Amtrak announces Mardi Gras Service passenger rail just in time for football season
This could be interesting. If you're a New Orleans Saints fan living in the Gulf South, a new way to get to games this season just opened up to you with this week's Amtrak Mardi Gras Service announcement. Twice-a-day passenger trains will travel between Louisiana and Alabama with four stops in Mississippi beginning Monday, Aug. 18, just in time for football season, but the day after the Saints' preseason home game with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The move revives service that ran for decades before Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell commented on the news through an Amtrak press release:
"Today is only possible thanks to the dedication of stakeholders all across the Gulf Coast who have been tirelessly committed to restoring passenger rail service to our communities for 20 years. Amtrak Mardi Gras Service reconnects New Orleans to its Gulf Coast neighbors in Mississippi and Alabama, bringing benefits to our residents, businesses, and visitors and furthering anchoring New Orleans as the premier passenger rail hub in the South.
"Amtrak's return to the Gulf Coast has been a long time coming and we're excited to see passenger rail returning to the Gulf Coast and will continue to be a strong advocate for existing and future Amtrak service in New Orleans."
Amtrak announced that adult coach fares running end-to-end start at $15 each way with discounts for children, students, seniors, veterans, and other groups. Westbound trains from Mobile, Ala. are scheduled to depart at 6:30 a.m. CT and arrive in New Orleans' Union Passenger Terminal at 10:30 a.m. CT. From there it's a 15-minute walk to Champions Square and the Caesars Superdome. So that would be right on time for a noon kickoff, with eastbound trains scheduled to depart from New Orleans in the evenings at 5:31 p.m. CT before reaching Mobile, Ala. at 9:14 p.m. CT.
That works well for noon games, but the late-afternoon slot and prime-time matchups might be tricky and require an overnight stay. In the evenings, westbound trains are set to leave Mobile at 4:30 p.m. CT and arrive in New Orleans at 8:13 p.m. CT. The eastbound morning train from New Orleans departs at 7:35 a.m. and reaches Mobile at 11:18 a.m. CT, barring unforeseen delays, of course.
If you're curious about which of those Saints home games could fit the bill for an early arrival and afternoon departure, here they are:
What about fans visiting from further out? New Orleans already welcomes trains at the Union Passenger Terminal from Chicago (the Amtrak City of New Orleans line), New York (Crescent), and Los Angeles (Sunset Limited) with stops in other major metros (and NFL cities) like Atlanta and Houston along the way, so this could become a popular option for those who don't want to fly or drive cross-country. If you'd rather take the train one way and fly another, hourly bus service runs from Union Passenger Terminal to Louis Armstrong International Airport, too. More options are good for everyone. We'll see you onboard.
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