Amtrak to permit carry-on firearms on select routes starting January 2027

Amtrak plans to allow passengers to carry unloaded firearms in their personal belongings on specific rail lines beginning in January 2027.

The railroad announced the policy change on November 5, 2026, stating it follows Executive Order 14206. That executive order, issued by President Trump in February 2025, directed the attorney general to review federal agencies for actions that infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Under the new rules, riders aged 18 and older may bring declared, unloaded guns and ammunition in carry-on bags. This applies to trains that do not offer checked baggage services, including the Northeast Regional and Acela lines. The policy is limited to trips between staffed stations.

Passengers must provide advance notice before traveling. Firearms must remain in secure, double-locked, TSA-compliant hard-sided cases. The cases must be inaccessible to the passenger while the train is in motion.

John Feltz, the International Rail Division Director for the Transport Workers Union, criticized the move. He compared the new train policy to air travel, where guns must be checked with luggage. Feltz argued that allowing guns in passenger cars creates a risk in confined spaces. He described the decision as sheer lunacy.

The union also raised concerns about physical security. It argued that the new method weakens protections because a person with force could pry open the lockboxes. Current rules allow riders to transport guns on a few dozen long-distance trains, but weapons are stored in secure baggage cars.

Amtrak said it is phasing in the change to monitor the rollout. The Auto Train will be the first service to implement the new rules on September 1, 2026. Other routes will follow in 2027. On trains that still offer checked baggage, existing procedures will remain in place. Amtrak stated the goal is to align its policies with those of airlines and other national carriers, subject to local and state laws.