Posted: Tuesday, September 1, 2015 11:21 pm

Posted on Sep 1, 2015
by Matthew Umstead

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Amtrak is set to launch “walk-on” bicycle service on its Capitol Limited route, including at its stations in Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry, W.Va., a company spokeswoman said Tuesday. ... “We plan to do that in the coming weeks,” Kimberly Woods said. ... Reservations will be required, and there will be a $25 service fee, Woods said.

Through the service, which will be available at all stations between Washington, D.C., and Chicago, passengers will be able to roll their bicycles along the platform and onto the train, then secure them on a rack in the baggage cars.

Woods said Tuesday in an email that Amtrak first piloted the service on the Capitol Limited route in 2013, but there were some issues that the company needed to address, including making space for more bicycles.
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Long-distance trains currently accommodate bicycles as checked bags, which requires a bike fee, as well as the purchase of a bike box. It also requires customers to disassemble their bicycles to fit into the bike box, Woods said. ... Once service is available, passengers with bicycles will need to arrive at the station early to allow time to transport them to the baggage car. Only standard bicycles will be permitted.