“This is a big step forward in the restoration process of Gulf Coast Rail.”
Amtrak will return intercity passenger rail service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, after a nearly 20-year absence this summer with the introduction of the new Amtrak Mardi Gras Service.
The service will offer twice-daily departures in each direction, which are designed to connect to other Amtrak trains in New Orleans, including the City of New Orleans from New Orleans to Chicago, the Crescent from New Orleans to New York City, and the Sunset Limited from New Orleans to Los Angeles.
The service will also call at stations on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that have lain dormant for two decades: Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay Saint Louis. The service is named for the Mardi Gras celebrations that are most famous in New Orleans, but are in fact celebrated throughout the Gulf Coast region, with some variations between communities.
“Amtrak Mardi Gras Serviceis a natural choice for the name of the new trains that will reflect the region’s distinctive culture,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “Travel should be about more than just getting somewhere. Our goal is to have some of that festive Mardi Gras feeling on every trip, sharing the culture of the Gulf Coast region while connecting with the rest of the Amtrak network.”
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“This summer, travelers seeking a more comfortable, scenic and productive choice than driving will have their first opportunity to ride Amtrak trains in almost 20 years,” he added.
Lawmakers from both parties, representing all three states, praised the new public transport connections in their communities.
“This is a big step forward in the restoration process of Gulf Coast Rail. Because of collaborations between state and local government and economic development organizations, there will be more opportunities for Mississippians along the Gulf Coast. I am grateful to Amtrak for helping restore this line after nearly two decades of no service,” said Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi in a statement.
Coastal Mississippi, in particular, is known for Mardi Gras celebrations. Mobile, Alabama, is known for having the country’s oldest Mardi Gras, but there are also celebrations in Biloxi, home to the Coastal Mississippi Mardi Gras Museum. Visitors to Biloxi can also peek into the breathtaking community center mural at the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in nearby Ocean Springs, or try their luck at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.
In tiny, oceanfront Bay St. Louis, with its own station, visitors can stop into a waterfront eatery for fresh Gulf seafood or poke around the collection of art and antique shops, including The Shops of Century Hall, where local artists operate micro-boutiques in a charming mall in a historic building.
The Gulf Coast had Amtrak service until 2005, when Hurricane Katrina damaged track facilities in the region. Amtrak’s Sunset Limited, which had previously operated from Los Angeles to Miami, suspended service east of New Orleans, even after repairs were completed to the rail infrastructure by the following year.
The new service allows for more conveniently timed, twice-daily service along the route, which will make it more useful for regional travelers in addition to those connecting to other Amtrak long-distance trains. Intercity rail service is vital for car-less travelers going short distances between larger population centers and smaller communities, or between smaller communities in rural areas.
Amtrak, a federally chartered corporation created in 1971 by an act of Congress, is operating the service under contract with the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, with additional financial support from the City of Mobile. Mississippi and Alabama have existing Amtrak service, operating a more inland route through the central portions of each state. Amtrak operates passenger service in 46 of the contiguous 48 United States (only South Dakota and Wyoming are without service).
Amtrak anticipates publishing fares and schedules, along with an official start date, within the next few weeks.
