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Amtrak Express Shipping Is Suspended
Amtrak stopped shipping consumer packages on October 1, 2020, and the service has not returned. If you found this page looking for Amtrak shipping rates, here is the honest status as of June 2026 and the cheaper box-shipping options that actually work today.
Status: not available
Amtrak Express, the station-to-station small-package service that let a box ride a passenger train, has been suspended since October 1, 2020. You cannot book it in 2026. There is no published consumer per-pound rate because the service is closed to new shipments.
Amtrak still operates a separate commercial cargo and freight business for pallet-sized and business freight, but it is not priced or set up for moving a household’s worth of boxes. For a cross-country move, skip Amtrak entirely and use the working options below.
What Amtrak Express used to be
For decades Amtrak Express was a quiet, genuinely cheap shipping option. You dropped a packaged box at one Amtrak station’s baggage counter, it rode in the baggage car of one or more passenger trains, and the recipient picked it up at the destination station with a matching ID. It was priced per pound per zone with a per-package minimum, which made it a real bargain for heavy boxes on direct corridor routes (Los Angeles to Chicago, Chicago to New York, Seattle to Los Angeles).
That all stopped on October 1, 2020. Amtrak suspended Express shipping during the pandemic-era ridership collapse and has not restored it. Any cost guide still quoting a live Amtrak Express per-pound rate is working from pre-2020 information.
What to use instead
With both transit-based shipping options now closed (Greyhound Package Express also shut down in 2022), the realistic ways to ship boxes cross-country are the mainstream parcel carriers and self-load freight.
| Option | Best for | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|
| USPS Media Mail | Books, CDs, DVDs, printed media | ~$4 - $9 per box |
| USPS Priority Mail / Ground Advantage | Mixed boxes under ~20 lb, fast transit | Flat Rate Medium box ~$25, Large ~$34 (2026 retail) |
| UPS Ground / FedEx Home Delivery | Heavier boxes, door-to-door, 50-100 lb | $40 - $90+ per box by weight and zone |
| U-Pack freight trailer | Whole apartment, no driving | $1,800 - $3,500 cross-country |
USPS Flat Rate prices are 2026 retail (post office) figures reflecting the price adjustment in effect from April 26, 2026 through January 17, 2027; always confirm your exact box and weight at usps.com. UPS and FedEx ground costs vary by weight, dimensions, and zone.
The honest bottom line
If you have a small apartment’s worth of belongings, ship books by USPS Media Mail and everything else by UPS Ground or USPS, then fly. If you have a full household, a U-Pack freight trailer is the cheapest no-driving option and a rental truck the cheapest overall. See the ship-boxes-only guide for the full carrier comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ship packages on Amtrak in 2026?+
No. Amtrak Express, the station-to-station small-package and parcel service, has been suspended since October 1, 2020 and remains unavailable as of June 2026. You cannot book a box to ride a passenger train. Amtrak still runs a separate commercial freight and station-to-station cargo operation aimed at business shippers and pallet-sized freight, but it is not a consumer box-moving option and is not priced for a household move.
Why did Amtrak stop shipping packages?+
Amtrak suspended Express shipping on October 1, 2020 as part of a broad cost-cutting and service reduction during the pandemic-era ridership collapse. The service had been a low-margin adjunct to the passenger business for years, and it was never restored once passenger service recovered. Amtrak has not announced a relaunch date.
What was Amtrak Express and how much did it cost?+
Before its 2020 suspension, Amtrak Express let you drop a packaged box at one Amtrak station, have it ride in the baggage car of a passenger train, and pick it up at the destination station. It was priced per pound per zone with a per-package minimum, and it was genuinely cheap for heavy boxes on direct corridor routes. Those rates no longer apply because you cannot book the service. Treat any site quoting a current Amtrak Express per-pound rate as out of date.
What is the cheapest way to ship boxes cross-country now that Amtrak Express is gone?+
For most movers the working options are USPS, UPS Ground, and FedEx Home Delivery, plus USPS Media Mail for books and other media. USPS Media Mail is unbeatable for books at roughly $4 to $9 per box. For a full box-shipping move, expect $800 to $2,000 for a small apartment. For loads too big to ship by parcel, U-Pack (a freight trailer you load yourself) is the cheapest no-driving option at roughly $1,800 to $3,500 cross-country.
Does Greyhound still ship packages instead?+
No. Greyhound Package Express, the bus-station-to-bus-station parcel service that movers used as an Amtrak alternative, ended on September 30, 2022 (online shipments stopped September 15, 2022). Both of the old transit-based shipping options are now closed, so the realistic choices are the mainstream parcel carriers and self-load freight.
Sources: Amtrak suspended Express shipping effective October 1, 2020 (Amtrak service bulletins; see the Amtrak Express service history). Greyhound Package Express closure dates from the official Greyhound Package Express closure notice. USPS pricing from usps.com. Reviewed June 2026.