Madison Clarke
As of 2021, Amtrak has dropped its mandate for all employees to be vaccinated against Covid-19, which was a requirement that the rail service had said would likely result in cuts to service. Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said that employees who were not vaccinated could get tested on a weekly basis instead. This shift in policy means that Amtrak officials no longer anticipate cuts to service next month. However, it is unclear whether this policy is still in place in 2025, when a measles outbreak on an Amtrak train from Boston to D.C. occurred.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Do you need to be vaccinated to ride Amtrak? | No, there is no mention of requiring passengers to be vaccinated to ride Amtrak. However, passengers must fill out a short pre-trip check within 24 hours of travel. |
| Do employees need to be vaccinated? | As of 2021, Amtrak has dropped its mandate for employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees who are not vaccinated are required to submit a negative COVID test at least weekly. |
| Is there TSA screening? | Some Amtrak trains are screened by the TSA, while others are not. There is no TSA presence on the trains themselves, but federal police are present at major stations and in boarding areas. |
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What You'll Learn
Amtrak does not have TSA screenings
As of 2022, Amtrak does not have TSA screenings. You can simply scan your ticket and board the train. However, there is a presence of federal police and security at major stations and in the boarding areas. There are also conductors and attendants on the trains. While there are no TSA screenings, Amtrak does have specific requirements for passengers. Passengers are required to present a valid photo ID when buying a ticket or boarding the train. Additionally, Amtrak recommends that passengers always carry ID during their trip.
Amtrak also has certain requirements for employees. All employees are required to be vaccinated for COVID-19. They are also required to provide proof of vaccination. Furthermore, business class passengers need to modify their reservations, and a new bill may require passengers to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result.
Amtrak baggage and security rules allow passengers to check items when purchasing tickets. After checking items, passengers receive a claim check ticket. While there are no mandatory bag checks or searches, Amtrak's federal police can search bags if deemed necessary, although this is a rare occurrence.
To avoid potential delays, Amtrak recommends taking precautions such as carrying minimal cash and relying on credit cards or checks. Passengers can also receive boarding gate notifications through the Amtrak app to help avoid crowds.
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Amtrak requires proof of vaccination for employees
As of November 2022, Amtrak requires proof of COVID-19 vaccination for all employees. Passengers, however, are not mandated to show proof of vaccination but are required to fill out a short pre-trip health check within 24 hours of travel. Business Class passengers need to modify their reservations.
Amtrak does not have TSA screenings, and passengers can board the train by simply scanning their tickets. Federal police are present at major stations, and there is security at major stations, but there is no TSA presence on the trains. The Amtrak TSA is responsible for the safety and security of passengers and employees, and it uses security measures such as X-ray machines, metal detectors, and explosive detection dogs to screen passengers.
Some Amtrak trains are screened by the TSA, while others are not. If you are on a train without TSA screening, you can report suspicious activity to the Amtrak Police National Communication Center by calling (800) 331-0008 or dialling 911. Amtrak has asked the TSA to screen passengers against the Terrorist Screening Database watchlist to identify known or suspected terrorists.
To ensure a smooth journey, passengers can take precautions such as carrying minimal cash and relying on credit cards or cheques. Additionally, the Amtrak app provides boarding gate notifications, helping travellers avoid crowds.
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A valid photo ID is needed to buy an Amtrak ticket
As of March 2025, there is no mention of a vaccination requirement to ride on Amtrak. However, it is important to monitor the Amtrak website for any updates to their policies, especially in light of recent health concerns.
Now, regarding purchasing tickets, Amtrak has specific ID requirements that passengers must adhere to. A valid photo ID is indeed needed to buy an Amtrak ticket, and this applies to various scenarios, whether buying tickets online, at a kiosk, or directly from a conductor onboard.
For those aged 18 and above, one piece of valid, government-issued photo identification is required. This could be a driver's license, passport, military ID, state-issued ID, or other federal, state, city, county, or foreign government-issued identification. Alternatively, two pieces of identification are acceptable, as long as at least one is issued by a government authority. Examples of valid IDs for those under 18 include a school ID or birth certificate.
It is worth noting that random ticket verification checks are conducted onboard trains to ensure passengers are properly ticketed. Thus, passengers must be prepared to present their valid photo ID to a crew member upon request. Additionally, if you plan to purchase tickets onboard from a conductor, you must be at least 16 years old and provide photo identification.
While some passengers have shared experiences of rarely or never being asked for ID, it is still essential to carry a valid ID with you when travelling on Amtrak, as it is a requirement, and failure to produce one upon request could cause inconvenience or delay your journey.
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Passengers must fill out a pre-trip check within 24 hours of travel
As of 2022, Amtrak passengers are required to fill out a short pre-trip check within 24 hours of their travel. This is in addition to the existing requirement to present a valid photo ID when buying a ticket or boarding the train. It is unclear what the pre-trip check consists of, but it may be related to COVID-19, as Amtrak previously required all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
In 2021, Amtrak temporarily suspended its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees, allowing unvaccinated employees to remain on the job as long as they submitted a negative COVID-19 test at least weekly. This shift in policy was due to litigation over President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate and the potential need to cut services due to a reduction in the workforce.
Amtrak does not have TSA screenings, so passengers can simply scan their tickets and board the train. However, there may be federal police and security present at major stations and in boarding areas. While some Amtrak trains are screened by the TSA, others are not. Passengers can avoid the Amtrak TSA by taking precautions such as carrying minimal cash and relying on credit cards or checks. They can also receive boarding gate notifications through the Amtrak app to help avoid crowds.
It is important to note that Amtrak baggage and security rules allow passengers to check items when purchasing their tickets. They will receive a claim check ticket after checking their items. Overall, the Amtrak TSA is responsible for the safety and security of all passengers and employees.
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Some Amtrak trains are screened by the TSA
As of 2022, Amtrak does not have TSA screenings. Passengers can simply scan their ticket and board the train. However, federal police are present at major stations and in the boarding areas. There is also security at major stations, but no TSA presence on the trains themselves. Amtrak passengers cannot opt out of watchlist screening as airline passengers can. The Amtrak TSA is responsible for the safety and security of all Amtrak passengers and employees.
According to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security privacy impact document, Amtrak has asked the TSA to screen some passengers against the Terrorist Screening Database watchlist. This means that some Amtrak trains are screened by the TSA. However, the current infrastructure and aging equipment can sometimes limit the effectiveness of TSA screening.
To avoid the Amtrak TSA, passengers can take precautions such as carrying minimal cash and relying on credit cards or checks. Additionally, passengers can get boarding gate notifications on the Amtrak app to help avoid crowds.
Amtrak requires proof of vaccination for all employees and passengers must fill out a short pre-trip check within 24 hours of travel. Passengers must also present a valid photo ID when buying a ticket or boarding the train.
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Frequently asked questions
No, there is no mandate requiring passengers to be vaccinated to ride Amtrak. However, passengers are required to fill out a short pre-trip check within 24 hours of travel.
No, there are no TSA screenings when boarding Amtrak. However, there will be federal police and security present at major stations and in the boarding areas.
As of 2021, Amtrak has temporarily dropped its mandate requiring employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Instead, employees who are unvaccinated will be placed on unpaid leave or will have to submit a negative COVID test at least weekly.
Yes, a valid photo ID must be presented when buying a ticket onboard or at the ticket office, as well as when boarding the train.
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