Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service sees strong ridership in first three months

More than 46,000 customers have ridden Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service trains on the twice-daily round trips across Coastal Mississippi between New Orleans and Mobile, Ala., since Aug. 18. The service is sponsored by the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, with the city of Mobile, in cooperation with the Southern Rail Commission. 

Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell says that the credit for success of the service “goes to the communities along the route who have embraced this service faster than anyone could have predicted.” 

According to Amtrak, 96% of customers report they were extremely satisfied with their trips. Amtrak notes that more than 86% of customers are on time, which is one of the best on-time performance scores in the Amtrak system. 

“We are well on track to double the original estimate. Demand is very high across our network,” said Amtrak Board Chair Anthony Coscia.  

Mitchell notes that ordinarily softer ridership is expected the first quarter of a calendar year on many routes, but that the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service has not been a typical route.  

“You can tell by the statistics and see by the name given to these trains: Mardi Gras,” Mitchell said.