Where can we leave luggage during a Broadway show?
 

My friends will be in town in a week or so and we plan to go into the city on a Sunday for brunch, then they will hit a show before they catch their Amtrak train back to Washington, DC. Since I don't live in Manhattan anymore (sniff!) I'm at a loss as to where to tell them to leave their bags while they're at the show on Sunday.

Amtrak has "checked baggage," but only on trains with a baggage car. Does Penn Station have a checked parcel room? Would a hotel take their bags if they weren't guests? Any chance the restaurant where we have brunch will keep them all day? I'm getting desperate here. . . .

Are you are high level member of any frequent guest program?
I think that there are hotels that would accomodate this request if coming from a preferred guest.
Come to think of it, I have stored my luggage many times at NY hotels and you know, they have never asked me for my room key. I don't even think they have asked me if I was staying there... possibly just assuming.

I think I would check with Amtrak.
I think Penn station would have a holding room .
Union station in Chicago has one that I have used several times while sightseeing during layovers
useing a redcap makes it simple

I was in Penn Station yesterday and I don't think they check bags any longer and all of the lockers are long gone. My suggestion would be to try the hotel right across the street the Pennsylvania, walk in and head to the bell stand and ask for the bags to be held. That way they are very close to the station and they can grab the bags and run to the train.

Have a great time.

A few bucks'll get you a holding room at any bellhop station nearby.

There was just a thread on this which I have topped for you ("Storing Bags at Penn Station"). The last entry in the thread is from someone who said he had checked a bag at Penn Station last week for $4.50.

I would image that the train service between Penn and DC would have a luggage car, so I don't see any reason why your friends can't check their luggage in at Penn Station before heading for brunch and the show. Take a look at Amtrak.com, or give Amtrak a call at 800-872-7245 .

Penn Station indeed has a parcel check area. There is no luggage check for ANY of the trains that run (just) between NYC/Boston, altho longer trains (eg: NY-Miami) have luggage check. They'll have to check the bags ($4.50 as noted on another thread - I think price varies with bag size & # of bags), then pick them up to carry onboard their train, unless they're on one of the FEW with checked baggage service.

Thanks all! Penn Station will clearly be the easiest for them, so that's what we'll do.