We recently returned from our Sunset Limited excursion to Arizona and back from Texas on Amtrak and learned today that ridership on Amtrak’s new Mardi Gras service has exceeded expectations. This success occurred within its first three-plus months of operation along the Gulf Coast.
The Mardi Gras service was launched in August to link New Orleans and Mobile, Ala. Now, more than 46,000 passengers have ridden the twice-daily roundtrips. The long-awaited service uses a combination of CSX, Norfolk Southern, and New Orleans Public Belt Railroad trackage.
“We are well on-track to double the original estimate,” Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony Coscia said in a statement. “Demand is very high across our network.”
Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell said the communities along the route have embraced the service faster than predicted. “Amtrak is proud of what we’ve achieved with local partners in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama,” she said in a statement.
Strong support has also come from three regional tourism agencies and the Southern Rail Commission, Amtrak noted.
The trains rank at the top of all Amtrak services in customer satisfaction scores. Amtrak attributes this success to the work by its train, engine, on-board, and maintenance teams. Some 96% of customers said they were “extremely satisfied” with their trips.
Customer on-time performance to date is 86%, which is one of the best rates in the Amtrak system. When trains are delayed, nearly 90% of passengers said they were still “extremely satisfied” with the Amtrak experience.
In 108 days of service, an average of more than 420 people daily rode the Mardi Gras trains.
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I’m glad you enjoyed your excursion to Arizona via Amtrak. It’s a lot more relaxing than driving. Hopefully, the new Amtrak line will continue to do well. We took an Amtrak train from Cleveland to Flagstaff in 2018. It’s a great way to travel and see locals wandering around their backyards in their underwear. 🙂
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😂🤩🚆
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I saw that particular sight one day, and all I had to do was go to my turn-around spot to get to my driveway! The things you see.
I am glad the trains are coming back; seems they are careful to plan this, so it won’t go under.
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