According to the official Amtrak website, "All Amtrak trains, Thruway buses and stations are entirely non-smoking except for the Auto Train." When it comes to the Auto Train, smoking is only allowed in designated areas, such as the lounge. If an Auto Train does not have a lounge, then the train is entirely non-smoking. Smoking is allowed on train platforms, at designated longer stops and passengers must stand right beside the train and smoke and be ready at all times to reboard. However, if the train is late then the conductor may eliminate these longer stops.
While Amtrak allows two pieces of carry-on luggage and three pieces of checked luggage, there are some items which you are not allowed to bring on board trains. These items include firearms of any kind, explosives, weapons, flammable gases and liquids, corrosive materials or chemicals, harmful bacteriological matter, batteries that leak acid, clubs or nightsticks, and animals (aside from services animals). However, starting December 2010, firearms will be allowed only in checked baggage.
Carry-on luggage cannot weight more than 50 lbs. and must have a tag with the name and address of the passenger. The dimensions of carry-on luggage cannot be greater than 28 x 22 x 14 inches. Checked baggage cannot weigh more than 50 lbs. and cannot be greater than 36 x 36 x 36 inches. You must check baggage 30 minutes or more before departure time. You must check special items like skis, snowboards, golf clubs and bicycles.
Children younger than seven years of age may not travel alone. On the other hand, children 15 years and older may travel alone. Children ages 8 to 14 can travel alone but they must follow certain requirements: an adult must accompany them to the train station and stay until the train leaves; an Amtrak agent must interview the child to determine whether they can travel alone; the child must wear an Amtrak wrist band on board the train; and they must have a designated adult to pick them up from the station who has proper ID. Children with severe food allergies may not travel alone. All unaccompanied minors must all have an adult-fare ticket and you cannot purchase tickets for children traveling alone online.
All passengers must display proper identification while on board trains; random ticket check may occur to verify that passengers have their proper tickets. According to the website, Amtrak defines proper identification as "One piece of photo identification issued by a government authority, or two pieces of identification, at least one of which is issued by a government authority." Examples of accepted IDs are a passport, a driver's license, student ID, military photo ID or job corps photo ID.
