Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service to connect New Orleans and Mobile for first time in 30 years starting Monday

Staff Report

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August 17, 2025

For the first time in three decades, passengers will be able to ride an Amtrak train between New Orleans and Mobile.

Beginning tomorrow, Monday, August 18, the new Mardi Gras Service will make the four-hour journey twice daily, restoring a Gulf Coast connection that’s been missing since the 1990s.

The route includes stops in Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula. Tickets start at $15 each way. The launch date comes just weeks before the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated parts of the region. According to Nola, Amtrak and state leaders expect the route to boost tourism and business along the corridor.

Train Schedule

From New Orleans to Mobile
- Morning departure: 7:35 a.m., arrives 11:18 a.m.
- Evening departure: 5:31 p.m., arrives 9:14 p.m.
From Mobile to New Orleans
- Morning departure: 6:30 a.m., arrives 10:30 a.m.
- Evening departure: 4:30 p.m., arrives 8:13 p.m.
Example for day-trip travelers: A morning trip from New Orleans to Bay St. Louis arrives at 8:59 a.m., but the return option isn’t until the evening train—Train 25—at 6:42 p.m.
Potential delays: Amtrak warns that some travel times may be affected by ongoing infrastructure projects.
Baton Rouge connection: Passengers can take a Greyhound bus from Baton Rouge to New Orleans’ Union Passenger Terminal.
- Departures: 5:35 a.m. (arrives 7:05 a.m.) and 2:00 p.m. (arrives 4:45 p.m.).

Whether you are visiting one of the places along the route for a particular event, or you just want an alternative method to travel, the new Mardi Gras Service will be up and running next week to experience.