Amtrak cancels reservations for bicycles on Maple Leaf line
Recent changes to service on one Amtrak line have left some travelers scrambling.
Since July 1, passengers on Amtrak’s Maple Leaf line (trains 63 and 64) can no longer reserve spots for bicycles. All existing reservations for bicycles on the train were also canceled.
The Maple Leaf line, which runs from New York to Albany to Toronto, offers a key transportation option for cyclists seeking to ride the 360 miles of the Empire State Trail between Buffalo and Albany. Cyclists take the train in one direction and then ride back to their starting point.
In March, Jeff Latimer, of Northampton, N.H., and five friends booked spots on the Maple Leaf train for Friday, July 15. Late on June 30, Latimer received an email telling him his reservation had been canceled. After looking into other options, the group spent another $700 to have their bikes taken to Buffalo by a shuttle service. Other bike touring passengers are opting to rent cars or to cancel their trips instead.
Jason Abrams, a public relations manager for Amtrak, said the cancellations were due to a need to change the train used for the line. The new train does not have bike racks.
“Amtrak is limited on available equipment,” Abrams said. “Further, the very long ride on the Maple Leaf makes it important to have the Amfleet II equipment on the route, which has additional legroom and restroom capacity, and other features making it conducive for a longer trip.”
Passengers can try to book space on the Empire Line instead, which also offers travel between Albany and Buffalo, but there are limited spots for bicycles, Abrams said. Folding bikes are still allowed as carry-on luggage. Some trains accommodate checked luggage, in which case a bicycle could be boxed and checked, but not all trains are equipped to handle checked bags, Abrams said.
Bicycle and trail advocates were disappointed in the change.
“After years of advocacy in favor of carry-on bicycle service on Empire Service routes, it is hugely disappointing to hear of the canceled bicycle reservations on the Maple Leaf service and the poor communication around their cancellation,” said Dylan Carey, director of the Greenway Program for Parks & Trails New York. “At a time when demand for bicycle tourism services is higher than ever before, we call on Amtrak and state leaders to work together to expand carryon bicycle service on all routes in New York state and provide roll-on service sufficient to meet the public need.”
Harvey Botzman, author of Cyclotour Guide Books and a member of the Amtrak-adventure Cycling Association Bicycle Task Force, said Amtrak’s bike service, which started on the Albany-tobuffalo routes in the fall of 2020, is an important resource.
“The real problem is there’s just not enough capacity,” he said.
Amtrak is limited on available equipment. Further, the very long ride on the Maple Leaf makes it important to have the Amfleet II equipment on the route, which has additional legroom and restroom capacity, and other features making it conducive for a longer trip.”
— Jason Abrams, a public relations manager for Amtrak