Amtrak to Allow Guns in Lockboxes on Trains
Passengers could store personal firearms in locked cases on trains starting January 2027, a move the Transport Workers Union opposes.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Violence
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Amtrak plans to let passengers bring personal guns on trains beginning in January 2027, storing them in lockboxes sealed with an Amtrak combination lock. The policy would apply across the country, including the Northeast Corridor, and cover roughly 1,500 more trains a day.
Why it matters
The change would expand gun transport well beyond Amtrak's current practice on a few dozen long-distance trains, where weapons are kept in secure baggage cars. The Transport Workers Union argues the lockboxes could be pried open, raising security concerns for riders and crews.
The policy is set to take effect in January 2027, roughly 57 days from the time of the extraction, and the Transport Workers Union has publicly opposed it. Amtrak has not yet been reported to have revised the plan in response to the union's objections.
The players
Transport Workers Union
A labor union representing transportation workers, which has publicly opposed Amtrak's plan to permit guns on passenger trains.
Amtrak
The national passenger rail operator of the United States, which plans to allow passengers to carry personal guns in lockboxes on its trains.
The details
Gun owners would bring weapons in cases to a station agent, who attaches an Amtrak combination lock. Passengers take the locked box to their seats, and a station agent removes the lock at the destination.
Timeline
- November 5, 2026: The Transport Workers Union publicly opposes the policy, calling it lunacy.
- January 2027: The policy allowing personal guns on trains is scheduled to take effect.
Legal Context
Amtrak's current policy allows guns on a few dozen long-distance trains with storage in secure baggage cars, and the planned change would move firearm transport into passenger seating areas across the national network. The union's objection centers on whether personal lockboxes provide adequate security compared with the existing baggage-car approach.
Travelers on Amtrak trains nationwide, including the Northeast Corridor, would be able to bring personal firearms on board under the new policy beginning January 2027. Riders would need to follow the lockbox procedure at the station, with staff applying and removing the Amtrak combination lock.
The takeaway
Riders planning Amtrak trips after January 2027 should check the rail operator's firearm rules for the specific train they intend to board. The policy would change how personal guns are handled from booking through arrival.
Further reading
For more on firearm-related incidents and policy, see Violence coverage in the United States.
Live Poll
Would you feel comfortable riding a train where passengers carry guns in lockboxes?
