Bring Your Bicycle Onboard

Part of the joy of a journey by train is the ability to explore the stops along the way, and what better way to do that than by bike? If you'd like to ride our rails with your bike, we offer a number of different services to transport your bike onboard. Each train has different equipment and loading procedures that dictate what service will be offered. The capabilities of your origin and destination station also determine how bikes are handled, so check out all the details here before you book your trip. If you still have questions, check out the Bike FAQs.

What's Allowed?

Carry-On/Trainside: Bicycles and folding scooters up to 50 lbs. Standard bicycle sizes apply. Maximum tire width: 2"
Checked: Bicycles up to 50 lbs. and 70" x 41" x 8.5" and non-folding scooters

  • Standard full-size bicycles may be carried on and stored onboard in bicycle racks on these select certain trains. Tandem bicycles may be carried on and stored onboard in bicycle racks on Pacific Surfliner trains only. On short-distance routes in the Northeast, passengers must remove the front wheel before storing their bike. An additional fee may apply. Bicycle fees vary by route and will be shown in the price summary at time of reservation.

    Specially Designated Spaces Only

    Bicycles must be stored in the designated racks/areas inside Coach passenger cars. On trains with unreserved carry-on bicycle service, racks are available at a first-come, first-serve basis. When the racks are full, bikes will no longer be accepted onboard.

    Trains Bicycle Reservation Required Checked Service Available
    Blue Water
    (Port Huron - East Lansing - Chicago)
    Yes No
    Capitol Corridor
    (San Jose - Sacramento Auburn)
    No No
    Carolinian
    (New York - Washington - Charlotte)
    Yes No
    Downeaster
    (Brunswick - Portland - Boston)
    Yes No
    Downstate Illinois Services
    (Chicago - Quincy; Chicago - Carbondale; Chicago – St. Louis)
    Yes No
    Empire Service/Ethan Allen Express
    (New York - Albany - Buffalo - Niagara Falls, or New York - Albany - Rutland)
    Yes No
    Hartford Line/Valley Flyer
    (New Haven - Springfield Greenfield)
    Yes No
    Keystone Service
    (Harrisburg - Philadelphia - New York)
    Yes No
    Northeast Regional
    (Boston - New York - Washington - Virginia)
    Yes No
    Maple Leaf
    (Niagara Falls, NY - Syracuse - Albany - New York)
    Yes No
    Missouri River Runner
    (Kansas City - St. Louis)
    Yes No
    Pacific Surfliner
    (San Diego - Los Angeles - San Luis Obispo)
    Yes
    Select Stations
    San Joaquins
    (Sacramento/Oakland - Bakersfield)
    No Select Stations
    Vermonter
    (Washington - New York - New Haven - St. Albans)
    Yes Select Stations
    Wolverine
    (Chicago - Detroit - Pontiac)
    Yes No
  • Folding bicycles under the dimensions of 34" x 15" x 48" (860 x 380 x 1120 mm) will be allowed onboard all trains in lieu of a piece of baggage.

    Only certain passenger cars can accommodate folding bicycles as carry-on baggage, otherwise they must be checked. For both carry-on and trainside checked service, additional fees may apply.

    Only true folding bicycles (bicycles specifically designed to fold up into a compact assembly) are acceptable. Generally, these bikes have frame latches allowing the frame to be collapsed, and small wheels. Regular bikes of any size, with or without wheels, are not considered folding bikes, and may not be stored as folding bikes aboard trains.

    You must fold up your folding bicycle before boarding the train. You may store the bike only in luggage storage areas at the end of the car (or, in Superliners, on the lower level). You may not store bikes in overhead racks.

  • Standard full-size bicycles may be transported in bicycle racks located in the baggage car. This service is only available at select stations. Advance reservations are required and an additional fee may apply. Bicycle fees vary by route and will be shown in the price summary at time of reservation.

    When you get to the station, check in with the station agent, get a claim check/baggage tag for your bike. At unstaffed stations, check in with the conductor on the platform.

    Passengers are not allowed in baggage cars, so you will hand your bicycle up to an Amtrak crew member inside the baggage car when boarding and they will store and secure your bike in the bike racks.

    Before handing your bicycle to an Amtrak crew member, remove any large seat/saddlebags, handlebar bags, baskets or panniers. These items must be consolidated and either checked or carried with you onto the train.

    Route Bicycle Reservation Required Checked Service Available
    Amtrak Cascades
    (Vancouver - Seattle - Portland - Eugene)
    Yes Select Stations
    California Zephyr
    (WIP is unstaffed but offers bike service)
    Yes
    Select Stations
    Capitol Limited
    (Washington - Pittsburgh - Chicago)
    Yes Select Stations
    Cardinal
    Yes
    Select Stations
    City of New Orleans
    Yes
    Select Stations
    Coast Starlight
    (limited acceptance at CTL)
    Yes
    Select Stations
    Crescent Yes Select Stations
    Empire Builder
    (Trains 7 & 8 only; not available on Trains 27 & 28. WIN and WGL are unstaffed but offers bike service)
    Yes Select Stations
    Floridian Yes Select Stations
    Lake Shore Limited
    (trains 48 & 49 only;
    not available to/from ALB)
    Yes
    Select Stations
    Palmetto Yes Select Stations
    Pennsylvanian Yes Select Stations
    Pere Marquette Yes Select Stations
    Piedmont Yes Select Stations
    Silver Star/Silver Meteor Yes Select Stations
    Southwest Chief
    Yes
    Select Stations
    Sunset Limited
    (not accepted at MRC)
    Yes
    Select Stations
    Texas Eagle
    (not accepted at MRC)
    Yes
    Select Stations
  • Bicycles may be checked on Amtrak between all cities where checked baggage is offered. Not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage. Find your station(s) to see if this service is available.

    Bicycles/bicycle trailers may be checked in a bicycle container for $10, in lieu of a piece of baggage. Bicycle boxes are sold at most staffed locations for $15 per box. Customers may supply their own bicycle container.

    Recumbent, tandem and special bicycles over the standard bicycle dimensions and will not fit in a standard bicycle box are prohibited. Gas-powered motorized bicycles are prohibited

    The fee for checking a bike as baggage is $10.00. This is subject to change without notice.

    • Check your bicycle at the station at least an hour before departure.
    • Bicycles/bicycle trailers may be checked in a bicycle container for $10.00, in lieu of a piece of baggage. Bicycle boxes are sold at most staffed locations for $15.00 per box.
    • Bicycles must be partially disassembled in order to fit in an Amtrak bicycle box. Loosen and turn the handlebars sideways, and remove the pedals. Amtrak does not supply tools for disassembling.
    • It may be helpful to disassemble and reassemble your bike before your trip to avoid any surprises. Some parts, especially pedals, may be especially difficult to remove.
    • Attach your name and address to the box.
  • Reclaim your bike at the baggage car and remove it from the train before transferring to your new train. Station personnel can assist you with any questions or directions.

    If you have a lengthy layover at a station with a baggage room, you may store your bicycle in the baggage room free of charge; just make sure to retrieve your bicycle in time to take it to your departing train.

    Boxed bicycles will be transferred by train crew and station personnel; in this case you will not be responsible for transferring your bike between trains.

  • Bicycles are accepted on the Auto Train at no additional fee. Bicycles should be placed on racks attached to the back of your vehicle. Bicycles on racks loaded on the roof are not permitted. See the Auto Train Vehicle Requirements for more details.

  • Amtrak accepts electric bikes and scooters powered by lithium-ion batteries and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Accepted e-bikes are low-speed with fully operable pedals, a motor that produces less than 750W (1.01hp) of continuous power and a maximum speed of 20 mph (32km/h) when powered only by the electric motor. 

    Accepted e-scooters have two axles, steering handlebars, no seat or pedals and are designed to be driven only by the rider on that vehicle. Vehicles with a gas motor or are rented from a bike-sharing company are not accepted by Amtrak. Please note that Amtrak personnel may inspect and deny vehicle transportation at their discretion.

    Exceptions on California Routes

    San Joaquins and Capitol Corridor routes will accept vehicles with a 2.5" maximum tire width; the Pacific Surfliner will accept a 4" maximum.

    Non-folding scooters can only be stored in designated train cars with a bike logo and must be secured parallel or adjacent to the bike racks. They cannot block any aisles or walkways, impede passenger movement or present a safety hazard. If a non-folding scooter cannot meet these conditions it will need to be checked in a baggage car.

     

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