For those skeptics that thought this would never happen. Batta-Bing! 
Count me as one of the skeptics. I never thought Alabama would buy in. Iām still in doubt about the numbers predicted by the supporters. Iām not sure how long the $15 dollar tickets will last. At that price, itās cheaper than driving Mobile to NO. If they could get a connection to the New Orleans airport, I could see a large number of riders from Mobile and southern Mississippi who would consider this route.
āIām not sure how long the $15 dollar tickets will last.ā
According to Amtrakās webpage, the value coach fare from New Orleans to Mobile for September 24th is $24. The flex fare is $27. Business class is $59.
The fare on Greyhound for the same date is $28.98. Greyhound has three direct trips a day, with the fastest being 2 hours 20 minutes.
What impact the subsidized Amtrak service will have on Greyhoundās schedule is unknown.
4 hours? I can see why the fares have to be so low, because Amtrak is not competing on time of travel.
I got the $15 fare from the article. Could that be an introductory fare only, with the regular fare then $24?
It might be. I think the schedule is a āno longer thanā guess rather then it actually taking 4 hours. Amtrak or Southern Rail Commission was just primarily announcing the Start Date. I donāt think they have a firm schedule yet. I think the goal was one RT in the morning and one RT in the evening. Surprised they will have Business Class and a Cafe Car because before they were just saying a locomotive and three coaches. So probably a Cafe Car / Buiness Class Car in one carbody.
The schedule is posted on Amtraks website. 3 hours and 43 minutes. Slow.
Iām not sure, but on Google Maps it looks like the Mobile Amtrak station is near where the old station was. I donāt know if Mobile is going to build a new station, or if it will be just a platform for loading and unloading.
At least the New Orleans station has a streetcar stop at the station and it can access the main tourist sites and French Quarter.
I imagine Mississippi will be setting up some kind of transit from the train stations to the gulf coast casinos and hotels.
It will be interesting to see if this works. If the ridership is low, I canāt see Alabama continuing to pay. I
The time to drive is a little over two hours. The train has four stops in Mississippi alone.
According to Amtrakās webpage, for a trip on September 24th, which I chose randomly, the train is scheduled for 3 hours 43 minutes as you indicated. Each train includes a cafe. My guess is it will be like the business class/cafe car on the Pennsylvanian that I have ridden several times from New York to Pittsburgh. Half the car is for business class seats while the other half houses the cafe.
This is more a proof of concept. If ridership is decent then the plans are for Mobile to build a new station. For now they are staying with the platform. The train lays over in Mobile so the platform is not a huge issue as people can wait on the standing train for departure.