After 20 years, Amtrak's Gulf Coast train line is back—here’s what’s to expect
Linking the Mardi Gras capital of New Orleans in Louisiana and the waterfront city of Mobile in Alabama, Amtrak’s Gulf Coast train is set to become one of the USA’s great rail routes once more when it relaunches in spring 2025. Following the southern US shoreline for most of its three-hour journey, it passes through Louisiana’s Cajun country — known for its miles of bayous, traditional festivals and hearty gumbos (spicy Cajun chicken soup) — and coastal Mississippi.
New Amtrak station connecting Mobile and New Orleans nears completion
A new station, nearly 20 years in the making, will make the goal of connecting Mobile, Ala., and New Orleans, La., closer to a reality in Summer 2025.
Officials said the construction of a new Amtrak platform and layover track in Mobile is underway with a targeted completion date of this summer. Officials expect the first trains to roll out of the station then.
New Amtrak Station Brings Mobile Closer to Passenger Rail This Summer
After nearly two decades of anticipation, passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans is finally approaching the finish line.
Construction on a new Amtrak platform and layover track in downtown Mobile is underway, and officials are eyeing summer 2025 for the first trains to roll out.
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Gulf Coast Amtrak service on track for June return, senator says
Amtrak’s could be operating Gulf Coast service by June, according to U.S. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
Wicker is even inviting newly minted U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to Mississippi in June, “when Amtrak services are expected to resume along the Gulf Coast,” a Jan. 15 news release indicates.
If the Government Funded These Amtrak Routes, 39 Million More People Would Have Rail Access
Passenger rail service in the United States is woefully lacking compared to other countries, particularly long-distance service that connects far-reaching cities. Amtrak currently operates 15 long-distance routes, which range from 750 to 2,500 miles. But they stretch over just 39 states and the District of Columbia, and a map of those routes reveals that large swaths of the country don’t have any rail options.
New $21.1 million grant helps rail service between New Orleans and Mobile inch closer
Hoping to soon restore rail service along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans and Mobile after 20 years, the Federal Railroad Administration last week granted $21.1 million for Amtrak, U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans said.
“This funding is not just restoring a rail line, it is reigniting economic opportunity, expanding access to transportation, and reconnecting families and businesses across the region,” Carter said. The money comes from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
AL: Gulf Coast Amtrak project faces further delays, aims for summer launch
Amtrak’s return to the Gulf Coast is expected to come this summer, and not this spring or anywhere close to reaching a Mardi Gras time frame that officials had hoped for last fall.
If anything, Amtrak’s revival along the Gulf Coast could coincide with the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the devastating storm that knocked the service off line in 2005.
Another milestone: Major funding announced for Gulf Coast passenger rail
Earlier this week, the Federal Railroad Administration announced a significant investment of $21,117,115 in Restoration and Enhancement (R&E) grant funding to Amtrak. This funding will support the restoration of intercity passenger rail service with two daily roundtrips along the Gulf Coast, connecting New Orleans, LA, to Mobile, AL.
Amtrak Gulf Coast service to receive $21 million grant
The Federal Railroad Administration will award a $21.1 million grant for the return of Amtrak Gulf Coast service, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) announced today (Jan. 6, 2025). The funding will support operating costs for the planned twice-daily round trips between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala.
Funds will come from the FRA’s Restoration and Enhancement Grant program.
“This is great news for Mississippi,” Wicker said in a press release. “Gulf Coast Rail is an investment in the future of our state. This grant will help with operational costs, ultimately reconnecting communities and ensuring that Mississippians have access to reliable transportation.”