The Douro line

Opened in 1875.

Considered one of the masterpieces of Portuguese railway engineering and one of the most important links in the national railway network, the Douro line, which took on an international role early on after construction began, is now a regional connection serving the districts of Porto, Vila Real, Bragança, Viseu and Guarda, and currently connects Porto to Pocinho, covering more than 170 kilometres.

Its construction aimed to break the regional isolation, given that, at the time, mobility depended on roads in poor condition and difficult navigation along the River Douro, and to ensure the transport of people and goods, particularly wine. Starting in Ermesinde, in the municipality of Valongo, construction began in 1875, and the train reached Régua just four years later. In 1880, it was the turn of the village of Pinhão, served by one of the most beautiful railway stations in Portugal. Initially, it was planned that the train would stop at Pinhão, but due to pressure from D. Antónia Ferreira and the bourgeoisie and Porto financial circles, the line was extended to Spain.

The Douro line was completed in 1887, when the section between Barca d'Alva, La Fregeneda, and La Fuente de San Esteban became operational as far as Salamanca, completing the third international railway connection to better link Porto with the rest of Europe and with Madrid. Until 1988, the line in operation in Portugal was about 200 kilometres long. With the closure of the section between Pocinho and Barca D'Alva, the line was reduced to its current 172 kilometres, serving 37 stations and halts.

Much of the route runs alongside the River Douro. The train winds its way through the world's oldest demarcated wine region, offering passengers a multisensory experience that uniquely characterises a region that has been a World Heritage Site since 2001. It is mainly from the overlooking Pala halt and towards Régua, Tua and Pocinho that one begins to increasingly ‘feel’ the Douro Valley. From the carriage windows, you can glimpse the vineyard terraces that shape the landscape of the Douro Wine Region, coloured by farms and villages that can be seen along the route, but which change to a more rugged and rocky version as you approach Tua. From Ferradosa to Pocinho, the line leaves the right bank of the river and crosses to the left bank.

The Douro Line, in addition to currently connecting two World Heritage Sites, the Historic Centre of the City of Porto and the Douro Wine Region, offers one of the most enjoyable ways to explore the interior of northern Portugal. The train crosses the territory of the Romanesque Route, in the sub-region of Tâmega and Sousa, as well as the three sub-regions associated with wine production in the Douro Valley: Baixo Corgo from Barqueiros to Régua, Cima Corgo from Régua to Tua and Douro Superior from Tua to Barca d'Alva.

Currently, this railway line is served by CP's Urban services to Marco de Canaveses, Regional and InterRegional services, as well as the Douro Historical Train tourist service.