Amtrak passenger services will officially return to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.
Though officials in Mobile, Alabama threw a wrench in plans to bring the twice-daily train route back to the region in late June, city leaders have since had a change of heart after returning to the negotiating table. On Tuesday, the Mobile City Council unanimously voted to fund passenger services for the next three years.
Back in 2022, Amtrak and two freight companies came to an agreement allowing a route from Mobile to New Orleans, La. with four stops in Mississippi along the way. Those stops are designated to be in Bay St. Louis, Pascagoula, Gulfport, and Biloxi.
With the consensus approval by south Alabama leaders, crews will soon begin performing a facelift on existing tracks in the tri-state area to ensure that everything is up to par for the triumphant return of a rail line unused for nearly two decades.
“Restoring Amtrak services to the Mississippi Gulf Coast has been a years-long effort, and one of many to help the region recover from Hurricane Katrina,” U.S. Senator Roger Wicker said.
“This will reconnect the Gulf Coast states and provide an alternative way to move people safely, which could also reduce traffic on our roadways. More travel options will increase tourism and provide economic opportunities to the Mississippi communities along the route. I am glad to see this investment is finally reaching the finish line.”
Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross is hopeful that the rail line will be up and running by the time Super Bowl LIX kicks off in New Orleans’ Caesar’s Super Dome on February 9, 2025. Initial projections by Amtrak have the trains rolling along the Gulf Coast sometime next spring.
