Linha do Vouga ''(the Vouga line)'' is the last surviving

metre gauge Metre-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of or 1 metre. The metre gauge is used in around of tracks around the world. It was used by European colonial powers, such as the French, British and German Empires. In Europe, la ...

railway line in

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

still operated by

Comboios de Portugal CP — Comboios de Portugal, EPE (''CP''; English: ''Trains of Portugal'') is a state-owned company which operates passenger trains in Portugal. Before June 2009, CP stood for Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (English: ''Portuguese Railways'') ...

. 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. The Vouga line serves Aveiro, Agueda,

Sernada do Vouga Sernada do Vouga is a small Portuguese village in the parish of Macinhata do Vouga, in Águeda Municipality in Aveiro District. Placed a few meters, downstream, of the estuary of Caima River and is bathed by Vouga River. Since the beginning o ...

Albergaria-a-Velha Albergaria-a-Velha () is a town and a Municipalities of Portugal, municipality in the Aveiro District in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 25,252, in an area of 158.83 km². It had 19,687 eligible voters in 2006. History In 1117, Theresa, ...

Oliveira de Azeméis Oliveira de Azeméis () is a city and a municipality located in Porto Metropolitan Area in Portugal. Administratively, the municipality belongs to the District of Aveiro. The population of the municipality in 2011 was 68,611, in an area of 161.10& ...

São João da Madeira São João da Madeira (), is a city and a List of municipalities of Portugal, municipality in northwestern region of the Portugal, Portuguese Norte Region, Portugal, Norte region. It's part of the larger Porto Metropolitan Area, located 30 k ...

Santa Maria da Feira Santa Maria da Feira () is a city and a municipality in Aveiro District in Portugal, 23 km from central Porto. The population in 2011 was 139,309,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

and

Viseu Viseu () is a city and municipality in the Centro Region of Portugal and the capital of the district of the same name, with a population of 100,000 inhabitants, and center of the Viseu Dão Lafões intermunipical community, with 267,633 inhabita ...

is closed.

History

After the line was opened by

Manuel II of Portugal ''Dom'' Manuel II (15 November 1889 – 2 July 1932), "the Patriot" ( pt, "o Patriota") or "the Unfortunate" (), was the last King of Portugal, ascending the throne after the assassination of his father, King Carlos I, and his elder brother, ...

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. This is still the situation in 2020. 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 Espinho has eight trains each way daily except Sundays and holidays, when there are seven.

References

The Portuguese Government's strategic transport plan 2011-2015, including the proposed closure of the Vouga line
{{Railway lines in Portugal Vou Metre gauge railways in Portugal Railway lines opened in 1908 1908 establishments in Portugal

History

See also

References