend largely on the agent on duty.

Click to expand...

Agreed, it's really going to come down to the person at the station. And my guess is that if there is to be a problem, its more likely to occur in ALB, not CLE.

Not saying that there will be a problem, just that if any one were to balk at checking the bags, it's more likely to happen in ALB.

Click to expand...

Hi Alan, I was able to track down the number to the Albany station and called them. The person I talked to said absolutely no problem. So hopefully whoever is working that day sees it the same way

Thanks

Click to expand...

Burt,

Glad to here that!

Again, that is the correct policy. That is what Amtrak should do in all cases. The worry is like I said, that you get someone who doesn't want to be bothered and makes up a new rule that says you have to go where your bag goes.