re: Taking the Mardi Gras Service to Mobile Update: Trip Report

I have a few trips booked over the next few months including an overnight and a same day to BSL to visit with friends there. From leaving my house to downtown BSL will take an extra 35 minutes (20 extra minutes of train time vs. car and 15 minutes of arriving at station, boarding train, waiting for departure).

However, one of those trips is departing at 5:30 pm on a Friday evening....there is no way you can drive from downtown NO to downtown BSL in a car in 1 hour at that time of day, in fact I will map it and take a screen shot but I am almost certain the train will take the same amount of time.

Last, I can eat, drink, read, nap on train instead of dealing with I-10 and worried if someone is going to wreck and leave me at a standstill 100 ft above the Pearl River on a 2 lane interstate with no shoulders.

Had a blast on our Amtrak trip earlier this week! Ran into local friends celebrating with a quick getaway, and made new friends on the train as well.

Our arrival in Mobile was welcomed by staff from the nearby Visitors Center, giving out goodie bags, and golf cart drivers looking to ferry travelers unwilling to walk across the very busy street to their destination. Lunch at The Noble South was pleasant, but nothing special to this New Orleanian. Enjoyed the look of the place, though. We spent the rest of our visit at the History Museum, adjacent to the Visitors Center, and around the block from the Amtrak platform.

The Visitors Center became an impromptu gathering spot for New Orleanians sharing their Katrina stories for about a half hour, and the energy there recaptured that period after the storm, when congregating and sharing were so healing. Walter, a staffer at the Visitors Center, is a trove of good information. (They have a Haunted Bookstore!) Included in your ticket to the museum is a visit to a nearby reconstructed fort, but it was too hot and sunny to venture over there. The museum gives a good overview of the development of the city. I found the section detailing the growth of the city during WWll to be especially interesting.

Others on the return trip shared that they had fun at Dauphin’s, mentioning good cocktails, well-priced apps, and a stunning view of the city. They also made it over to the Cathedral, something we plan to include in our next visit, and they gushed over the stained glass windows. There are several small parks scattered around the downtown area, and they stopped at one of these, as well.

The trip over and back was a fun experience, and we are planning an overnight visit to Mobile in the future. If you decide to go, be aware that smoking/vaping on the train is forbidden, and will get you put off. Playing music, or anything making noise, is also discouraged. Bring your headphones if you plan to listen or watch videos. There is a very generous luggage allowance, and alcohol is allowed. (The dining car, really more of a concession stand, is VERY pricey on booze.) They engage in dynamic pricing, so ticket price will vary based on demand and day of the week. Returning to the train in Mobile, we found that we were crossing a very wide street, with an exit ramp from an elevated expressway feeding into it. A bit daunting if you are tired or “happy.” I hope they figure out a way to fix this quickly, as I’m finding a lot of interest in the new route online. We enjoyed our day out; would do again.

NB: The parking lot in NOLA uses a QR code to pay. Snap a photo of your license plate if you are running late. I found the thing tricky to navigate, and we had to run to make the train. I was finally able to successfully pay after the train was moving, but it led to some anxious moments.