BILOXI, Miss. (WJTV) – Amtrak services along the Mississippi Gulf Coast will soon return after nearly 20 years.

The Southern Rail Commission said a new station will make the goal of connecting Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, closer to a reality in Summer 2025.

According to the commission, the construction of a new Amtrak platform and layover track in Mobile is underway with a targeted completion date this summer. Officials expect the first trains to roll out of the station then.

The region has not had access to Amtrak services since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Amtrak’s plan is for trains to run from the station near the convention center in Mobile to New Orleans with four stops in Mississippi.