Amtrak hasn’t visited the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina hit the area 15 years ago. Given the abundance of alternative transportation options like highways and cheap flights, Amtrak’s return to the area seemed unlikely. But City Council members in Mobile, Alabama, just voted for the return of the Sunset Limited — the train that once traveled along the Gulf Coast — and those who frequently traveled on the old route are sure to feel a bit nostalgic.
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Amtrak Is Bringing Back Its Gulf Coast Route for the First Time Since Hurricane Katrina
The vote would bring back a portion of the Sunset Limited line that would run along the Gulf Coast to and from Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana. Mississippi and Louisiana have joined Mobile in dedicating funds to reviving the route by 2023, with Mobile likely serving as the new terminus.
Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the train ran all the way to Orlando and Miami, but it looks like this iteration won’t go quite that far.
With the restored route, Amtrak hopes to give travelers a new, efficient way of exploring the culturally rich region. 