All aboard Amtrak’s ‘Mardi Gras’ train to Mobile

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — It’s been 20 years since Amtrak trains rolled between New Orleans and Mobile, AL.

In August, the trains will return.

Amtrak’s new “Mardi Gras” service will depart New Orleans heading east–and depart Mobile heading west– twice a day. The trains will stop along the way in Bay St. Louis, MS, Gulfport, MS, Biloxi, MS and Pascagoula, MS.

Restoring the train service took years of negotiations between Amtrak, the railroad track owners and every municipality along the route.

For instance, city leaders in Bay St. Louis had long hoped for a chance to put its historic depot back in use, while city leaders in Mobile were concerned that Amtrak’s return might hinder operations at its port.

But the big “if” — was how many people would actually ride the route again. The resounding answer: every frustrated I-10 driver who’d like a more sane- and safer- way to get to the Gulf Coast.

On Tuesday, July 1, Amtrak Vice President Nicole Bucich summed it up for reporters at Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans.

“The support and the feelings,” she said, “have been overwhelming.”

According to Bucich, “the word of the day is ‘finally.’ ”

Amtrak plans to host elected leaders and other VIPS on an inaugural ride Aug. 16, and regular service for paying passengers starts on the Aug. 18.

You can get a look inside one of the train cars on the new service in our story above.

Information about ticket prices and schedules are at Amtrak.com.

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