The national railway company, Comboios de Portugal, is running a new tourist train service on the narrow-gauge Vouga line.
Three wooden carriages from the early 1900s have been refurbished by a specialist maintenance company in the Comboios de Portugal Group, and they will travel every Saturday until September 30th, 2017.
The new tourist service on the Vouga Line, "the only narrow-gauge line in the country," includes a programme of on-board tasting of regional products.
The other remaining metre gauge lines (the Corgo, Tâmega and Tua lines) all closed in 2009 and the Vouga line remains under threat of closure unless this tourist service can re-energise the business.
The Government's strategic transport plan (2011-2015) was packed full of guff about 'sustainability' but included a proposal to close the Vouga line.
The train travels between Aveiro and Macinhata do Vouga, departing from Aveiro station at 1:40 p.m., returning to the same station at 7:08 p.m., with tickets priced at €29.50 for adults and €16 for children.
The three carriages were professionally recovered by Empresa de Manutenção e Equipamento Ferroviário having been mothballed several decades ago.
The Vouga Historic Train is the result of a partnership between the railway company, Águeda council and the council of Macinhata do Vouga, which all worked together to create something special.
Tickets can be purchased at CP's ticketing network, through the online ticket office or by the Call Center: 707 210 220.
History:
After the line was opened by Manuel II of Portugal in 1908, the Companhia do Vale do Vouga operated it from 1907 to 1946.
The first section, between Espinho and Oliveira de Azeméis, opened to traffic on 21 December 1908; the next section to be completed was between Ul and Albergaria-a-Velha.
The line between this location and Macinhata Vouga, and the Aveiro extension, opened on 8 September 1911. The remainder of the line opened in 1913.
On 30 December 1946, it was nationalised and taken over by the CP.
See also:
'Duoro steam service back on track'
'New rail service for tourists in retro '40s-style carriages'
The Vouga line at Aveiro, June 2008
The Vouge line, 2017
