Does Amtrak always ask for ID?

Many people travel by Amtrak every day without having or showing ID. But many other people are harassed for traveling by Amtrak without ID, or are unable to buy tickets. As with ID to fly and many other requests and demands made of air travelers, there are no “rules” for ID to travel by Amtrak train.



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RANDOM PASSENGER AND BAGGAGE SCREENING With due respect to passengers' privacy, the random and unannounced screening and inspection of passengers and their personal items is completed as quickly as possible - usually in less than a minute.

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No one may smoke anything in any area on trains, on Thruway services, in stations or in any other location where smoking is prohibited. This includes: Electronic smoking devices, such as electronic cigarettes.

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When you travel with us, you can carry-on two free pieces of luggage. Each item should not exceed 50 lbs. (23 kg) and needs to be 28 x 22 x 14 inches in size. For those Amtrak families traveling with infants under the age of two, your baby items (strollers and diaper bags) will not count towards your carry-on limit.

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In most cases your ID will not be checked when you board the Amtrak train. The conductor will come by and scan your ticket and that is about it. Though you could be asked for ID since it's Amtrak policy that you have ID when riding the train. But honestly, you will almost never be asked to show it.

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If the passenger does not produce a valid ticket or proof of payment, the conductor may ask them to pay the fare or exit the train at the next station.

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Why isn't there TSA security for train travel? Amtrak has own service, which makes the security check on the big stations, but it isn't the precise check like on the airport.

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They do random bag checks sometimes, but they don't make everything go through security like at the airport. I've never had my bag checked on Amtrak, and they only do that at places where they have Amtrak police permanently stationed, like in New York and Chicago.

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You may bring aboard your own private stock of alcoholic beverages subject to the following limitations: You may consume private stock alcoholic beverages only in Sleeping Car accommodations for which you have a valid ticket. You may not consume private stock alcoholic beverages in any public areas.

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Arriving at the Station Plan to arrive at the station at least 30 minutes before your train is scheduled to depart (Auto Train passengers should arrive at the station at least two hours prior to departure).

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The 16-17 year olds may travel without restriction. The 13-15 year olds must travel as unaccompanied minors because no one is 18 or over. The Unaccompanied Minor Policy applies. The children under 13 may not travel because no one is 18 or over.

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Currently, all Amtrak Locomotive and Control Cars operating in revenue passenger service are equipped with outward-facing cameras and advanced systems that monitor locomotive operation.

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Room to Roam Instead of being confined to a cramped, uncomfortable seat for your entire trip, a train lets you get up to stretch your legs and walk around to other parts of the train. That's not even an option when you fly, ride a bus or drive a car.

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A small cooler counts as a carry-on bag, and you can bring snacks, meals, take out food from nearby restaurants and even alcohol on Amtrak (note that to consume alcohol, you must be in a roomette or bedroom).

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We've added free onboard WiFi to a lot of our trains and stations! You can check if your favorite train or nearest station has WiFi here. If you're reading this while on one of our trains, wait before setting off to do your surfing.

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You + Two Bags = No Extra Charge Unlike many transportation options, traveling with Amtrak is twice as nice with our generous baggage policy. When you travel with us, you can carry-on two free pieces of luggage. Each item should not exceed 50 lbs. (23 kg) and needs to be 28 x 22 x 14 inches in size.

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Amtrak has own service, which makes the security check on the big stations, but it isn't the precise check like on the airport. Only Eurostar, the train, which runs from Paris to London through the Eurotunnel, has the full airport-style security check.

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Amtrak does operate its own police force (with true law enforcement officer powers, unlike airport TSA), but they are more interested in handling actual crimes than wasting time playing security theater at hundreds of stations spread across extremely rural portions of the country.

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