100+ Day Data Shows Strong Demand and Customer Satisfaction for Amtrak Mardi Gras Service Trains

More than 46,000 customer trips since August

NEW ORLEANS - Figures released at today's public meeting of the Amtrak Board of Directors demonstrate the newest Amtrak service is gaining customers at strong pace. Since Aug. 18, more than 46,000 customers have ridden Amtrak Mardi Gras Service trains on the twice-daily round trips across Coastal Mississippi between New Orleans and Mobile.

"We are well on-track to double the original estimate," said Amtrak Board Chairman Anthony "Tony" Coscia. "Demand is very high across our network."

"Amtrak is proud of what we've achieved with local partners in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama," said Amtrak Executive Vice President Jennifer Mitchell. "Credit goes to the communities along the route, who have embraced this service faster than anyone could have predicted."

Strong support has also come from three regional tourism agencies and the Southern Rail Commission.

The trains have already rocketed to the top of all services in customer satisfaction scores, due to work by Amtrak train, engine, on-board and maintenance teams. Ninety-six-percent of customers report they were "extremely satisfied" with their trips. Amtrak board members, management and the audience applauded Amtrak employees at the annual public board meeting.

Thanks to reliable service over the CSX, Norfolk Southern and New Orleans Public Belt railroads, more than 86-percent of customers are on-time: one of the best on-time performance scores in the Amtrak system. Even in the few times these trains are delayed, almost 90-percent of customers are still extremely satisfied.

In 108 days of service, an average of more than 420 people daily rode the two round trips across the Gulf Coast between Mobile and New Orleans. "Thousands of trips have been diverted from I-10 and US-90," Mitchell added.

Ordinarily softer ridership is expected the first quarter of a calendar year on many routes. But this has not been a typical route, Mitchell said. "You can tell by the statistics and see by the name given to these trains: Mardi Gras."

The first of more than 40 festival parades in Mobile is on Jan. 30. In New Orleans, the Krewes start even sooner, with parades stepping off on Jan. 6. Carnival runs everywhere across this route through Fat Tuesday on Feb. 17, including Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi and Pascagoula.

This service is sponsored by the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, with the City of Mobile, in cooperation with the Southern Rail Commission.

Book now at Amtrak.com/MardiGras, Amtrak mobile apps, the New Orleans ticket counter or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. See more about what's happening on this route at NewOrleans.com, CoastalMississippi.com and Mobile.org.