The Cascais line

Opened in 1889.

The Cascais line is an electrified double-track railway line linking Cais do Sodré Station in Lisbon to Cascais. Stretching 25.4 kilometres, the first section, between Cascais and Pedrouços, was opened in September 1889. Six years later, the train reached Cais do Sodré.

The decision to electrify this railway line was driven primarily by the high price of coal and by competition from Carris’s electric trams, following the line's start of operations in 1901 between Cais do Sodré and Algés.

In 1914, the first significant step was taken when the state authorised the Portuguese Railway Company to sub-concession the operation of the line, on the fundamental condition that the concessionaire carry out the necessary works for electrification. Four years later, in August 1918, a contract was signed with Sociedade Estoril for the conversion of the traction system and the lease of the line’s operations for a period of 50 years.

In 1924, Sociedade Estoril and the German company AEG signed a contract for the purchase of two multiple units, the installation of fixed power equipment and the supply of traction equipment for the new rolling stock, the bodies of which were to be built by the Belgian manufacturer Baume & Marpent.

With the electrification of the Cascais Line to 1.5 kV direct current, a significant increase in daily services was anticipated. The line was inaugurated on 15 August 1926, with the train taking just 22 minutes to travel between Cais do Sodré and Cascais. However, six days later, the Estoril Company was notified by the Directorate-General of Railways to suspend electric train services immediately, due to disruptions affecting the Eastern Telegraph Company’s submarine cable in Carcavelos. Until these disruptions were resolved, services resumed using steam traction.

It was not until 22 December of that year that this technical issue was resolved, after which electric train services were resumed. In addition to electrification, the installation of automatic block signalling and automated level crossings were among the other innovations that the Cascais line brought to the Portuguese railway landscape of the time.

The prestige of the Cascais line was further enhanced by the international Sud Express train, which served Estoril between 1930 and 1940. From the 1940s onwards, the history of this railway was marked by a further series of innovations and investments.

In June 1944, the section between Cruz Quebrada and the National Stadium was opened for service, although it was eventually closed in the mid-1980s.

In the 1950s, as part of the renewal and reinforcement of the Cascais line’s fleet, self-propelled rolling stock was ordered from the English company Cravens of Sheffield, as well as an electric locomotive from the British manufacturer General Electric Company (GEC). During this decade, self-propelled trains were also ordered from SOREFAME, with electrical equipment supplied by GEC.

In late 1976, as the lease was coming to an end, the Cascais line was taken over by Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses. Under CP’s management, in 1979, the new electric units entered commercial service; these, too, were produced by SOREFAME, with the General Electric Company responsible for the electrical systems. The years that followed were characterised by selective investments and the renewal of the train fleet.

The Cascais line was a pioneer, being the first line in the Portuguese rail network to be electrified. Investments in its modernisation will support the transition to 25 kV alternating current electrification, the same as the rest of the Portuguese rail network, and the acquisition of new rolling stock will also contribute to a significant improvement in rail services.