How do I pack food for Amtrak?

You can bring a smaller cooler or insulated lunch bag with you on the train to include refrigerated foods, or consider buying a meal at or near your starting station to eat while on board. If you're planning to pack food at home before your trip, here are some idea: Salty snacks like nuts, chips, crackers, pretzels.



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Customers on routes with traditional dining service can make reservations for lunch and dinner — served in the Dining Car or by complimentary in-room service on some routes. Once onboard, your Amtrak car attendant will take your reservation times.

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Checked baggage service is available at a number of our stations and on many trains and Thruway Services. Not all trains or locations are equipped to handle checked baggage. Before you travel, make sure to check and see if your train and origin and destination stations accept checked baggage.

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Amtrak Comfort Kits (containing a polyester blanket, inflatable neck pillow, eye mask, and earplugs in a portable travel pouch) are available for purchase on the train or via the Amtrak store if you want an all-in-one solution for your Coach sleeping travels.

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Whether it's a full sit-down meal or more informal food service, many trains have one or more options for onboard dining. And with your food and beverage purchases you make onboard using your Amtrak Guest Rewards® Preferred Mastercard®, you'll get a 20% rebate in the form of a statement credit*.

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You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars. Personal food and beverages are allowed in the upper level of Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

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You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars. Personal food and beverages are allowed in the upper level of Superliner Sightseer Lounges.

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The average Amtrak Coach seat measures 23 inches in width (compared to around 17 inches for airplane equivalent seating) with exceptional legroom and the ability to recline for an even more comfortable sleeping position.

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Amtrak offers Wi-Fi onboard 29 of its 39 trains, which accounts for the vast majority of annual ridership. Most service is concentrated on the East Coast, Great Lakes, and some parts of California.

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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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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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Carry-on and personal items must be kept with you, stored in overhead racks, under seats or designated baggage areas.

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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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Each passenger paying a fare will be entitled to a seat, to the extent coach seats are available. Passengers are entitled to one seat per fare, to ensure other paying passengers are not excluded.

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In almost all cases, Amtrak seats are not assigned. The exception is Acela Express route seats and business class seating on the Northeast Regional, Carolinian, Palmetto, and Vermonter. Otherwise, Amtrak has a first-come, first-serve seating policy for coach seats.

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In almost all cases, Amtrak seats are not assigned. The exception is Acela Express route seats and business class seating on the Northeast Regional, Carolinian, Palmetto, and Vermonter. Otherwise, Amtrak has a first-come, first-serve seating policy for coach seats.

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What Happens If You Fall Asleep on Amtrak. If you fall asleep on Amtrak and your destination is coming up, an Amtrak conductor will wake you up.

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If you're traveling in coach on some of Amtrak's long-distance train services, you'll now have the opportunity to use the dining car onboard. Coach passengers will now be able to enjoy full-fledged meals for an additional cost in the dining car, which was a beloved service removed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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On board services: Eating and drinking are permitted on all trains. Most long distance trains offer dining cars. If your train does not have a dining car, it likely offers a buffet bar car.

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While you can bring your own food and drink (alcohol included) onto most trains, many offer some type of food and beverage either for purchase or included in your ticket price.

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Bringing Your Food Aboard You may bring your own food and beverages onboard for consumption at your seat or private Sleeping Car accommodations. However, you can only consume food and beverages purchased in Dining and Lounge Cars in those cars.

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