Recent questions here and there about shipping bikes via Amtrak. A general thread here for not-obvious approaches.
Amtrak Express Shipping requires the bike partially disassembled and boxed following the rules of bicycles as checked baggage. The rules are: pedals removed, handlebars loose and turned sideways, both wheels must remain in the forks. (The bike I just received had handlebars and front wheel completely removed, Amtrak didn't seem to fuss). Nothing may protrude or make the box bulge. Only the bicycle may be in the box. Tandems may be shipped with two boxes telescoped together. Boxed bike must be received at the station one hour before departure. Amtrak sells 69 x 41 x 8.5 inch boxes for $15, but you can provide your own, not necessarily those dimensions, probably more economically.
The advantages depend entirely on chance geography between the sender and receiver. Both must be near a station that accepts shipping. Texas has, for example, I think fourteen Amtrak stations with only five of those handling shipping.
Then there has to be sensible routing between the two. Fort Worth to Chicago is a 23.5 hour straight shot on a single train. St. Louis to Atlanta routes through Washington DC with two train changes--not even the prospect of high speed rail could compensate for that kinda stupid.
The advantages are flat rates quoted over the phone (1-800-377-6914, 8:30 am - 8 pm ET, Monday-Friday) with no need to weigh the package--and reasonable advance idea exactly when it will be delivered.
Amtrak Express Shipping requires the bike partially disassembled and boxed following the rules of bicycles as checked baggage. The rules are: pedals removed, handlebars loose and turned sideways, both wheels must remain in the forks. (The bike I just received had handlebars and front wheel completely removed, Amtrak didn't seem to fuss). Nothing may protrude or make the box bulge. Only the bicycle may be in the box. Tandems may be shipped with two boxes telescoped together. Boxed bike must be received at the station one hour before departure. Amtrak sells 69 x 41 x 8.5 inch boxes for $15, but you can provide your own, not necessarily those dimensions, probably more economically.
The advantages depend entirely on chance geography between the sender and receiver. Both must be near a station that accepts shipping. Texas has, for example, I think fourteen Amtrak stations with only five of those handling shipping.
Then there has to be sensible routing between the two. Fort Worth to Chicago is a 23.5 hour straight shot on a single train. St. Louis to Atlanta routes through Washington DC with two train changes--not even the prospect of high speed rail could compensate for that kinda stupid.
The advantages are flat rates quoted over the phone (1-800-377-6914, 8:30 am - 8 pm ET, Monday-Friday) with no need to weigh the package--and reasonable advance idea exactly when it will be delivered.
