Linha do Vouga

Linha do Vouga (the Vouga line) is the last surviving metre gauge railway line in Portugal still operated by Comboios de Portugal. The other remaining metre gauge lines (the Corgo, Tâmega and Tua lines) all closed in 2009. The line is, however, also under the threat of closure.

Linha do Vouga and Ramal de Aveiro
000,694 Espinho-Vouga 000,000 ⇩ Espinho–Sernada section 000,694 Espinho-Vouga 000,000 L. Norte → Porto-Campanhã (old route) 0,000 Espinho (old station) Espinho (new station) LC × Rua 15 (tunnel / old route) 000,694 Espinho-Vouga L. Norte → Lisboa-S.A. 002,560 Silvade-Vouga 003,402 Monte de Paramos 004,000 Gulhe (dem.) 005,463 Lapa 006,553 Sampaio-Oleiros 009,042 Paços de Brandão 011,004 Rio Meão 014,094 São João de Ver 016,712 Cavaco 018,830 Sanfins 019,502 Vila da Feira 021,496 Escapães 023,507 Arrifana 000,000 → L. Póvoa → Sra. Hora × L. Douro ⇇ Erm. Camp. ⇉ Rég. B.d'A. Fânzeres Gondomar S. P. Cova Avintes Crestuma Sandim Caldas S. Jorge (cancelled pj.) 023,507 Arrifana 024,867 São João da Madeira 027,347 Faria 028,590 Couto de Cucujães 030,750 Santiago de Riba-Ul 032,747 Oliveira de Azeméis 035,200 Ul × R. Ferr. Silva LC × R. M. Brandão LC ┤ R. Fte. Santa ├ R. 5 Jan. closed LC × R. 5 Jan. LC × R. Pe. Silva Gomes LC × R. P. Guimarães ∥ R. Serro Bxo. LC × Old EN1 closed LC × Ul LC closed LC; ├ Tv. Pereiras closed LC × R. Pereiras LC × Av. Sá Carneiro LC × R. Carvalhal × EN224 LC × Tv. Martinho LC × R. Suzana ∥ R. Suzana ∥ R. A. J. Alm. LC; ├ R. C. Alves ∥ R. A. J. Alm. ∥ R. Teot. Alm. LC × R. Teot. Alm. ∥ R. Teot. Alm. 038,156 Travanca-Macinhata 041,363 Figueiredo 043,638 Pinheiro da Bemposta 045,949 Branca 048,466 Albergaria-a-Nova 053,200 Urgueiras 054,949 Albergaria-a-Velha Túnel de Minhoto (43 m) Túnel de Açores (116 m)
61,650/0,000 Sernada do Vouga
140,586 Viseu 000,000 Ramal de Aveiro → Aveiro 000,000 ⇩ troço Sernada-Viseu 000,000 ⇩ Sernada–Viseu section (dem.) 063,700 Carvoeiro 064,800 Carvalhada 066,286 Foz do Rio Mau Túnel de Ródão (29 m) 069,986 Poço de Santiago Túnel de Carvoeira (42 m) Túnel de Vale Côvo (16 m) 071,936 Paradela-Sever 071,936 Paradela-Sever (dem.) Túnel de Bouço Pedra (60 m) Túnel de Zebadinho (32 m) Túnel de Tapada Velha (47 m) 075,733 Cedrim Túnel de Modorno I (34 m) Túnel de Modorno II (45 m) 079,119 Senhora da Lourosa 080,498 Ribeiradio 083,861 Arcozelo das Maias 085,569 Quintela Túnel de Póvoa da Ursa (78 m) 088,722 Santa Cruz 091,270 Nespereira do Vouga 093,540 Pinheiro de Lafões Túnel de Outeirais (25 m) Túnel de Portela (25 m) 097,719 Oliveira de Frades 099,945 São Vicente de Lafões 101,000 ⇠ VZL  ⇢ OFR  103,000 ⇡ OFR  ⇣ VZL  Túnel de Batôco (41 m) 102,243 Fojo Túnel de Monte Cavalo I (37 m) Túnel de Monte Cavalo II (33 m) 106,200 Vouzela Túnel de Lamas (25 m) 109,000 ⇡ VZL  ⇣ SPS  110,005 Termas de São Pedro do Sul 111,000 × Rio Vouga 112,600 Drizes 113,464 São Pedro do Sul 113,464 São Pedro do Sul L. Lamego → C.D., Lam. (cancelled pj.) 11X,000 × Rio Vouga 116,154 ⇡ SPS  ⇣ VZL  116,000 Fataunços 116,000 ⇡ VZL  ⇣ SPS  118,000 ⇡ SPS  ⇣ VZL  120,847 Real das Donas Túnel de Couraceiro (44 m) 123,559 Moçâmedes Túnel de São Miguel do Mato (50 m) 125,775 São Miguel do Mato 116,000 ⇡ VZL  ⇣ VIS  129,294 Bodiosa 131,981 Travanca - Bodiosa 134,181 Mozelos 135,461 Campo 138,487 Abraveses L. Dão → S. C.-Dão (dem.) 140,586 Viseu 140,586 Viseu → L. Tua → Tua (cancelled pj.) × L. B. Alta ⇇ C.-B Pamp. ⇉ Gda. V.F. Seia (cancelled pj.) Loriga / Serra da Estrela (cancelled pj.) L. B. Baixa ← Abrantes, Entroncamento Tortosendo Covilhã L. B. Baixa → Guarda
000,000 Ramal de Aveiro 000,000 ⇩ Ramal de Aveiro 002,700 Macinhata do Vouga 000,000 ┤ R. Principal      Jafafe Bridge × Vouga R. ├ R. Principal 002,700 Macinhata do Vouga (museu) 004,700 Carvalhal da Portela 006,400 Valongo-Vouga 008,900 Aguieira 010,100 Mourisca do Vouga × R. J. G. Pimenta 014,400 Águeda × IC2 017,100 Oronhe 018,300 Casal do Álvaro × EM601 019,700 Cabanões 021,300 Travassô × R. Águeda Túnel de Eirol (74 m) 023,700 Eirol × A1 025,800 São João de Loure 027,800 Eixo 027,800 Eixo × A17 032,500 Esgueira × EN230 × EN584 × EN109
037,700 Aveiro 000,000 L. Norte → Campanhã R. Aveiro-Mar R. Canal de São Roque 037,700 Aveiro
000,000 L. Norte 000,000 L. Norte → Lisboa-SA

Location on the network

+ Aveiro × Espinho (🔎)

The Vouga line serves Aveiro, Agueda, Sernada do Vouga, Albergaria-a-Velha, Oliveira de Azeméis, São João da Madeira, Santa Maria da Feira, and Espinho.

Since 2002, services on the line have largely been operated by CP's Série 9630 diesel multiple units, which replaced the previous ex-Yugoslav Série 9700 diesel multiple units and the Dutch-built Série 9300 railcars.

The section between Sernada do Vouga and Viseu is closed.

Sernada do Vouga railway station

The Vouga line at Aveiro, June 2008

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.

In the 2016 timetable, the section of line between Sernada do Vouga and Oliveira de Azeméis was served by rail replacement taxi running twice daily.[1] This is still the situation in 2018. Some repair and rehabilitation work has been undertaken on the section between Aveiro and Sernada da Vouga. More trains now run along that section, with seven of the ten daily trains covering the whole length. The northern section between Oliveira de Azeméis and Aveiro has eight trains each way daily except Sundays and holidays, when there are seven.

See also

• List of railway lines in Portugal
• List of Portuguese locomotives and railcars
• History of rail transport in Portugal
• Narrow gauge railways
• Infraestruturas de Portugal

References

1. "Train times :: CP Passengers" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2016-10-04.

• The Portuguese Government's strategic transport plan 2011-2015, including the proposed closure of the Vouga line