Amtrak dubs new Gulf Coast service the 'Mardi Gras'

Amtrak yesterday announced the long-awaited, twice-daily train route between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, will be called the Mardi Gras Service.

The new route will feature morning and evening departures from both cities this summer, but Amtrak officials have yet to announce a specific start date. Fares and schedules will be available on Amtrak.com when a service start date is announced in a few weeks, according to an Amtrak press release.

“This service will open the Mississippi Gulf Coast to a whole new tourism market, making already wonderful places even better by supporting local businesses, attracting more visitors and strengthening the entire southern region’s infrastructure and economy," said Southern Rail Commission (SRC) Chairman Knox Ross. The SRC has long sought reestablishing Amtrak service along the Gulf Coast since passenger-rail service was knocked out by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Amtrak will operate the service under contracts with the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, financial support by the city of Mobile and with the backing of the SRC.

Including the Mardi Gras route, Amtrak will operate 31 state-sponsored routes for 23 state and agency partners in 20 states. Services such as these are the fastest growing Amtrak business segment, with active efforts in many more states to expand the Amtrak network in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak officials said.

In addition to travel between New Orleans and Mobile, the cities of Bay Saint Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula will also have same-day connections in both directions daily to the Amtrak City of New Orleans route between New Orleans and Chicago via Memphis.

Amtrak Mardi Gras Service riders also can make next-day connections in New Orleans to Amtrak Crescent trains to and from New York via Atlanta, and Amtrak Sunset Limited trains to and from Los Angeles via Tucson, San Antonio and Houston.