Amtrak is phasing in a policy that would let passengers bring declared unloaded firearms aboard trains in carry-on baggage, and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) is pushing back. The Northeast Regional and Acela were also mentioned as trains covered by the policy. Amtrak said it will follow local and state laws.
According to ABC7 New York, the Transport Workers Union (TWU), which represents some Amtrak employees, is strongly opposed to a new Amtrak policy that would allow passengers to bring firearms aboard. The union said that starting in January 2027, passengers will be able to bring personal firearms onto trains and store them in locked containers.
According to Amtrak, passengers 18 and older will be able to travel with declared unloaded firearms and ammunition in carry-on baggage. The policy applies to trains without checked baggage service, including the Northeast Regional and Acela. It can be used only between stations staffed by employees. Advance notice is required, and firearms must be kept in a hard-sided, TSA-standard case with double locks so they cannot be accessed during the trip. Trains with checked baggage service will continue to follow existing procedures.
Amtrak said the change is consistent with Executive Order 14206, issued by President Trump in February 2025. The order directs the attorney general to review whether federal agencies have infringed on Second Amendment rights. Amtrak said it will begin with the Auto Train on Sept. 1 and expand to the remaining routes in phases during 2027. Ultimately, it said, the policy will apply to all trips between staffed stations, subject to local and state laws, and will align with the policies of other modes of transportation such as airlines. Currently, firearms can be transported in secure baggage cars only on several dozen long-distance trains.
John Feltz, director of the union's International Rail Division, criticized the plan as "lunacy," saying that firearms are not allowed in the cabin on airplanes, yet the policy would permit them on trains, where passengers share tight railcars. The union argues that anyone can force open a locked container, which weakens security.
The Northeast Regional and Acela, which the original article cited as covered by the policy, run through New York Penn Station and Newark. However, the original article did not say how the policy would apply specifically to the New York and New Jersey segments, and Amtrak said only that it will follow local and state laws. Passengers who use these routes should check Amtrak's official guidance.