One Of Amtrak's Latest Train Routes Offers A Wildly Popular Getaway Along The Gulf Coast

With a name like "Amtrak Mardi Gras Service," you can assume this new passenger line is a good time, or at least the way to get to one. Amtrak started the service on August 18, 2025 as a way to connect New Orleans — the nerve center of Mardi Gras celebrations — to less-famous cities along the Gulf Coast. At first glance, this new route is like any other Amtrak ride: You board a train in Mobile, Alabama, and make your way to the Crescent City, or vice versa. You probably won't knock back "hurricane" cocktails while onboard, and you won't have to do anything scandalous to earn beaded necklaces. You can enjoy cafe service and free WiFi, the same you'd find on most Amtrak trains.

What's exciting about the Mardi Gras line is the landscape it connects: travelers spend much of their ride crossing Mississippi, stopping in Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, and Bay St. Louis. Many are surprised to learn how much culture these towns have in common with the Big Easy; you can celebrate Mardi Gras along the beautiful Gulf Coast in this southern state, just like you can in Louisiana.

The train also runs year-round; if you ride from end to end, the trip should take just under four hours, and you're welcome to stop anywhere along the line and see what these seaside cities are about. The route hasn't just proven popular; it more than doubled projected ridership in the first couple months, continuing Amtrak's recent streak of successes.

In a way, the launch of the Mardi Gras Line has been a redemption story: Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on Gulf Coast infrastructure in 2005, including passenger rail service. While media focused primarily on the city of New Orleans and the infamous collapse of its levees, the storm incurred at least $125 billion worth of damage across the southeast.

Five years later, the Deepwater Horizon explosion flooded the Gulf Coast with petroleum, further damaging the tourism industry in both Louisiana and Mississippi. New Orleans is a major Amtrak hub, yet for 20 years, the Gulf Coast had no direct passenger rail service; you could travel northeast to Birmingham and Atlanta, north toward Chicago, or west to Texas. This 145-mile stretch remained dormant, and anyone traveling through these seaside communities had to fly or drive, most likely along the flatlands of I-10.

The Mardi Gras line has revived the long-awaited passenger service, and with renewed vigor. While many Americans overlook the Gulf Coast as the nation's swampy hem, there's a lot going on: Bay St. Louis is the fastest-growing town in Mississippi, partly due to its proximity to New Orleans, and is a great addition to your fall bucket list. Biloxi is widely known as the "Vegas of the South," a city with vibrant culture, amazing food, and tons of fun. With its reasonable prices and Ocean Adventures Marine Park, Gulfport is a southern U.S. destination to visit for a fun and affordable vacation. You could stretch this modest train ride to a week and still find things to do.

The one challenge to the Mardi Gras Service is where to start and finish. The line is essentially out-and-back; once you arrive in Mobile, you can't continue east or north. Some travelers will want to start in Mobile, a popular cruise ship port and historic city with a formidable dining and cultural scene. Mobile does have an international airport, but it's not exactly a hub, and most travelers will have to transfer to get there.

If you drive to Mobile and plan to spend much of your trip on the train, you may end up keeping your car in extended parking. In contrast, Louis Armstrong International Airport is much bigger and better connected, so many travelers may fly here and start their train journey in New Orleans. Yet once you arrive in Mobile, you'll either have to take a return trip on the train or find another form of transportation to continue on.

The good news is that all these cities are well-stocked with hotels — and often resorts and casinos — so you shouldn't have trouble finding a place to stay. The Amtrak journey can also be an incredible bargain, with coach fares starting at $15 each way. The best way to enjoy this route is to carve out several days and embrace the slower pace. These towns are famous for their hospitality and easygoing attitudes, so there shouldn't be any reason to hurry. Whether you visit around the actual Mardi Gras celebrations or any other time of year, you're wise to sit back and enjoy the ride.