Page 12 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2026

COAST NOTE
Mardi Gras Service Exceeds Expectations
story by Lynn Lofton photo courtesy of Amtrak
Absent in the area since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the return of passenger service was greatly anticipated by residents from Mobile to New Orleans. It finally happened on August 18 of last year.
From East to West, the stops are Mobile, Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis and New Orleans. Boarding times and costs are determined by where passengers board. With the fitting name of Mardi Gras Service, there is no shortage of passengers to fill the 137 available seats.
Kay Kell of Bay St. Louis is a member of the Southern
Rail Commission that worked diligently to restore the service. Asked how the service is doing, she said, “It has the highest rating of all Amtrak trains in customer satisfaction! Ridership is currently tracking about three times the initial estimates. The Southern Rail Commission has truly been in awe of the overwhelming public support in the region for this service and we expect that popularity to only increase.”
Soon after the service began, an extra coach was added to select frequencies to coincide with some New Orleans Saints home games. “We would have loved to be able to add more, but the cars are just not available,” Kell says.
From a logistical standpoint, she says the operation is
running exceptionally smooth. “Amtrak and the host freight railroads have done a great job with on-time performance, and equipment maintenance by Amtrak has been well managed. We also continue to get great reviews about the onboard Amtrak staff. Everyone loves how friendly they are.”
The current boarding rankings are New Orleans, Mobile, Biloxi, Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Pascagoula. “We watch those rankings and they sometimes change. We believe the cities with greeters are doing well because of it. They make people feel welcome,” Kell said.
Summing up the service, she said, “It has the highest rating of all Amtrak trains in customer satisfaction. All stakeholders are well pleased.”
From New Orleans connections can be made to other rail lines that take passengers to all parts of the country.
800.872.7245 • www.amtrak.com
12 | February 2026
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