Although not absolutely necessary, I would prefer to check our bags on our trip from TPA to MIA so as not to have them in the way. We have a bedroom, but nowhere we HAVE to be immediately once we get to Miami. Is there any reason why I should NOT check our bags? Does it take a long time to get them when we arrive? Is it OK to lock them with the TSA locks? Do we even need to lock them? This is our first train trip. I appreciate your replies. (By the way, this site is WONDERFUL. Thank you to all the nice "regulars" who take their time to answer all these newbie questions. Your advice is priceless and so appreciated).
Checking Bags
- Thread starter Pinderella
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darien-l
OBS Chief
In my mind, there are several reasons not to check bags:
1) It can take up to 30 minutes to receive them at your destination.
2) You might need something from the bag during your trip.
3) Baggage cars are not climate-controlled and sometimes quite dirty. They can get steaming hot in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter. If you have anything temperature-sensitive in your bag, or if you value the bag itself and don't want it to get dirty, you may not want to check it.
It's fine to lock checked bags on Amtrak.
1) It can take up to 30 minutes to receive them at your destination.
2) You might need something from the bag during your trip.
3) Baggage cars are not climate-controlled and sometimes quite dirty. They can get steaming hot in the summer and bitterly cold in the winter. If you have anything temperature-sensitive in your bag, or if you value the bag itself and don't want it to get dirty, you may not want to check it.
It's fine to lock checked bags on Amtrak.
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No reason not to check them if you want to. It probably will take 10 to 15 minutes to get them after arrival. Make sure that you arrive at least 30 minutes before departure also, or you won't be able to check them. You can lock them if you want, and you probably should. Also obviously don't put anything valuable in your checked bags.
printman2000
Engineer
We always check bags. Even on some very complicated transfers that we have experienced with last minute bustitutions, Amtrak has always got our bags to arrive with us. It is much easier not having to drag them around ourselves. We pack smaller on board bags with everything we need on the train.
I've never had to wait 30 minutes for checked bags. It'll probably take about 10 or 15 once you arrive in Miami. I love checking bags because they take care of my bag and I don't have to worry about it. Locking them is fine if you want to.
My decision on whether to check bags depends on:
-Whether I am packing heavy (lots of bags, not weight) or light
-The destination
-Whether they train has a luggage rack downstairs in the sleeper
-The type of room I am in: bedroom or family bedroom vs. smaller roomette
-What my plans are upon arrival
I have found LAX and CHI slower than other stations on getting bags from the train to baggage claim. I usually carry on for those destinations and use Redcap service from the train to streetside since it is a sizeable walk. Otherwise, I carry on and put my biggest bag downstairs in the luggage rack and take the rest to the room. I believe your train is a Viewliner without a luggage rack downstairs. Others will weigh in on that. If I need to get somewhere fast when I arrive, especially if a train is sporadically late, I carry on.
sunchaser
Conductor
I would check them if-
There is nothing in the luggage that is breakable, valuable, or something you must have with you on the train.
Any of those items go in my carry on, with a lock, which goes into the roomette/bedroom, or the luggage area.
Carry on bags can be quite large (28" x 22" x 14"), so you should be able to bring any overnight stuff you need with you.
If we are talking cameras, notebook computer, etc., those go in the room with us.
IIRC, it was about 15 minutes to get the checked luggage.
I would check whatever you can!!!
There is nothing in the luggage that is breakable, valuable, or something you must have with you on the train.
Any of those items go in my carry on, with a lock, which goes into the roomette/bedroom, or the luggage area.
Carry on bags can be quite large (28" x 22" x 14"), so you should be able to bring any overnight stuff you need with you.
If we are talking cameras, notebook computer, etc., those go in the room with us.
IIRC, it was about 15 minutes to get the checked luggage.
I would check whatever you can!!!
Thank you, everyone, for your thoughts and suggestions. I think I am going to check our bags, just so I don't have to think about them. We'll have our laptops and important stuff with us. I'm getting super excited about the trip. I KNOW it will be more fun than driving by car - no matter what happens. Just the fact we can get up and stretch our legs or lay down if we want to is nice. I hope my 10 yr old likes it too. Thanks again!
We always check our bags from NYP to ORL. I've always had good luck and my bags are fabric Vera Bradley duffle bags. They haven't gotten extrodinarily dirty. In fact the only damage I've ever had to a piece of luggage was by a red cap who meant well. He hung my Vera bookbag from the back of his cart and it laid against the wheel from the NYP acela Lounge all the way to our room on the train. When he took it off to hand it to me, he was horrified as stuff started spilling out of a huge hole caused by friction. He offered to start the paperwork to replace it etc, but I declined because he'd been so helpful from the time he spotted my son and I practically tumbling off the Boston Acela to the time he boarded us onto the Silver and his intention when he took the bag from me last minute was to help as I was struggling with DS's wheelchair. i found one super cheap on ebay anyway so no loss. And since he refused his tip, much to my dismay, it really was a wash because I found the bag for approx what I would have tipped him anyway.
Pack a bag with small versions of items you will need. I get little hand sanitizers, individual towelettes, a tide pen for stains, a small medicine kit I got at walmart with bandaids, neosporin and I added individual doses of tylenol, benedryl, motion sickness meds and ibuprofen. I usually wear a sweat suit and only pack a clean tshirt, clean socks and a clean pair of undies for the next day and wear the sweat suit two days. It means only needing to pack jammies instead of two full outifts. Since we get a bedroom and there is an inroom bathroom, I usually just pack a sleepshirt, again, means less to pack. Those rooms are small, lol. I find the less in there the better. I hope your 10 year old has a great time! My 20 year old still loves these train trips and we've been going on them now since he was little. The next one for us is October.
I hope you all have a fun.Edited to add: I forgot to mention. Out of eight or nine trips now, round trip, the longest I can recall waiting for luggage was 15 mins.
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the_traveler
Engineer
I have not been to MIA, so I don't know how long it takes there, but at some stations where you take the checked baggage right from the luggage cart, I have claimed my bags before the train even left!
darien-l
OBS Chief
Most of my experiences with picking up checked bags have been at LAX; I had to wait at least 30 minutes there quite a few times. This was a few years ago, however, and things may have improved.
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You have not have picked up bags in Atlanta. This can often take thirty minutes, because of the layout of the station--luggage must be loaded on a small cart and brought up the single elevator into the very small but very crowded station. Otherwise 10-15 minutes seems right. That is probably the same as an airline, but people do not notice it because it takes them longer to walk to the baggage claim area and maybe stop at the restroom, make a cell phone call, etc. Miami does not usually have that many passengers getting off by that point, and their baggage claim situation is pretty good.
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