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8/19/2026
Amtrak's Mardi Gras service marked its first anniversary of service on Aug. 18 with strong ridership numbers; the twice-daily service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, logged 150,000 customer trips in its first year, Amtrak officials reported in a press release.
When the route opened in 2025, it was the first time in 20 years that Amtrak had been able to serve that area of the Gulf Coast.
“This route has exceeded every expectation for ridership and revenue,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell. “The trains are consistently at the top of all services in customer satisfaction scores, due to great work by Amtrak train, engine, on-board and maintenance teams.”
The service is sponsored by the Louisiana and Mississippi transportation departments and the City of Mobile, in cooperation with the Southern Rail Commission (SRC).
“From adding cars to meet demand to earning the highest customer satisfaction rating among all Amtrak lines and exceeding yearly anticipated ridership at the six-month mark, this multi-agency initiative has been a resounding success,” said David Clark, president and CEO of Visit Mobile and an SRC member.
Passengers on Mardi Gras trains on the anniversary date received a commemorative certificate, pin and logo cup.