Amtrak now requires passengers to wear face masks. Here’s what you need to know
Amtrak passengers are now required to wear face coverings to travel amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The company said in an update last week that starting Monday, May 11, it will require all customers to wear face masks or coverings on trains and thruway buses and in stations. Those without masks will be denied service.
The rule change comes amid recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that face masks be worn when out in public areas where social distancing measures are hard to maintain.
Customers can remove their masks when eating in “designated areas,” when in private rooms or when sitting alone or with the person they are traveling with if they have their own pair of seats, Amtrak says.
The new rule doesn’t apply to children who are too young to wear a face covering.
Children under age 2 should not wear a face mask or covering, according to guidelines from the CDC.
Amtrak says it won’t provide customers with face masks and recommends using instructions on the CDC site, which has guides for multiple ways to make them with or without a sewing machine.
The rule change is part of Amtrak’s efforts to “maintain a safe environment” and prevent the spread of the coronavirus, it says.
The company says it has increased cleaning and is only accepting cashless payments on trains and in stations. Additionally, it says it has reduced some bookings to 50% capacity to help maintain social distancing.
Other travel companies have also recently started requiring passengers to wear masks.
Several airlines — including Delta, American, Southwest, Spirit and Frontier — have implemented such requirements, McClatchy News reports. Some major airports also have similar rules in place.
This story was originally published May 11, 2020 at 1:23 PM.
