Amtrak Express Shipping: Suspended — Here Are Your Alternatives
Amtrak Express shipping is suspended until further notice.
Amtrak's express-shipping page now redirects to their general baggage policy. This page covers what the service was and lists current alternatives.
The January 2022 snapshot on Archive.org shows the suspension notice alongside the original service details. A November 2019 snapshot shows the page without the notice, placing the suspension somewhere between late 2019 and early 2022 — likely a COVID-era service cut that was never reversed.
Visiting amtrak.com/express-shipping today redirects to Amtrak’s baggage policy page.
Alternatives to Amtrak Express shipping
Amtrak Express handled station-to-station shipments up to 500 lb across 100+ cities. Here are the current options for similar needs:
- uShip — a marketplace where carriers bid on your shipment. Good for large, heavy, or oddly shaped items that don’t fit standard parcel services. Closest replacement for station-to-station large freight.
- UPS Ground / FedEx Ground — for packages up to 150 lb. Buy labels through Stamps.com or Shippo at discounted commercial rates. Use our shipping calculator to compare prices.
- USPS Ground Advantage — for packages up to 70 lb. USPS offers free home pickup and free Priority Mail boxes.
- LTL freight carriers — for shipments over 150 lb or palletized goods. See our LTL freight guide for an overview.
- Greyhound Package Express — also discontinued. Greyhound shut down its shipping service on September 30, 2022. With both Amtrak and Greyhound gone, no major passenger carrier offers package shipping in the US.
What Amtrak Express shipping was
Amtrak Express used cargo space on passenger trains to ship packages station-to-station across more than 100 cities in the United States. The service operated under the Amtrak “Onboard” umbrella alongside baggage and dining.
It offered two shipping tiers:
- Small Package Shipments — up to 50 lb per item, 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft per item, and 500 lb per shipment
- Heavy and Commercial Shipments — pallets up to 500 lb, handled at major stations. Non-palletized items followed the same 50 lb / 3 ft limits
Amtrak Express also shipped bicycles (boxed, exempt from size limits) and human remains for funeral directors.
Rates and schedules were available by phone at 1-800-377-6914. Unlike UPS or FedEx, there was no online booking — you called ahead, packed your items, and dropped them at the station.
The service filled a niche similar to Greyhound Package Express: using empty cargo space on existing passenger routes to offer affordable station-to-station shipping. With both Greyhound and Amtrak Express gone, that niche is now mostly served by LTL freight carriers and marketplace platforms like uShip.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amtrak Express shipping still available? No. The service is suspended until further notice. Amtrak’s express-shipping page redirects to their baggage policy. No timeline for resumption has been announced.
When did Amtrak stop shipping packages? The suspension happened between late 2019 and early 2022. The exact date was not publicly announced, but it coincided with COVID-era service reductions.
What is the best alternative to Amtrak Express? For large or heavy items, uShip is the closest replacement — carriers bid on your shipment so you can compare prices. For standard packages, compare USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL rates using our shipping calculator.
Can I still ship a bicycle on Amtrak? Not through Amtrak Express. However, Amtrak allows passengers to bring bicycles on many routes either as carry-on (on trains with bike racks) or as checked baggage at stations with checked baggage service. Check Amtrak’s bicycle page for current options.