Amtrak to Let Passengers Carry Guns in Lockboxes on Trains From January 2027
Amtrak will allow passengers to carry firearms in locked cases onto its trains from January 2027, ending a long-standing rule that kept guns out of passenger carriages on most of its network.
Under the new policy, passengers aged 18 and over will be able to bring declared, unloaded firearms and ammunition in carry-on bags on trains that do not offer checked baggage. That includes the Northeast Regional and Acela, the busiest services on the Washington–New York–Boston corridor. The change was confirmed by Amtrak in a statement to WABC-TV in New York, and Scripps News reported it first on 5 November.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU), which represents 360 onboard service workers at Amtrak, has condemned the plan and is urging the federal government to reverse it before it takes effect.
What changes in January
At present, Amtrak allows firearms only on a few dozen long-distance trains, where they are stored in secure baggage cars, away from passengers. The new rules extend gun transport to trains with no checked baggage service, where passengers will instead be able to take their weapons to their seats in lockboxes.
The union says the change would cover an additional 1,500 trains a day across the United States, including services on the Northeast Corridor, which about 750,000 people travel on every day.
The rollout is phased. Amtrak began allowing the new procedure on its Auto Train on 1 September, and the broader expansion to other routes is scheduled for January 2027. Amtrak has not yet published the full set of rules.
Railway Supply reported that Amtrak’s published baggage rules, checked on 7 November, still list firearms as not allowed in carry-on bags.
How the lockbox system will work
Passengers will have to give advance notice and carry each firearm in a double-locked, hard-sided case compliant with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) standards, which cannot be accessed during the journey. The option will apply only between staffed stations, and existing procedures will stay in place on trains that carry checked baggage.
According to the union, gun owners will bring their weapons in cases to an Amtrak station agent, who will add an Amtrak-owned combination lock. A station agent at the arrival station will then remove the lock.
The procedure is a sharp contrast with air travel, where the TSA says firearms are never allowed in carry-on bags and may travel only in checked luggage, unloaded, declared and locked in a hard-sided container.
Union warns of safety gaps
The TWU argues that the safeguards are not enough for trains, where passengers sit together in confined spaces for hours, often with no law enforcement officer on board.
“You can’t walk onto a plane with a gun; it has to be checked with your luggage and stowed away,” said John Feltz, the union’s International Rail Division director. “So why allow guns in passenger cars on trains where there are also passengers in confined spaces? This is sheer lunacy.”
Feltz warned that a case or lock could be defective, or that an angry passenger could force one open. “Either scenario will endanger the lives of riders and our members working on trains,” he said.
The union also points out that many Amtrak stations have no Amtrak staff or law enforcement presence to respond if something goes wrong. It has called on the federal government to reverse the policy.
Why Amtrak says it is changing the rules
Amtrak told WABC-TV that the change fits Executive Order 14206, signed by President Donald Trump on 7 February 2025, which directed the attorney general to examine federal actions for infringements of Second Amendment rights. The railroad said the policy also aligns Amtrak with other carriers.
Amtrak had previously said it was considering a change after pressure from the Trump administration to ease restrictions on transporting weapons, but had not announced a timeline. The TWU said in a statement on 5 November that the railroad had described the policy as under consideration without giving a date.
Amtrak did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the union’s announcement, and had not publicly answered the union’s criticism in the coverage reviewed.
What happens next
Amtrak holds a public board meeting on 10 November, where riders will be able to speak about the railroad’s direction, including the new firearms policy. The union is expected to keep pressing federal officials to intervene before the January rollout.
The dispute comes as questions of transport safety remain in focus across the United States, with rail, road and air operators all under scrutiny after a series of high-profile incidents this year.
For now, passengers planning to travel with a firearm should check Amtrak’s published baggage rules before booking, as the current rules still list firearms as not allowed in carry-on bags. The new option will not apply on every train, and only staffed stations will be able to handle it.
Frequently asked questions
When will Amtrak allow guns in carry-on bags?
From January 2027, on trains that do not offer checked baggage, including the Northeast Regional and Acela. The policy began on the Auto Train on 1 September 2026.
What rules will passengers have to follow?
Passengers aged 18 and over must declare the firearm in advance, carry it unloaded in a double-locked, TSA-compliant hard-sided case, and travel only between staffed stations. An Amtrak-owned combination lock will be added before departure and removed on arrival.
Why is the union opposed?
The Transport Workers Union says guns in passenger cars endanger riders and crew, pointing to the risk of a defective lock or a weapon being forced open, and to the many stations with no staff or law enforcement on site.
