Here’s the name of the new Gulf Coast Amtrak service and when trains will roll
Starting this summer, passengers can ride the new Amtrak service along the Gulf Coast from New Orleans to Mobile, with four stops in Mississippi, on the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service.
The name of the new line was announced Thursday along with confirmation that service will return this summer.
Trains will run twice a day, in the morning and evening in each direction, with stops in Mississippi in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula.
Fares and schedules will be available on Amtrak.com in a few weeks when the start date of service is announced.
“Amtrak Mardi Gras Service is a natural choice for the name of the new trains that will reflect the region’s distinctive culture,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris.
The name reflects how the restoration of passenger train service is more than just getting somewhere, he said.
“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,” he said.
This will be the first time since Hurricane Katrina in 2005 that passengers can ride trains along the Gulf Coast.
The trains will connect to City of New Orleans trains so passengers can continue their travels to Memphis and Chicago, and across the country.
“It’s incredibly exciting to announce the name for this new service that will have such a positive impact in our three states,” said Southern Rail Commission (SRC) Chairman Knox Ross. “This service will open the Mississippi Gulf Coast to a whole new tourism market, making already wonderful places even better by supporting local businesses, attracting more visitors, and strengthening the entire southern region’s infrastructure and economy.”
