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Amtrak plans to expand its firearm transportation policy in January 2027, allowing passengers to bring declared, unloaded guns aboard certain trains that do not offer traditional checked-baggage service.
The proposal has already drawn fire from railroad unions (see below). But the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms says the reaction is overblown.
“Your Second Amendment rights don’t end at the railroad tracks,” CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb said. “If it were up to gun prohibitionists, you would not be able to have your own gun in your own car.”
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How the New Amtrak Rules Would Work
Under the reported policy, passengers 18 and older would be able to transport unloaded firearms and ammunition aboard eligible trains traveling between staffed stations.
The firearm would have to be declared in advance and secured inside a TSA-compliant, hard-sided case with at least two locking points. An Amtrak station employee would add a separate combination lock before boarding, making the case inaccessible to the passenger during the trip.
An employee at the destination station would remove the Amtrak lock after the passenger arrived.
The expanded service is aimed at routes that lack baggage cars, including trains operating along the Northeast Corridor. Trains already offering checked baggage would continue following Amtrak’s existing procedure.
This is not a policy allowing passengers to carry loaded guns or casually access firearms at their seats. The guns must remain unloaded, declared and secured throughout the trip.
According to USA Today’s reporting, the new option would apply only to qualifying trips between staffed stations and remain subject to all applicable state and local firearm laws.
Union Calls Policy ‘Sheer Lunacy’
The Transport Workers Union strongly opposes the change, arguing that firearm cases should remain in baggage cars rather than passenger compartments.
“You can’t walk onto a plane with a gun; it has to be checked with your luggage and stowed away,” TWU International Rail Division Director John Feltz said. “So why allow guns in passenger cars on trains where there are also passengers in confined spaces? This is sheer lunacy.”
Feltz argued that a defective lock or someone using force to open a case could endanger passengers and railroad employees.
The union claims the change could extend firearm transportation to another 1,500 trains per day, including Northeast Regional and Acela service. It has asked the federal government to stop the rollout and require firearms to remain outside passenger cars.
A broader coalition of transportation unions also sent a letter to congressional leaders raising questions about employee training, staffing and how the procedure will work at individual stations.
CCRKBA Says It’s a Common-Sense Option
Gottlieb said the union is making “a proverbial mountain out of a molehill.”
“This will only be offered on certain trains, and only under very strict, secure conditions,” he said.
From CCRKBA’s perspective, the change gives lawful gun owners another way to travel with firearms while reducing the risk that valuable guns will be lost or damaged through normal baggage handling.
The policy could prove useful for hunters, competitive shooters and other lawful owners traveling between cities where Amtrak does not provide checked-baggage service.
Amtrak already permits unloaded firearms on trains offering checked baggage. Under its current published rules, passengers must reserve firearm transportation in advance, travel on the same train as the firearm and use an approved locked, hard-sided container.
SEE ALSO: AR10 Tested: Cold War Legend Meets Modern .308
Amtrak also began allowing firearms on its Auto Train in September, provided the guns remain locked inside the passenger’s vehicle and inaccessible throughout the journey.
One important caveat: Amtrak has not yet posted the final text of the expanded passenger-car policy on its public firearms page. That page still prohibits firearms in carry-on baggage, meaning the existing rules remain in effect until Amtrak formally publishes and implements the new procedure.
The expansion is scheduled to begin in January 2027.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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so what are they afraid we might hijack the train and run it into a bldg??? they need to show more concern for the criminals who will just sneak it on loaded!