Amtrak Gulf Coast Service Approved by Mobile City Council

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The City Council in Mobile just gave the green light to something that's been brewing for years—that long-awaited Amtrak project.

With a 6-0 vote, they’ve cleared the tracks for passenger trains to roll from New Orleans straight into Mobile.

So, if you’ve ever dreamt of hopping on a train and cruising along the Gulf Coast, that dream is about to become reality.

Empty Amtrak car coachPhoto byHarrison Keely / Wikimedia Commons

The Countdown Begins

Amtrak is set to start chugging along by spring 2025. That’s right, in just a year or so, you could be sipping coffee on a train, watching the Gulf breeze through the window.

But there’s a tiny hiccup.

Everyone wants this to kick off by the Super Bowl on February 9th in New Orleans.

Football fans could be flooding the city, and you, casually arriving by train like it’s no big deal.

But—big BUT—there’s no guarantee it’ll happen that fast.

Where’s the Platform, Mobile?

Platforms are ready to go in New Orleans and all those charming Mississippi stops—Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula.

But Mobile? We’re still waiting on our platform to be built.

It’s kind of hard to roll out the welcome mat when we don’t even have the mat yet.

So, while everyone’s eager to see those trains rolling, we’ve got a bit of construction to do first.

Ticket to Ride…Almost

When can you snag those tickets? Well, don’t set your alarms just yet.

Amtrak will post the schedule and fares on their website about 90 days before the trains start rolling.

Here’s what’s in store: two trains a day from New Orleans to Mobile and two back again.

It’s like a mini-vacation on rails, with brief stops in those Mississippi cities so you can hop on and off as you please.

Get On With It, Already!

So, will we be riding the rails by the Super Bowl? Maybe. Maybe not.

But the trains are coming, and that’s something to get excited about.

Now, if we could just get that platform built and tickets on sale, we’d be all set.

Until then, I guess we’ll just keep checking Amtrak’s website and twiddling our thumbs.

Sources:

• Vote sets stage for new Amtrak Gulf Coast service. But can trains roll by Super Bowl?
• Mobile Welcomes Amtrak Back As Council Approves Gulf Coast Service