In addition, Amtrak’s latest routes continue to impress passengers with their record-breaking results. A few months ago, the Amtrak Borealis service reached 250,000 passengers, just over a year following its debut. However, there’s another route recently added to Amtrak’s network that is now breaking all records: the Mardi Gras Service. Here is everything you should know about this route and its brand-new ridership milestone.
Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Exceeds All Expectations, Welcoming Double The Originally Estimated Passengers
Amtrak’s Mardi Gras service was launched only a few months ago; however, it is already proving to be a highly successful route. According to Knox Ross, the chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, between mid-August and the end of September, it welcomed a total of 19,000 passengers. Yet, numbers continue to increase.
As of Thursday, 23, the total figure of passengers who chose this line is 30,000. Knox Ross declared that this is over double Amtrak’s original estimates. Amtrak initially estimated a total of 71,000 passengers for Mardi Gras’ first year. However, if numbers remain stable, the total number of passengers in the first year may reach over 150,000.
Ridership is now averaging about 90%, and Amtrak even had to include an extra car, adding 60 additional seats on specific days. But what exactly is the Mardi Gras Service?
The Mardi Gras service was launched on August 18, 2025, to replace Gulf Coast Limited, which had to stop operating in 2005 due to the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.
The train connects New Orleans in Louisiana with Mobile in Alabama, stopping at four stations along the way.
Mardi Gras Service Stops
New Orleans, Louisiana
Bay St. Louis, Mississippi
Gulfport, Mississippi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Mobile, Alabama
The entire trip takes 3 hours and 43 minutes, with two departures per day, both from Mobile and New Orleans. Trains feature free Wi-Fi and no middle seats, as well as a café service offering locally sourced menu items for all tastes.
Why Is The Mardi Gras Service So Popular?
There are a variety of reasons why this route is now getting so many passengers. For instance, Amtrak is now offering a 3X points deal to its Amtrak Guest Rewards® members. The company is celebrating the launch of the Mardi Gras Service by allowing its customers to earn triple points on all Amtrak Mardi Gras travel if they complete at least three trips from August 18 to November 18.
Bonus points will be added retroactively, and 3X points will also be awarded for all additional travel on this route. In addition, the Mardi Gras Service is now incredibly popular among sports fans. Saints fans have been using this route to watch their favorite team, and several matches are now planned for November and December.
What Did Amtrak Fans Say About The Mardi Gras' Ridership Milestone?
In a Reddit post sharing the recent Mardi Gras record-breaking numbers, several people left comments showing their enthusiasm for the news. For instance, someone pointed out that U.S. citizens are tired of driving, and more and more people are now opting for trains.
Others, such as Big_daddy_sneeze wrote, 'Exciting news. I’ve been contemplating doing a Gulf Coast vacation and spending a day at each town along the Mardi Gras route.' Some users also suggested adding new stops, while others reported boarding the train and not seeing a single empty seat.
For now, it seems that the Mardi Gras service will continue to shatter all passenger projections. Hopefully, its success will continue in the upcoming months as more people decide to opt for train travel instead of choosing highly polluting transportation methods, such as flights and cars.
https://www.thetravel.com/author/cristina-miceli/
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