Linha do Douro

Linha do Douro is a railway in northern Portugal. For much of its route the line runs close to the Douro River, offering very scenic views of the river and valley. Trains on the line are operated by Comboios de Portugal (CP).

Linha do Douro
Pinhão railway station.
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerInfraestruturas de Portugal
TerminiErmesinde
Pocinho
Service
Operator(s)Comboios de Portugal
Technical
Line lengthca 160 km (99 mi)
Track gauge1,668 mm (5 ft 5 2132 in) Iberian gauge
Electrification25 kV / 50 kHz Overhead line
(Ermesinde to Caíde)
Location on the network

+ Ermesinde × Pocinho (🔎)

Ramal de Alfarelos
000 000 L. Minho / C. Gemil
000 000 L. Minho São Bento  
C. S. Gemil
008,430 Ermesinde
008,976 L. Minho
008,976 L. Minho Valença
009,500 Ermesinde-A
(closed)
010,406 Cabêda
014,300 Suzão
× IP4/A4
015,965 Valongo
× Ferreira River
018,622 São Martinho do Campo
019,346 S. M. do Campo Terminal
021,815 Terronhas
023,387 Trancoso
025,332 Recarei-Sobreira
028,170 Parada
030,169 Cête
031,760 Irivo
031,904
R. Irivo
032,445
033,154 Oleiros
× IP4/A4
034,940 Paredes
037,400 Santiago
(dem.)
037,990 Penafiel
CFPLE
Entre-os-Rios
Penafiel
(old station)
CFPLE
Lixa
040,785 Bustelo
043,057 Meinedo
046,075 Caíde
037,900
Tapada tunnel
(1086 m) × A11
048,815 Oliveira
050,814 Vila Meã
× IP4/A4
050,817 Recesinhos (formerly Castelões)
055,323 Livração
055,323 Livração
000 000 L. Tâmega
000 000 L. Tâmega
057,801
Gaviarra tunnel
(258 m)
058,201
Campainha tunnel
(227 m)
059,954 Marco de Canaveses
064,910 Juncal
065,201
Juncal tunnel (1621 m)
069,851 Pala
072,362 Mosteirô
075,318 Portuzelo
(dem.)
075,700 Aregos-CPE
(dem.)
078,374 Aregos
081,658 Mirão
084,090 Ermida
084,301
Riboura tunnel
(120 m)
087,669 Porto Rei
Loureiro tunnel
(402 m)
Má Passada tunnel
(32 m)
091,412 Barqueiros
094,614 Rede
098,034 Caldas de Moledo
100,101
Santinho tunnel
(82 m)
101,815 Godim
101,815 Godim (formerly Quatro Caminhos)
102,411
Régua tunnel
(342 m)
103,297 Régua
103,297 Régua
L. Lamego
Lamego (abandoned proj.)
= L. Corgo (dual) × EN2
= L. Corgo (dual) Corgo Bridge × Corgo River
104,500 L. Corgo
104,500 L. Corgo Chaves (closed 2009)
107,101
Bagaúste tunnel
(425 m)
107,595 Milnorte
107,769 Bagaúste
(old route)
109,001
Pedra Caldeira tunnel
(174 m)
112,237 Covelinhas
116,411 Gouvinhas
119,219 Ferrão
123,369 Chanceleiros
(dem.)
126,830 Pinhão
132,321 Cotas
(closed)
135,186 Castedo
(dem.)
138,428 São Mamede do Tua
139,727 Tua
139,727 Tua
000 000 L. Tua
000 000 L. Tua
Rapa tunnel
(68 m)
145,136 Alegria
147,001
Valeira tunnel
(712 m)
(old route)
Ferradosa Bridge × Douro River
Ferradosa
(old station)
150,612 Ferradosa
153,133 Vargelas
153,501
Vargelas tunnel
(364 m)
154,701
Arnozelo tunnel I
(31 m)
155,901
Arnozelo tunnel II
(57 m)
156,001
Arnozelo tunnel III
(62 m)
158,400 Vesúvio
162,982 Freixo de Numão-Mós do Douro
156,701
Fontainhas tunnel I
(162 m)
168,501
Meão tunnel
(62 m)
168,801
Saião tunnel
(752 m)
169,701
Vale Meão tunnel
(91 m)
171,522 Pocinho
171,522 Pocinho
000 000 L. Sabor
000 000 L. Sabor
107,595 R. Pocinho-Quimigal
× IP2
180,600 Côa
Castelo Melhor tunnel
(79 m)
187,300 Castelo Melhor
191,800 Almendra
Almendra tunnel
(91 m)
199,500 Barca d'Alva
199,500 Barca d'Alva (closed 1988)
191,800 Bridge
200,100 F. San Esteban (closed 1985)
Porto Commuter rail
Guimarães
Covas
Nespereira
Caíde
Pereirinhas
Cuca
Vizela
Lordelo
Braga
Giesteira
Ferreiros
Vila das Aves
Mazagão
Caniços
Aveleda
Santo Tirso
Tadim
Ruilhe
Caíde
Arentim
Meinedo
Couto de
Cambeses
Bustelo
Nine
Penafiel
Louro
Paredes
Mouquim
Oleiros
Famalicão
Irivo
Barrimau
Cête
Esmeriz
Parada
Lousado
Recarei-Sobreira
Trofa
Trancoso
Portela
Terronhas
São Romão
São Martinho
do Campo
São Frutuoso
Valongo
Leandro
Suzão
Travagem
Cabeda
Ermesinde
Águas Santas/
Palmiheira
Rio Tinto
Contumil
Porto-Campanhã
General Torres
Porto-São Bento
Vila Nova de Gaia
Coimbrões
Aveiro
Madalena
Cacia
Valadares
Canelas
Francelos
Salreu
Miramar
Estarreja
Aguda
Avanca
Granja
Válega
Espinho
Ovar
Silvalde
Carvalheira-
Maceda
Paramos
Cortegaça
Esmoriz
Legend
Ramal de Braga/Linha do Minho
Linha do Douro
Linha de Guimarães
Linha do Norte
Source: Official site, January 2019
Freight train near Valeira on the Douro line, September 2008
Tua station on the Douro line: a Série 1400 locomotive heading a passenger train (left) passing a freight train headed by a Série 1960 (right)

Construction

Section between stations Distance Date of opening
ErmesindePenafiel30.311 km29 July 1875
PenafielCaíde07.328 km20 December 1875
CaídeJuncal18.818 km15 September 1878
JuncalRégua38.371 km15 July 1879
RégualFerrão15.813 km4 April 1880
FerrãoPinhão07.611 km1 June 1880
PinhãoTua12.993 km1 September 1883
TuaPocinho31.678 km10 January 1887
PocinhoCôa09.061 km5 May 1887
CôaBarca d'Alva - Spanish border18.882 km9 December 1887

Route

From west to east, the line runs from the junction at Ermesinde to Pocinho. The line formerly continued east for a further 28 kilometres to the Spanish border. Until 1984, the track continued onwards into Spain, thus allowing through trains to/from Salamanca.

Passenger trains normally run from São Bento station in Porto to Pocinho, with some not running as far as the eastern terminus. The line is built to the Iberian gauge of 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 2132 in). The line is single track, apart from a double track section between Ermesinde and Valongo (the authorisation for the dualling work was given by CP in 1993).[1]

In 1984, the Spanish rail operator RENFE announced the closure of its connecting line from La Fuente de San Esteban to the Portuguese border. With the loss of international traffic, CP had to close its line east of Barca d'Alva to Spain. The service was cut back to Pocinho in 1988, which has since remained the eastern terminus of the Douro line.[2]

Branch lines

There were formerly five metre gauge branch lines connecting with the Douro line, but the last of these closed in 2009. Geographically, from west to east they were:

  • The Penafiel to Lixa and Entre-os-Rios line, which closed in the 1920s after less than 20 years of service
  • The Tâmega line, which closed in 2009 and ran north from a junction with Douro line at Livração
  • The Corgo line, which closed in 2009 and ran north from a junction with Douro line at Regua
  • The Tua line, which closed in 2008 and ran north from a junction with Douro line at Tua
  • The Sabor line, which closed in 1988 and ran north-east from a junction with Douro line at Pocinho

See also

References

  1. "Cronologia: 1844/1874 - Desde o Projecto até ao Fim do 3º Quartel do Séc. XIX". CP (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on October 6, 2014.
  2. "História da linha do Douro". A linha do Douro (in Portuguese). September 1989.

Sources

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