Boarding the Coast Starlight at Burbank

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Feb 12, 2018
Messages
8
Location
UK
I am a newbie on Amtrak travel and planning to take the Coast Starlight from Burbank to Seattle with luggage. I note there are no Checked baggage facilities at Burbank. Can anyone kindly guide me to the procedure of boarding at Burbank with luggage.
 
I am a newbie on Amtrak travel and planning to take the Coast Starlight from Burbank to Seattle with luggage. I note there are no Checked baggage facilities at Burbank. Can anyone kindly guide me to the procedure of boarding at Burbank with luggage.

You'll need to carry it onto the train. Just show up, with your luggage, on the platform before the train arrives.
 
I am a newbie on Amtrak travel and planning to take the Coast Starlight from Burbank to Seattle with luggage. I note there are no Checked baggage facilities at Burbank. Can anyone kindly guide me to the procedure of boarding at Burbank with luggage.
If in a sleeping car, the attendant should be watching for you and offer help swinging your bag onto the train. If in coach, an Assistant Conductor or Coach Attendant will usually offer help getting baggage on board and if you are disabled or elderly they should help stow a bag.
 
Also, sleepers will be at the front of the train (northwest end of the platform), business class will be in the middle of the train (center of the platform), and coaches will be at the rear of the train (southeast end of the platform). Trying to pre-position will give you more time to board as they try to make Burbank a quick stop.
 
We just boarded the train at Burbank a couple of weeks ago, with luggage. As has been mentioned, it is unstaffed and you must tote your own bags. That having been said, it is very "user-friendly", with lots of ramps, benches for seating, drop-off area for shuttles and taxis, etc. I have a pic I'll try to add later. There is a walking connection to the airport and decent public transit adjacent.
 
You’re allowed to bring two personal items, and two carry-on items, 50lb. 28 x 22 x 14, onboard.
I’m not certain with the Coach cars, all my experiences are LD trains and sleepers.

As you board a sleeper car there will be a spot for you to store your larger bag(s) that you intended to check and that you did not plan on taking to your room. A plus is that you'll be able to access these bags during the trip if needed.

ENJOY your trip. Coast Starlight is my favorite.
Baggage.jpg
 
If you have something that must be checked, such as a bicycle, or that you really want out of the way for the trip, you can take a Metrolink train to the Los Angeles station from the same Burbank airport station that Amtrak uses, on weekday mornings at least. The Amtrak Starlight and the Surfiner trains use the south train station at Burbank airport.

Weekends, it's more complicated – Metrolink trains don't run through the south Burbank airport station. There's one train that runs through the new north Burbank airport station and the downtown Burbank station to LA.

You can also take a Surfiner to LA, but you'll run into some of the same luggage restrictions.
 
If you have something that must be checked, such as a bicycle, or that you really want out of the way for the trip, you can take a Metrolink train to the Los Angeles station from the same Burbank airport station that Amtrak uses, on weekday mornings at least. The Amtrak Starlight and the Surfiner trains use the south train station at Burbank airport.

Weekends, it's more complicated – Metrolink trains don't run through the south Burbank airport station. There's one train that runs through the new north Burbank airport station and the downtown Burbank station to LA.

You can also take a Surfiner to LA, but you'll run into some of the same luggage restrictions.

Take the prior Surfliner to Van Nuys, a mere five miles closer to Seattle, at which point bags can be checked.
 
Back
Top