For those looking for a vacation where they can enjoy some exercise as well, Amtrak and the North Carolina Department of Transportation are teaming up to give cyclists a chance to carry their bikes onboard the trains.

Amtrak announced last week that the Carolinian and Piedmont trains running between Raleigh and Charlotte will now offer passengers walk-up bike service. Customers simply hand their bikes to Amtrak crewmembers, and the employees hang them carefully on racks in the baggage cars.

This unique service from Amtrak allows people who want to visit and explore North Carolina with their bikes the chance to leave their vehicles behind and enjoy the area without the hassles of driving or parking.

As great as the walk-up bike service will be for passengers, it is only available at certain stations, though, including Raleigh, Cary, Durham, Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury, Kannapolis and Charlotte, with advance reservation only.

For those customers who want to utilize the service, they must arrive 30 minutes before their train is scheduled to depart in order to obtain a baggage tag for the bike and get it to crewmembers at the baggage cars.

The service only applies to standard bikes, and all additional items — like larger seats and saddlebags — must be removed. Items removed from the cycles can be checked or carried on the trains.

For more information on the walk-up bike service, check out Amtrak’s official website.

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