MOBILE, Ala. — Amtrak has halted its Mardi Gras Service between Mobile and New Orleans as Hurricane Isaias approaches the Gulf Coast, the first time the young passenger rail line has been shut down by a hurricane since it returned to the region last year.
The Southern Rail Commission announced Wednesday night, Oct. 7, that all trips were canceled from Thursday afternoon, Oct. 8, through Saturday evening, Oct. 10. Trains scheduled for Thursday morning ran as planned. Regular service is scheduled to resume Sunday, Oct. 11, beginning with a trip from New Orleans to Mobile.
Amtrak was also providing bus service for travelers who needed to use the train Thursday, as the Thursday morning trips had already sold out.
What travelers need to know
- Last trains before the suspension: Thursday morning, Oct. 8, trips operated as scheduled.
- Canceled: All Mardi Gras Service trips from Thursday afternoon, Oct. 8, through Saturday evening, Oct. 10.
- Service resumes: Sunday, Oct. 11, starting with a New Orleans-to-Mobile trip, according to the current schedule.
- Bus option: Amtrak arranged bus service for travelers who needed the train Thursday.
The restart date depends on the storm. Travelers with plans for Sunday or early next week should check the status of their train before heading to the station, because damage to tracks, signals, bridges or stations, or lingering flooding, could affect operations after the hurricane passes. Passengers holding tickets on canceled trains can contact Amtrak through Amtrak.com, the Amtrak app or 1-800-USA-RAIL about changing or refunding their trips.
Why the trains are stopping
The cancellations cover the period when Isaias is expected to have its greatest effect on the coast. As of the National Hurricane Center’s 4 p.m. Thursday advisory, Isaias was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, and forecasters expected it to strengthen further overnight. Landfall was expected along the Alabama-western Florida Panhandle coast late Friday or early Saturday.
Hurricane and storm surge warnings are in effect for coastal Alabama, and forecasters have warned of 5 to 7 feet of storm surge above normally dry ground along vulnerable parts of the Mississippi, Alabama and northwest Florida coast, including Mobile Bay. Tropical-storm-force winds were expected Friday, with the most dangerous conditions Friday night into early Saturday.
The Mardi Gras Service route runs close to the water for much of its length, following the Mississippi Sound coastline through low-lying communities that are especially exposed to surge, wind and flooding. Stopping trains before the storm keeps passengers and crews off the route during the worst weather and allows railroad crews to inspect the line once conditions improve.
About the Mardi Gras Service
The Mardi Gras Service returned passenger rail to Mobile in August 2025, roughly 20 years after Hurricane Katrina ended Gulf Coast passenger service in 2005. Katrina severely damaged the coastal rail line, and the Gulf Coast segment of Amtrak’s Sunset Limited was suspended and never restored.
Bringing trains back fell to the Southern Rail Commission, a federally chartered body representing Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, which spent years negotiating with the freight railroads that own the tracks. Funding commitments from Louisiana, Mississippi and the City of Mobile helped put the plan in motion.
The service runs twice daily in each direction between Mobile and New Orleans, a trip of about 3 hours and 45 minutes, with stops in four Mississippi coastal cities:
- Pascagoula
- Biloxi
- Gulfport
- Bay St. Louis
Ridership has far exceeded early expectations. Initial projections called for about 60,000 riders in the first year. The service passed that mark in less than six months, topped 100,000 riders within eight months and reached 150,000 riders in September, about 400 passengers a day on average, according to officials who marked the line’s first anniversary.
In Mobile, passengers currently board at an uncovered platform near the downtown waterfront. Mayor Spiro Cheriogotis has said his administration is developing a plan for a covered downtown station to serve the Mardi Gras Service, and some City Council members have suggested using unused space beneath the Mobile Convention Center.
Planning a trip after the storm
Riders with trips booked for the days after Isaias should keep a few things in mind:
- Confirm before you go. The Sunday restart is the current plan, but it could change if the storm damages the rail line or leaves flooding behind.
- Watch for alerts. Amtrak typically notifies ticketed passengers of changes by email or text, so make sure your contact information on your reservation is current.
- Check conditions at both ends. Roads around stations in Mobile and along the Mississippi coast may be affected by debris, power outages or high water even after trains are running again.
- Allow extra time. Crews may need to inspect track and crossings after the storm, which can lead to slower running or delays in the first days back.
Other travel disruptions
The rail suspension is one of several travel changes along the coast as Isaias approaches. In Pensacola, officials said the airport would close to commercial flights Friday morning, and interstate traffic was heavy Thursday as visitors and residents left Gulf Coast beaches. In Mobile, Cheriogotis issued a civil emergency proclamation running from 8 a.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday, and all city offices are closed Friday. Gov. Kay Ivey ordered non-residents to leave Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Dauphin Island, and officials have warned that roads, bridges and causeways could close as conditions deteriorate.
Travelers should allow extra time, avoid unnecessary trips once the weather worsens and never drive through flooded roads.
Where to get updates
Travelers can check train status and service alerts at Amtrak.com, through the Amtrak mobile app or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL. The Southern Rail Commission also posts updates on the Mardi Gras Service. For storm information, residents should follow the National Hurricane Center, the National Weather Service office in Mobile and their county emergency management agency.