Popular Amtrak line with stops across Mississippi Coast expanding for Mardi Gras
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- Amtrak added an extra coach to Mardi Gras Line trains between Mobile and New Orleans.
- The trains will run three 58-seat coach cars plus 17 business seats and a café.
- Mardi Gras Line demand doubled estimates; Amtrak sells limited 2026 merch through Feb 17.
Amtrak trains headed between New Orleans and Mobile across South Mississippi will be longer from now through the end of Carnival season.
An extra car was added Friday to the Mardi Gras Service and the additional capacity will continue until Monday, Feb. 23.
Fat Tuesday on Feb. 17 is the end of Mardi Gras this year.
The bonus coach car will be added to trains 23 and 26, according to a press release issued by Visit Mobile on Thursday. Train 23 leaves Mobile daily at 6:30 a.m. and train 26 leaves New Orleans for Mobile, with four stops in Mississippi at Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula.
Amtrak also will carry passengers from South Mississippi to Mobile to experience the parades there.
Reservations, schedules for each city and more information are available at Amtrak’s Mardi Gras line website.
The Mardi Gras Line launched on Aug. 18. An additional car was added temporarily to take fans to New Orleans’ Saints football games in the fall.
These longer trains will run with three 58-seat coach cars. They also have 17 seats for business class and a café, where passengers can buy breakfast, sandwiches, snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Earlier this week, Amtrak announced a limited-run of merchandise for the 2026 Mardi Gras season, Orders for a can cooler, belt bat, T-shirt and two styles of Mardi Gras caps will be taken until Feb. 17. After that, production will begin and the merchandise will be shipped to the customers.
The Mardi Gras Service is on track to transporting double the number of passengers projected, according to Amtrak, and has the highest customer satisfaction rating of any line in the country.
