Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service, launching August 18, revives passenger rail between New Orleans and Mobile, AL, with stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross says you can get your tickets now.
“So, you can buy your tickets for Mardi Gras next year, or Saints games. Tickets are gonna start at the lowest bucket will probably be $15. I mean that’s a limited number.”
Offering twice-daily scenic trips along the Gulf Coast, it connects to major Amtrak routes like the City of New Orleans. Ross says the service will bring convenience that one stop a day doesn’t have.
“It just creates a whole new set of city pairs, and opens up so many more places to tourism and business.”
Restoring service lost since Hurricane Katrina, it boosts tourism, jobs, and regional mobility while celebrating Gulf Coast culture. Ross says the service reflects significant infrastructure investment, improving connectivity and economic growth.
“So, there are a lot of exciting things going on. A lot of times, it looks like a duck sitting on water. You don’t know how fast their feet are moving under there, and so there’s a lot of work being done that sometimes isn’t apparent. But I think folks in Louisiana will be proud of what their state is trying to do.”
