The Amtrak Mardi Gras Service is a new train route connecting New Orleans, Louisiana, with Mobile, Alabama. The route covers about 145 miles in under four hours. It passes through Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, following the Gulf Coast.
The train departs from Bay St Louis, Mississippi. On a recent trip, many passengers were new to rail travel. Some passengers socialized in the café car.
The Mardi Gras Service, also known as the Mardi Gras Express, began operating in August 2024. The service is part of efforts to restore rail connections along the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina damaged the area’s infrastructure…