Linha da Beira Alta

Linha da Beira Alta is an international railway line which connects Pampilhosa on the Linha do Norte, close to Coimbra, to the border with Spain, at Vilar Formoso.

Linha da Beira Alta
Linha da Beira Alta close to Pampilhosa.
Overview
Status	Operational
Termini	Pampilhosa Vilar Formoso
Operation
Owner	Infraestruturas de Portugal
Technical
Line length	202 km (126 mi)[1]
Track gauge	Iberian
Electrification	25 kV / 50 kHz Overhead line
Route map

Location on the network

+ Pampilhosa × Vilar Formoso (🔎)

Linha da Beira Alta
000,000 L. Norte 000,000 L. Norte → Lisboa-S. A.
050,426 Pampilhosa 050,426 Pampilhosa R. F. Foz → F. Foz (closed 2009)
000,000 L. Norte 000,000 054,052 Quinta do Valongo-Vacariça 056,320 Pego Carpinteiros tunnel (58 m) 059,220 Luso-Buçaco Pequeno Salgueiral tunnel (103 m) Grande Salgueiral tunnel (1096 m) Portinhas tunnel (76 m) Várzeas Bridge × Várzeas River 063,200 Trezói Trezói tunnel (542 m) Azeval tunnel (200 m) 067,407 Soito Espinho tunnel (190 m) Ribeira tunnel (84 m) Monte Lobos tunnel (390 m) 070,800 Monte dos Lobos / Monte de Lobos
073,549 Mortágua 076,000 Freixo (dem.) 000,000 Breda (dem.) Coval tunnel (33 m) L. Penacova → Coimbra (cancelled proj.)
085,474 Santa Comba Dão 085,474 Santa Comba Dão L. Dão → Viseu; closed. 1988 089,830 Castelejo ⇡ SCD  ⇣ CRS  093,629 Papízios 095,600 Póvoa da Arenosa (dem.)
097,960 Carregal do Sal 099,700 Alvarelhos (dem.)
102,368 Oliveirinha-Cabanas 103,901 Fiais da Telha (dem.) ⇡ CRS  ⇣ NLS  107,050 Lapa do Lobo
109-097 Canas-Felgueira 111,900 Urgeiriça 115,453 Folhadal
117,212 Nelas 000,000 Vilar Seco (dem.) ⇡ NLS  ⇣ MGL  123,870 Moimenta-Alcafache
128,509 Mangualde Murilo tunnel (228 m)
133,799 Contenças 139,888 Abrunhosa 140,260 Abrunhosa (former) Abrunhosa tunnel (305 m) ⇡ MGL  ⇣ GVA
144,208 Gouveia ⇡ GVA  ⇣ FAG
152,243 Fornos de Algodres 157,617 Muxagata (closed) 160,655 Vila Boa do Mondego (closed)
167,919 Celorico da Beira 170.980 Minhocal (dem.) 173,154 Baraçal 176,008 Maçal do Chão 177,890 Maçal da Ribeira (closed) ⇡ FAG  ⇣ TCS
181,834 Vila Franca das Naves L. Côa → Pocinho (cancelled proj.) ⇡ TCS  ⇣ PNH  184,682 Cerejo (closed) 187,268 Pinhel (closed) ⇠ TCS  ⇢ PNH  ⇠ CLB  TCS  ⇢ PNH  ⇡ PNH  ⇣ GRD  191,670 Trajinha / Trajadinha (dem.) 199,572 Sobral (formerly Sobral-Avelãs) 202,500 Alvendre (dem.)
206,307 Guarda
000,000 L. B. Baixa 000,000 L. B. Baixa → Entr. (temp. closed) 210,395 Gata R. M. B. → Sabugal (L. B. Baixa) (cancelled proj.) 213,516 Vila Garcia 216,894 Vila Fernando 222,008 Rochoso ⇡ GRD  ⇣ SBG
225,872 Cerdeira ⇡ SBG  ⇣ ALD  229.085 Miuzela 232,712 Noémi (dem.) 237,275 Castelo Mendo 239,606 Malhada Sorda (dem.) 244,241 Freineda 246,883 Aldeia (formerly Aldeia de São Sebastião)
251,894 Vilar Formoso 251,894 Vilar Formoso (Cust. closed) 252,161 000,000 ⇡ Portugal ⇣ Spain
000,000 Adif 120 000,000 Adif 120 → C. Rodrigo, Salamanca, Hendaye

The electrified, mostly single-track, iberian gauge (1,668 m) line runs parallel to the Mondego River.[2] It is the main railway access from Portugal to the rest of Europe.[1] It was constructed by Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses da Beira Alta to open a new international link, closer to Coimbra, and to connect the line to the Port of Figueira da Foz. It was opened on 3 August 1882.[3] During the modernisation and electrification in the 1980s and 90s the signalling and tracks were replaced.[1]

Linha da Beira Alta diagram on an azulejos at the Vilar Formoso railway station

See also

• List of railway lines in Portugal
• List of Portuguese locomotives and railcars
• History of rail transport in Portugal

References

1. Martins et al, 1996:198-199
2. "Beira alta, Beira baja y los Ramales de Cáceres y Badajoz". Maquetren (in Spanish). Madrid: A. G. B., s. l. 1994.
3. Torres, Carlos Manitto (1 February 1958). "A evolução das linhas portuguesas e o seu significado ferroviário" (PDF). Gazeta dos Caminhos de Ferro. Retrieved 11 January 2019.

Sources

• Martins, João; Brion, Madalena; Sousa, Miguel (1996). O Caminho de Ferro Revisitado (in Portuguese). Lisbon: Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses.
• "2019 Network Statement" (PDF). 7 December 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2019. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)