August saw great fanfare with the launch of the restored Gulf Coast Amtrak railway line — now dubbed the Mardi Gras Service.
Louisiana residents can now hop on a train in New Orleans, kick up their feet and visit stops between the city and Mobile, Alabama. The new line has goten so popular, it became one of the most successful service launches in Amtrak’s history and exceeded rider expectations.
“Ridership has been building every month,” said Knox Ross, chairman of the Southern Rail Commission that has partnered with Amtrak to bring the service to fruition. “The first three months we were past 40,000 passengers. It’s been very successful — more than double the projections.”
Amtrak Mardi Gras Service route | Courtesy of Louisiana Life Magazine
The first month alone saw 18,000 passengers with a 96% customer satisfaction rate, according to the Southern Rail Commission — the highest customer satisfaction rate of any of Amtrak’s routes across the nation. That may well be due to the laissez faire attitude of its passengers and crew.
“The crews on the train have sort of taken the service on their own,” Ross said. “There are lots of bloody marys being served. It’s a different vibe. There’s so much you can do on this train. It’s what do you want to do?”
So far, ridership has been mostly day trippers and some business travel, Ross explained, with some passengers claiming that the ride is so peaceful, they have given up traversing Interstate 10.
“The ride is serene, especially between New Orleans and Bay St. Louis because you’re in the marshes,” he said. “You get to see a lot of the country that you wouldn’t see along the interstate.”
Extra cars have been added for special events such as Saints games and Ross expects to continue that trend due to its popularity.
“We are well on track to double the original estimate,” said Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony “Tony” Coscia in a press release surveying the first year. “Demand is very high across our network.”
By Train
Amtrak Mardi Gras Service operates twice daily between New Orleans and Mobile, with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula before concluding in Alabama. The route offers onboard Wi-Fi, locally sourced menu items, no middle seats and occasional views of wetlands and Gulf Coast waters. Passengers wishing for a quick visit to the five Gulf Coast cities may return to New Orleans that evening, so day tripping is an option.
Mobile's Amtrak platform is conveniently located at the start of the walkable downtown entertainment district | Visit Mobile
“You don’t need a car,” Ross said, adding that the train drops visitors off at the downtowns of each city. “It’s nice, and it’s not expensive.”
The service pauses in downtown Mobile close to the Mobile Cruise Terminal, the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center, several attractions, 50-plus restaurants and bars, many of which are locally owned, including The Noble South, which earned a Michelin nod on the 2025 Bib Gourmand list, said Ashley Rains, senior public relations and communications manager for Visit Mobile.
New to the city is the Hall of Fame Walk on Mobile’s downtown waterfront honoring six Hall of Fame athletes who were born and raised in Mobile. The honorees include National Baseball Hall of Fame members Henry “Hank” Aaron, Satchel Paige, Billy Williams, Ozzie Smith and Willie McCovey, as well as Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and former Houston Oiler Robert Brazile Jr. Coming soon to downtown is a new state-of-the-art arena that will include a professional hockey team.
Hall of Fame Walk | Visit Mobile
Carnival’s Spirit cruise ship returns this month and continues sailings through October. The cruise line will return to year-round cruising in 2027 and bring in its larger Valor ship for trips from the Port of Mobile to the Caribbean. American Cruise Lines’ Symphony has added Mobile as a port of call as well.
If walking’s not an option, bikes and golf cart vendors are a call or text away from the Mobile depot and “happy to take you anywhere you want to go,” said Rains.
“Our downtown is so convenient,” she said. “You’re right where you want to be.”
Places to Stay
In Mobile, downtown luxury hotels include the historic Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa, the newly renovated Admiral Hotel and boutique properties such as the Malaga Inn and the historic Fort Condé Inn bed-and-breakfast.
By Plane
Next year, the new Mobile International Airport opens, to be located near the Interstates 10 and 65 interchange. The larger international airport will be a five-minute drive to the Amtrak terminal, said Ashley Rains, senior public relations and communications manager for Visit Mobile.
Read Cheré's article in its entirety on LouisianaLife.com.