Amtrak Mardi Gras Service is concluding its inaugural quarter as one of the most successful service launches in Amtrak’s history. Since debuting in August, the route has exceeded expectations across every major performance metric, demonstrating strong passenger demand and broad regional enthusiasm for renewed rail service along the Gulf Coast.
In its first month alone, the service carried over 18,000 riders, and by the end of its first two months, total ridership had already surpassed Amtrak’s original estimate for that period.
”We are well on-track to double the original estimate,” said Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony “Tony” Coscia. “Demand is very high across our network.”
To date, the service has carried 46,000 passengers, averaging 458 riders per day and achieving a customer satisfaction rate of 96%. This is the highest customer satisfaction rate of any of Amtrak’s routes across the nation.
“The success of Amtrak Mardi Gras Service truly shows what we and the champions of this project have believed for years: passenger rail is essential to the future of mobility along the Gulf Coast,” said Knox Ross, Chair of the Southern Rail Commission, in SRC’s quarterly meeting held in Bay Saint Louis, MS. “This service is connecting communities, strengthening local economies, and giving travelers a reliable and enjoyable way to experience our region. We are incredibly grateful to our federal, state, and local partners, and we look forward to building on this momentum in the year ahead.”
“Amtrak is proud of what we’ve achieved with local partners in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell. “Credit goes to the communities along the route, who have embraced this service faster than anyone could have predicted.”
Demand for the service surged throughout the fall, with trains selling out for the first three Saints home games and major regional events like Cruisin’ The Coast. To accommodate increased ridership, Amtrak added an extra car on home game weekends starting in September, expanding capacity by 60 seats per trip. In October, Amtrak Mardi Gras Service was also named Best New Tourism Initiative by international travel magazine JRNY, recognizing its early impact in strengthening destinations, engaging communities, and enhancing the visitor experience.
Amtrak Mardi Gras Service operates twice daily between New Orleans and Mobile, with stops in Bay Saint Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. The route offers onboard Wi-Fi, locally sourced menu items, no middle seats, and must-see views along the Gulf Coast. Its return follows years of work to rebuild rail infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Katrina, supported by bipartisan leadership and federal investment through key Federal Railroad Administration programs and matched by state and local contributions from Louisiana, Mississippi, and the City of Mobile.
For more information on the service or to purchase tickets, visit amtrak.com/mardigras or the Amtrak app.