- Amtrak will launch its new Mardi Gras Service on August 18 connecting Mobile, Ala. to New Orleans, with stops along Mississippi Gulf Coast.
- With fares as low as $15, this is the first passenger service in the area in almost 20 years.
- Amtrak offers spacious seats, free WiFi and convenient connections to trains heading for Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.
The iconic passenger train service, which was disrupted by Hurricane Katrina back in 2005, is returning for the first time. Mississippi Gulf Coast. Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service Relaunched Aug. 18, with departures twice daily between Mobile, Alabama and New Orleans.
The Mardi Gras Service will make stops in Mobile, Pascagoula (Mississippi), Biloxi (Mississippi), Gulfport (Mississippi), Bay Saint Louis (Mississippi), and Bay Saint Louis. New Orleans. The morning and night trains between the two end cities are intended to serve both business travelers and visitors who plan weekend getaways. The 145-mile line takes about four hours to travel. Tickets for adult coach tickets start at $15, with discounts offered to students, veterans and military personnel.
Amtrak President Roger Harris said, “We encourage our customers to purchase their tickets as soon as possible to enjoy this new, comfortable and scenic service and to have the opportunity to travel on the Mississippi Gulf Coast by train for the first time in almost 20 years.” said in a press release obtained by Travel + Leisure.
Coach and Business class fares come with reclining seats, no middle seat, free Wi-Fi and generous luggage allowances. (Larger items, such as golf bags and pets in carriers, can be reserved ahead of time). Passengers can grab snacks and simple meals from the café car, which serves locally sourced menu items.
The train’s festive name is misleading. It operates all year long. Rather, the name “Mardi Gras” serves as a nod to the raucous celebration that takes place in New Orleans, and Mobile’s own party history—the Port City was the site of the very first Mardi Gras way back in 1703.
The Mardi Gras Service’s revival is a welcome change for the local community. This will hopefully increase tourism in small towns. It will also strengthen bonds between communities. Gulf Coast towns.
Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson spoke at a recent press conference to mark the return of this service.
Amtrak offers a national network that includes the Mardi Gras Route. Passengers can continue north on the to Chicago via New Orleans. City of New OrleansTrains from New York City to the east CrescentOr, head to Los Angeles via the Sunset Limited. The same-day or next-day connections at New Orleans allow you to plan multicity rail journeys that combine Gulf Coast scenic stops with longer trips across the U.S.
Amtrak also has a special “3-3-3 promotion” to help celebrate this route. Amtrak Guest Rewards Members can earn three times the points for rides. To qualify, you must make three trips during the promotional period of three months, which ends Nov. 18, on the Mardi-Gras service.
