Bay St. Louis Amtrak Train to New Orleans: Which Day Trips Fit?

Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service stops at the platform on Depot Way four times a day. Two trains head west to New Orleans and two head east toward Mobile. With that few departures, the route's value to Old Town depends on what fits between the first train and the last one. In both directions, the gaps work for day trips and stop working once the evening starts.

Here is the October 5, 2026 timetable as it applies to the Bay St. Louis stop, followed by the outings it supports this fall.

The Four Times That Matter

Coming home from New Orleans, there are two choices. The 7:35 a.m. from Union Passenger Terminal gets to Bay St. Louis at 8:59 a.m., and the 5:31 p.m. gets in at 6:57 p.m. The eastbound ride is listed at 1 hour 24 minutes. The westbound ride into New Orleans is listed at 1 hour 50 minutes. Allow for the longer leg on the way in.

All four trains run daily, weekends included.

Westbound, the Day Trip Ends at 5:31

Take the 8:23 a.m. from Bay St. Louis and you reach New Orleans at 10:13 a.m. To get home the same night, you need the 5:31 p.m. eastbound. That leaves about seven hours and twenty minutes in the city. It is plenty for lunch, a museum, or a game. It is not enough for dinner at a normal hour.

Football fits that window well this season. New Orleans & Company describes Union Passenger Terminal as a short walk from the Superdome and the Smoothie King Center. Every remaining Saints home game with a fixed date kicks off at noon:

• Sunday, October 11 vs. Minnesota, noon CDT
• Sunday, November 8 vs. Cleveland, noon CST
• Sunday, November 15 vs. Carolina, noon CST
• Sunday, December 6 vs. Green Bay, noon CST
• Sunday, December 27 vs. Arizona, noon CST

The Week 18 home game against Tampa Bay does not have a date or kickoff time yet. On a noon Sunday, the 8:23 a.m. train arrives a little under two hours before kickoff. The 5:31 p.m. return leaves five and a half hours after kickoff.

Tonight shows where the schedule stops working. The Falcons game at the Superdome kicks off at 7:15 p.m., about an hour and three-quarters after the last eastbound train has left New Orleans. You can ride the 6:26 p.m. westbound to a night game, but no train brings you back the same night.

Seats on game days go fast. In September 2025, WLOX reported that football fans had filled the train on earlier weekends and that Amtrak added a car. Business class on the morning train was already sold out for that year's October 5 Saints game. AL.com put the extra coach at 60 seats. As of August 18, 2026, AL.com reported no announcement on whether that coach would return for this season. Book the November and December noon games early.

New Orleans also connects to longer trips. Southern Rail Commission Chairman Knox Ross has pointed out that riders can transfer to national Amtrak routes there, including service to Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Eastbound, the Same Schedule Gives Guests a Full Old Town Day

In the other direction, the morning train from New Orleans arrives in Bay St. Louis at 8:59 a.m. The evening westbound leaves at 6:26 p.m. A friend coming from New Orleans gets nearly nine and a half hours here without driving or parking. That is about two hours more than the westbound trip gives you in their city.

This week is a good test. Cruisin' the Coast is holding its 30th anniversary from October 4 through 11, 2026. Bay St. Louis is an official downtown site, and stamping runs Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. That fits inside the 8:59 arrival and 6:26 departure. Spectators can attend the sites free, but drivers have to park off-site and walk in. Guests arriving by train skip the parking. The platform is next to the historic depot.

The Bay St. Louis stage lineup this week:

1. Thursday, October 8: Razzoo, 11 a.m. to noon; Barlow Brothers, 1 to 2 p.m.; Escalade, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
2. Friday, October 9: Brandie, 11 a.m. to noon; Starz, 1 to 2 p.m.; Na Na Sha, 3 to 4:30 p.m.
3. Saturday, October 10: Keith Burns, 11 a.m. to noon; R&R Band, 1 to 2 p.m.; Vince Vance & The Valiants, 3 to 5 p.m.

The Sea Coast Echo reported that Thursday's Mopar Day in Da Bay takes place at the Bay St. Louis Train Depot. It also reported live music in Old Town on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. For a guest coming by train, the Thursday event is right next to where they get off.

The evening events show where the eastbound day ends. Candlebox plays Hollywood Casino at 7 p.m. Friday, and Saturday brings a free Bag of Donuts concert there at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks. Both start after the 6:26 p.m. train has left for New Orleans. A guest who wants either show needs a place to stay overnight in town.

Ross has said Cruisin' week was among the route's biggest ridership weeks in its first year, and he expected growth this year.

"Cruisin' the Coast is the perfect example of how this train works and takes people around to the city centers of the different cities," Ross told WLOX.

On non-festival weekends, the depot itself fills part of a guest's day. The 1929 Spanish Revival L&N building houses the Mardi Gras Museum, the Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum, and a visitor center. A park next to it has paths, benches, and event pavilions. Visit Mississippi lists the Mardi Gras Museum as open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Coastal Mississippi describes the area around the station as walkable, with galleries, boutiques, restaurants, and 100 Men Hall nearby.

What the Platform Does Not Provide

Amtrak lists the Bay St. Louis stop at 1928 Depot Way and calls it a platform only. The historic L&N building next door is listed as a point of interest, not a boarding facility. The stop has no staff, no restrooms, no ticket kiosk, and no Wi-Fi. Amtrak asks riders to arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. Buy tickets before you leave home. If you are walking from Old Town for the 8:23 a.m., plan to be on the platform by about 7:50.

Same-day and overnight parking are available, but Amtrak warns that spaces are not guaranteed. Great American Stations notes that parking fees may apply. On a Saints Sunday or during Cruisin' week, walking to the platform takes that uncertainty off the table.

Coastal Mississippi lists adult coach fares from $15 one-way for the full New Orleans to Mobile trip and says fares between intermediate stops are lower. It does not list a specific Bay St. Louis fare. A first-year analysis from Transportation for America found an average fare of $35 across the route. Check the price for your date on Amtrak before you plan the day around it.

A Busy First Year, With Funding Still to Settle

When the route reached its first anniversary on August 18, 2026, it had carried 150,000 passengers, about 400 riders per run on average. A 2015 study commissioned by the Southern Rail Commission had projected about 38,000. AL.com reported first-year revenue of about $5.2 million.

The schedule is not permanent. In September 2026, AL.com reported that the current operating subsidies expire in two years and that local governments, the states, and the rail commission were discussing longer-term support. Ross told the outlet the route is unlikely to cover its operating costs from fares alone after 2028, and that growing ridership is the immediate focus.

The line may also add stops. Ocean Springs leaders asked for a temporary stop at their L&N Depot for the Peter Anderson Festival on November 7 and 8, 2026. As of August, Ross said federal funding had been secured to study whether that stop should be seasonal, festival-only, or permanent. Until a decision is announced, plan the November festival weekend as a drive.

The next date that fits the timetable is Sunday, October 11. The 8:23 a.m. train reaches Union Passenger Terminal at 10:13, the Vikings game kicks off at noon, and the 5:31 p.m. eastbound gets you back to Depot Way at 6:57.

At 124 Court Development, we think a condo a short walk from the Depot Way platform makes noon kickoffs and visiting guests easier to plan. If you'd like to see how 124 Court fits the train schedule and Old Town's calendar, Schedule a Consultation.