The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that Amtrak has worked with PennDOT to expand its carry-on bike program for most Keystone Service departures, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 15, allowing customers to store their bike inside of the passenger coach in a designated space. In addition, Amtrak has launched this on its Northeast Regional trains, and worked with other various Northeast state partners to offer the program on its State-Supported trains in Connecticut and Northern New England.
“Allowing riders the versatility to bring their bikes on the train is very important to PennDOT,” said Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation Jennie Granger. “Increased transit options will change the way people get around their cities while creating cost savings, improved health and wellness benefits and more environmentally conscious choices.”
“Bringing your bicycle onboard a train is part of the journey, as it allows our customers to explore the cities they are visiting,” said executive vice president, chief marketing and commercial officer Roger Harris. “To coincide with the increased popularity of biking in this country, we also wanted to provide our customers with the option of bringing their bike on more trains.”
Utilizing newly-installed luggage racks that convert to bike racks, the expanded bike program will allow Amtrak to provide storage space for up to two bikes per departure, with additional spaces being added as the rest of the fleet receives these modifications. Standard full-size bicycles may be carried on, as long as the front wheel is removed, and stored onboard in bicycle racks. Specific reservations are required.
For carry-on bicycle service, customers are encouraged to arrive at the station at least 30 minutes prior to departure. All panniers and bags attached to the bicycle need to be removed and consolidated before boarding. After entering the origin and destination when booking a ticket on Amtrack.com or via the Amtrak app, an icon with a number of spaces available will display if bike service is available. Customers should proceed with the “Add Ons” step to add bikes to a reservation. Customers can also call 1-800-USA-RAIL to add a bike reservation to an existing reservation.
Enhanced cleaning protocols at stations and on trains, and new measures to deliver a New Standard of Travel, include:
– Requiring face coverings: Amtrak requires that all customers and employees wear a face mask or covering that fully covers the entire mouth and nose while onboard and in stations.
– Limiting bookings: Amtrak is limiting bookings on most trains to allow for more physical distancing in seating areas. Individuals traveling alone may use the seat next to them for personal belongings, while friends and family members will easily find seats together.
– Air quality: All trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every 4-5 minutes.
– Physical distancing: Signage has been displayed at the busiest stations to indicate safe distances in high-traffic areas. In addition, protective plastic barriers have been installed at customer counters at the busiest stations.
More than 232,953 bikes have traveled around the country since the program launched in October 2015. The program has also generated more than $1 million in revenue since its inception. Click here for more information.
