Amtrak announced this week that agreements had been reached to bring twice-daily passenger service between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., this summer. The official start date and a detailed schedule will be released in the coming weeks.

The new train will be called the Mardi Gras. The resumption of service along the Gulf Coast would cap off a years-long effort to restore passenger service on a route that last had it in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina damaged the line. While freight service was eventually restored to the CSX line, passenger service, in the form of the Sunset Limited, never returned. 

“Travel should be about more than just getting somewhere. 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,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “This summer, travelers seeking a more comfortable, scenic and productive choice than driving will have their first opportunity to ride Amtrak trains in almost 20 years.”

The new train will make stops in Bay Saint Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula (all in Mississippi). It will provide same-day connections in both directions daily to City of New Orleans trains between New Orleans and Chicago via Memphis. Passengers can also make next-day connections in New Orleans to Crescent trains to and from New York via Atlanta, and Sunset Limited trains to and from Los Angeles via Tucson, San Antonio and Houston.

“Mobile and New Orleans have always shared a rich cultural heritage and renewing Amtrak service will strengthen our ties to the Crescent City and the Mississippi Gulf Coast.” said Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. “We are so excited to welcome new visitors from those communities when the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service launches later this year. It will be an asset to our citizens and another enhancement to Mobile’s growing downtown waterfront.” —Justin Franz