With a name like "Amtrak Mardi Gras Service," you can assume this new passenger line is a good time, or at least the way to get to one. Amtrak started the service on August 18, 2025 as a way to connect New Orleans — the nerve center of Mardi Gras celebrations — to less-famous cities along the Gulf Coast. At first glance, this new route is like any other Amtrak ride: You board a train in Mobile, Alabama, and make your way to the Crescent City, or vice versa. You probably won't knock back "hurricane" cocktails while onboard, and you won't have to do anything scandalous to earn beaded necklaces. You can enjoy cafe service and free WiFi, the same you'd find on most Amtrak trains.