UK and Irish travellers heading to the Deep South can now journey between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama by train, after Amtrak restored passenger rail on the route for the first time in almost 20 years with its twice-daily Mardi Gras Service.
The trains link New Orleans’ centrally located Union Passenger Terminal with Mobile in up to four hours, calling at four stops along Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, including Biloxi and Pascagoula. With one-way adult fares starting at just $15, around £11, the route gives visitors an affordable way to add Gulf Coast cities and beach days to a New Orleans itinerary without hiring a car.
Demand has been strong since the launch on 18 August 2025, with Amtrak reporting more than 46,000 passengers in the first 100 days of operation.
Kim Priez, Senior Vice President of Tourism at New Orleans & Company, said the service offers both a convenient, car-free way to arrive in New Orleans and easy excursions for those already in the city.
“New Orleans is excited to welcome back Amtrak train service from New Orleans to Mobile. It has never been easier to enjoy New Orleans and Louisiana in combination with Gulf Coast Communities and the city of Mobile, Alabama. This unique itinerary includes six destinations, each offering unique experiences filled with award-winning cuisine, entertainment, outdoor experiences, shopping and more.”
Fares and onboard service
Trains carry Coach and Business Class seating, with wide reclining seats, ample legroom, no middle seats, free Wi-Fi and generous carry-on baggage allowances. A Café serves a menu featuring locally sourced items, and departures run in the mornings and evenings in each direction, with seats reserved in advance.
The launch chimes with evidence that business travellers are increasingly choosing train travel where routes allow, and it adds to the appeal of New Orleans as a convention and bleisure destination as the city celebrates its cultural rebirth 20 years after Hurricane Katrina.
Doug Bourgeois, Assistant Secretary of Tourism at the Louisiana Office of Tourism, said the popularity of rail trips in the UK and Ireland bodes well for the service.
“With so much focus on US road trips, I think our visitors from the UK and Ireland sometimes forget how convenient the train is, both for reaching popular locations within the state, such as Lafayette and Lake Charles, and for onward travel from New Orleans to cities such as Memphis, San Antonio and Chicago,” he said. “With this latest launch, visitors can now explore the Mississippi Gulf Coastline without a car, and we know how our visitors from the UK and Ireland love a good rail trip!”
Packages from UK operators
Tour operators have already built the route into their programmes. Travelbag offers a 13-night Deep South USA by Rail itinerary from £1,599 per person including flights. American Sky’s five-night New Orleans and Alabama break, from £1,149 per person, includes a return trip on the Mardi Gras Service, return international flights, three nights’ accommodation in New Orleans and two in Mobile.
America As You Like It’s 14-night Get Your Vibe On 65 self-drive tour, from £2,000 per person including flights, accommodation and car hire, runs from Chicago to Mobile, where visitors swap the car for the train into New Orleans for a final night before flying home.
Getting there and onward connections
Reaching the region from the UK is getting easier too, with British Airways adding New Orleans frequencies as part of its winter 2026 expansion. Once there, Amtrak’s existing network serves Louisiana hotspots such as Lake Charles and Lafayette, with onward connections from New Orleans to southern gateways including Memphis and Chicago.
