Amtrak unveils Mardi Gras Service connecting Mobile to New Orleans, a bold step that signifies how the Gulf Coast revival is igniting new passenger rail tourism after Hurricane Katrina. This announcement — that Amtrak unveils Mardi Gras Service connecting Mobile to New Orleans — shines as a symbol of hope, demonstrating how the Gulf Coast revival is igniting new passenger rail tourism after Hurricane Katrina, energizing communities once separated by storm-broken tracks.
Reprised Amtrak Gulf Coast service to bring party back to Gulf Coast rail
The long-awaited reprise of an Amtrak service connecting two major Gulf Coast cities will launch in the summer, the national railroad company announced this week. It also has a name befitting its unique culture and geography.
'Mardi Gras' rail service resumes this summer between New Orleans and Mobile; no timetable for Baton Rouge
Amtrak said Thursday it will restore service this summer between New Orleans and Mobile on a route called "Mardi Gras Service."
The twice-daily runs will connect two cities with long histories of Mardi Gras celebrations. The trains will also stop in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula in Mississippi.
Separately, the Southern Rail Commission hopes to develop service between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. No timetable has been set for when it might resume. The last trains connecting the two cities rolled in 1969.
EXCITING NEWS FROM AMTRAK
On April 24, 2024, Amtrak issued a press release naming the new Amtrak Mardi Gras Service. See Amtrak's press release here.
Knox Ross, Chair of the Southern Rail Commission, issued the following statement:
"It's incredibly exciting to announce the name for this new rail service that will have such a positive impact in our three states. This service will open up the 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.
The Southern Rail Commission couldn't be prouder to see this service come to reality, and we can't wait to ride the train with y'all."
More information about the new service can be found here
SRC: Expect visible progress on I-20 Amtrak route in the next 2-3 years
Progress continues on the train route that will follow the I-20 corridor between Texas and Mississippi, giving people an alternate way to travel.
The Federal Railroad Administration has announced a grant to study a long-distance train ride impacting millions of people traveling between Dallas-Fort Worth and Meridian, Miss. along the I-20 corridor that passes right through the ArkLaTex. Planned stops include Shreveport, Ruston, and Monroe.
Area residents think it’s better to have different ways to travel.
The Breakdown: Amtrak full steam ahead on three rail lines in Louisiana
In your Breakdown: We could be just months away from connecting New Orleans to Mobile by train.
Amtrak is chugging along on three total routes in Louisiana. Company representatives gave an update to the City Council Transportation Committee Tuesday.
They say that starting this summer, there will be morning and evening trains daily between New Orleans and Mobile, with stops along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and connections to other parts of the country.
Purchase an Amtrak ticket in April? Rail chairman says it’s possible
After years of work and worry, Knox Ross, chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to Amtrak returning to the Gulf Coast..
"I don't really know how it will actually be when I'm standing in Mobile to get on the train to go to New Orleans for the inaugural," he tells NBC 15 News. "And when the first ticket is sold, I think that will be the most exciting thing, when the train goes live on the Amtrak system and the first ticket is sold. That will be a lot of fun to see that. And I expect that in April. I really do. I think sometime in April we'll have that."
Amtrak Update Shows Map of New Rail Projects
Amtrak, the nation's government-supported passenger rail service, is undergoing several expansion and modernization projects, upgrading trains, tracks and stations, with a particular emphasis on boosting East Coast services in an effort to increase ridership in the next decade-and-a-half.
Passenger rail service expected to return to Gulf Coast this summer
Passenger rail service is expected to return to the Gulf Coast this summer, according to Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross.
The planned train route will run from New Orleans to Mobile with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula.
These New Amtrak Trains Are Coming Soon
As the most popular railway company in the US, it isn't surprising that Amtrak is constantly launching new projects. Whether it's an old line being restored, massive discounts for its passengers or new regulations to create a better consumer experience, the company is often in the news.