Amtrak passenger rail service from Mobile to New Orleans starts in just about a month and questions remain on how this potential new influx of tourists could impact local businesses.

The new Amtrak Mardi Gras Service between New Orleans and Mobile has an Aug. 18 start date. Tickets are $15.

NEW ORLEANS — Amtrak's intercity passenger train service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, will begin on August 18. The twice-daily route, branded as the Amtrak Mardi Gras Service, will ...