To the excitement of advocates and travelers alike, Amtrak has announced that on Monday, August 18, it will begin twice-daily service along the Mississippi Gulf Coast between New Orleans and Mobile, AL.
Now, shy of 20 years since the last Amtrak train rolled over this route, the new state-supported Amtrak Mardi Gras Service will ply the rails. From 1993 through 2005, the Amtrak Sunset Limited traveled from Los Angeles to New Orleans and onward to Orlando, but was truncated in August 2005 due to Hurricane Katrina. Service was expected to resume after track repairs, but was sidelined by a multitude of issues.
In 2021, Amtrak announced that a new service along the route could start as early as 2022. That date came and went, along with a few other target dates. While it was discussed about restoring service between New Orleans and the Florida Panhandle, Amtrak stated that their “focus has been on restoring service from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama,” and they would be “willing to explore such service [on the Florida Panhandle] with the state’s financial support.”
NEW SERVICE
The new state-sponsored Amtrak Mardi Gras Service will offer convenient morning and evening departures from both cities – plus a promotion to introduce Amtrak Guest Rewards to the region. These Amtrak trains will offer Coach and Business Class service, in addition to a Café featuring a menu of locally sourced items.
“Today is only possible thanks to the dedication of stakeholders all across the Gulf Coast who have been tirelessly committed to restoring passenger rail service to our communities for 20 years,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “Amtrak Mardi Gras Service reconnects New Orleans to its Gulf Coast neighbors in Mississippi and Alabama, bringing benefits to our residents, businesses, and visitors and furthering anchoring New Orleans as the premier passenger rail hub in the South.
“Amtrak’s return to the Gulf Coast has been a long time coming, and we’re excited to see passenger rail returning to the Gulf Coast and will continue to be a strong advocate for existing and future Amtrak service in New Orleans.”
Amtrak Guest Rewards “3-3-3” Promotion
Through Nov. 18, 2025, Amtrak Guest Rewards® members can earn triple points on Amtrak Mardi Gras Service travel. To qualify, members must complete three qualifying trips on the service during the three-month promotional period. Once the threshold is met, three-times the points will be awarded retroactively for those trips and for all additional qualifying trips taken through Nov. 18. Details are on Amtrak.com.
SCHEDULE
| Train 24 | Train 26 | Train 23 | Train 25 | |
| Read Down | Read Down | Station | Read Up | Read Up |
| 7:35A | 5:31P | New Orleans, LA | 10:30A | 8:13P |
| 8:59A | 7:00P | Bay Saint Louis, MS | 8:42A | 6:42P |
| 9:31A | 7:32P | Gulfport, MS | 8:11A | 6:11P |
| 9:55A | 7:56P | Biloxi, MS | 7:45A | 5:48P |
| 10:29A | 8:28P | Pascagoula, MS | 7:13A | 5:13P |
| 11:18A | 9:14P | Mobile, AL | 6:30A | 4:30P |
For complete details, visit Amtrak.com. Schedule and details subject to change without notice.
