Amtrak Guest Rewards - Amtrak to EWR with luggage

Looked into taking Amtrak from Union Station in Washington to EWR this summer, since I don't like to fly in the afternoon during thunderstorm season (there would be a slight cost savings over flying out of DCA), but all of the trains I saw on the Amtrak Web site say "no checked baggage." To an airport? I wouldn't mave a lot of luggage, but perhaps larger than those allowed as carry-on with Amtrak. Ideas?

They just mean there are no checked baggage facilities, you will need to haul your luggage on board the train. You can tip a sky cap to bring it on board for you if it is too heavy for you to handle, otherwise you can just stow it yourself in the end car luggage racks or the overhead luggage racks which are down right cavernous on a train compared to a plane.

They just mean there are no checked baggage facilities, you will need to haul your luggage on board the train. You can tip a sky cap to bring it on board for you if it is too heavy for you to handle, otherwise you can just stow it yourself in the end car luggage racks or the overhead luggage racks which are down right cavernous on a train compared to a plane.

Sorry, I was actually referring to the limits on their Web site: for carry-on bags, 2 bags,. max size 28x22x14"; for checked luggage, 3 bags, max size 36x36x36"(in all cases 50 lbs max). My concern was the overall size limits. Are those enforced even where you don't have the option to check bags? I even thought of upgrading to busines class, for comfort, though that doesn't get you higher bag limits (we took it recently from Washington to Charlotte).

Looked into taking Amtrak from Union Station in Washington to EWR this summer, since I don't like to fly in the afternoon during thunderstorm season (there would be a slight cost savings over flying out of DCA), but all of the trains I saw on the Amtrak Web site say "no checked baggage." To an airport? I wouldn't mave a lot of luggage, but perhaps larger than those allowed as carry-on with Amtrak. Ideas?
1. From Washington Union Station take the Acela to Newark Penn Station, then backtrack 10 mins on NJ Transit (commuter) to EWR station. Alternative is a $18+tip taxi from Newark directly to pax dropoff at EWR. Comfortable ride to Newark is approx. 2:35. Acela basic service is Business. It's a ton more comfortable and nicer than what Amtrak markets as Business elsewhere. There is also First Class for approx. $100 more.

2. Hasn't been checked luggage on Acela and its predecessor Metroliner for at least 15 years. Unless you've got steamer trunks, don't sweat it.

How much luggage are you planning on bringing? As others have stated, are you bringing six steamer trunks?

max size 28x22x14 is a HUGE suitcase! Do you really need more than two of those? A typical airline carry on is 22x14x9

28x22x14 doesn't strike me as a HUGE suitcase (of course, it depends on how you define huge). Why mention of six steamer trunks? Limit on the train is, as noted, smaller than for checked bags. And limited to two, max weight 50 lbs. each. I'd be flying biz class our of Newark to Brazil, and could have up to 3 bags. 70 lbs. each.

Would taking Acela to Newark and backtracking to EWR gain anything? I mean, I like the Acela, but even in terms of comfort, not baggage space, mightn't it be just as good to take one of the Northeast Regional trains, in their biz class, directly to EWR?

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If you want to check bags, buy a ticket from WAS to NWK (Newark Penn Station), and drop your bags at Union Station a day or two before your departure. The bags will be carried on one of Amtrak's long-distance trains that have baggage cars, and be available for claiming upon your arrival at NWK. You can then take a taxi from NWK to your airport terminal.

I regularly see people hauling suitcases onto Amtrak that you could pack a side of beef into. I would not worry about it. Take the Regional, not the Acela, as the Regional has far more luggage space (including bigger racks that are at floor/waist level) and also stops right at the EWR rail station itself.

there is no checked baggage to the airport because there are no red caps at the airport rail station..and most of the regionals don't have baggage cars anyway...and again, people do have rather large bags on the regionals....

They won't stop you from bringing on 3 70 pound bags, but as others have stated there are no red caps at EWR station so you will be responsible for
transporting your own luggage.

When you arrive at the station you will need to be able to QUICKLY get your three checked bags plus carryon off the train. The train stops briefly! Then you must make your way up two escalators, then get on the monorail. From the monorail you will then arrive at the airport which then includes two escalators.

If you will be travelling with that much baggage I would suggest maybe try going DCA-IAH-Brazil instead of worrying about the little puddle hopper planes that service the WAS-NYC routes.

Also if you are worried about storms, then trains aren't always the answer, they too can be delayed by weather.

They won't stop you from bringing on 3 70 pound bags, but as others have stated there are no red caps at EWR station so you will be responsible for
transporting your own luggage.

When you arrive at the station you will need to be able to QUICKLY get your three checked bags plus carryon off the train. The train stops briefly! Then you must make your way up two escalators, then get on the monorail. From the monorail you will then arrive at the airport which then includes two escalators.

If you will be travelling with that much baggage I would suggest maybe try going DCA-IAH-Brazil instead of worrying about the little puddle hopper planes that service the WAS-NYC routes.

Also if you are worried about storms, then trains aren't always the answer, they too can be delayed by weather.

I probably wouldn't try this with more than two bags, and probably not much more than 50 lbs. (even with a skycap's help at Union Station in DC I might still have to hoist them onto a rack, and the point about the lack of assistance at the other end is well-taken). Haven't seen trains affected much by summer thunderstorms, unless there's a flood (winter storms, with snow, are different). I did like the above suggestion of a side of beef. The food on the flight may not be great. I wonder if they'd cook my beef to order?

I probably wouldn't try this with more than two bags, and probably not much more than 50 lbs. (even with a skycap's help at Union Station in DC I might still have to hoist them onto a rack, and the point about the lack of assistance at the other end is well-taken). Haven't seen trains affected much by summer thunderstorms, unless there's a flood (winter storms, with snow, are different). I did like the above suggestion of a side of beef. The food on the flight may not be great. I wonder if they'd cook my beef to order?When there are summer storms and flights get cancelled then everyone and their mother decide to hop the trains up and down the east coast. They become a nightmare at times with over crowding, etc. Even though they say they don't oversell a few times on the WAS-NYP route they have canceled a train and then they honor the tickets on other trains which leaves them a few chairs short for musical chairs, which in turn delays the trains all up and down the east coast.

Take the Greyhound. Its only $20