Avoid Bedbugs On Your Next Train Ride With One Easy Precaution

Unfortunately, people aren't the only enthusiastic train travelers. While bed bug infestations (and how to keep bed bugs from coming home with you) are hot topics among hotel guests, these creepy crawly bloodsuckers can be picked up in all sorts of areas where lots of people come together, including trains and train station waiting rooms. Though it might sound overly simplistic, one of the easiest ways to avoid collecting unwanted, bitey travelers is by calling the train line and asking about recent bed bug infestations and treatments. 

Train lines like Amtrak have strict protocols in place for insect infestations. Employees are required to contact the Mechanical Desk to schedule a pest control treatment and must also identify the car number, date, and location. While passengers may not be privy to all this information, calling the customer support line or joining a web chat is a good way to get an idea of the bed bug situation on your specific train. For Amtrak, dial 1-800-USA-RAIL or chat with a representative via Amtrak.com between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Whether traveling by rail or plane, you might also want to skip this iconic midwestern city that's the country's biggest hotspot for bed bug infestations in 2025.

Even if you get the all-clear, it's a good idea to inspect your seating area or berth before getting comfortable. However, to do this, you need to be confident in your ability to identify bed bugs. Surprisingly, only 28% of vacationers could identify a bed bug when presented with a lineup of different insects, according to a 2017 survey by researchers at the University of Kentucky. 

The Environmental Protection Agency instructs travelers to look for the following features in adult bed bugs: "about the size of an apple seed (5-7 mm or 3/16 – 1/4 inch long)" and "long and brown, with a flat, oval-shaped body (if not fed recently)" or "balloon-like, reddish-brown, and more elongated (if fed recently)." However, during their juvenile stage, the pests are smaller and feature a transparent, creamy color.

Make sure you check the creases between seat cushions. Bed bugs can easily hide in these small spaces and then crawl undetected into your things. Give the curtains (particularly the folds), carpet, and any other soft material a once-over before stowing your luggage. If you're traveling in a sleeper car, always check the sheets, pillowcases, and mattress — particularly the stitching. Keep an eye out not only for the insects themselves, but for telltale signs of their activities, including muddy brown blood stains, and small, brown spots from bed bug excrement. Also, the subtle warning sign that your hotel room might be infested with bed bugs also applies to train carriages.