Travel by train / bus from Newark Airport to Philadelphia Center City

Question

I would be landing in Newark Airport with an international flight on Friday at 8.00 AM, and am planning to get to Philadelphia Center City immediately after to attend a conference (hotel not yet booked, but will choose one in Philadelphia Center City).

I will have a suitcase with me and a small backpack. I wanted to take an Amtrak train from the airport to Philadelphia 30th Street Station, but there seem to be no available trains that allow checked baggage.

Are there any other options for traveling by train with a suitcase? Can I find buses (are suitcases allowed on buses?) between those two points? If so, where?

Answer 1

You can bring your suitcase on the Amtrak train. There are overhead bins (or racks on some trains) and an area at the end of each car for oversize bags. Unless your bag is the size of an old steamer trunk, you should have no troubles.

When they say "no checked baggage", they mean you have to handle the bags yourself.

Answer 2

I have lived in Philadelphia for 3 years and travelled on Amtrak quite a few times. You definitely are allowed to bring suitcases on the train. As @Jagular pointed out, the "no checked in luggage" refers to the fact that you cannot check the suitcase in the hold, as you would on an airplane - instead you will need to take it into the train car yourself. There are overhead racks for smaller items - you should be able to put your backpack there. A suitcase will definitely not fit there - but there are luggage racks at the end of each car, where you can easily put your suitcase - I have done this before.