Linha do Algarve is a railway line in the region of Algarve, in southern Portugal, which connects the stations of Lagos to the west and Vila Real de Santo António to the east of the Portuguese region.

Linha do Algarve
Linha do Algarve in Faro.
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerInfraestruturas de Portugal
LocaleFaro District
Termini
Service
TypeRegional rail, High-speed rail
Operator(s)Comboios de Portugal
Rolling stock
Technical
Line length139.5 km (86.7 mi)
Number of tracksOne
Track gaugeIberian
Electrification
25 kV / 50 kHz Overhead line
  • (Tunes to Faro)
Operating speedMaximum 160 km/h (99 mph)
SignallingInterposed Automatic Block
Train protection systemAutomatic train control
Route map
Linha do Algarve
km
cancelled extensions
347.305
Lagos
original; now Lagos
Railway Museum
347.210
Lagos
339.173
Mexilhoeira Grande
330.281
Portimão
325.186
Estômbar-Lagoa
319.181
Silves
310.444
Alcantarilha
301.889
Tunes
307.082
Albufeira-Ferreiras
315.611
Boliqueime
324.220
Loulé
331.870
Parque das Cidades
340.008
Faro
349.951
Olhão
359.496
Fuseta
371.127
Tavira
384.058
Cacela
395.978
Vila Real de Santo António
Detailed diagram
km
Odemira
Aljezur
cancelled extensions
347.305
Lagos
original; now Lagos
Railway Museum
347.210
Lagos
344.575
Meia Praia
341.403
Odiáxere
339.173
Mexilhoeira Grande
337.662
Figueira
Vale Grande Bridge
across  N 125 
333.566
Alvor
330.281
Portimão
328.329
Ferragudo
328.100
Ramal de Ferragudo
327.040
Charuto Bridge
325.432
Lagoa Bridge
Ramal da Ponta do Altar
cancelled branch
Mexilhoeira
325.186
Estômbar-Lagoa
319.181
Silves
319.000
Vale da Lama
317.351
Silves-Amorim
317.000
Vala
314.080
Poço Barreto
313.000
Lameira
310.444
Alcantarilha
309.130
Mesquita Bridge
310.000
Sobrado
306.251
Algoz
304.910
Alvalede underpass
304.556
Alvalede
303.205
Tunes-EDP
302.716
Tunes Junction
000.000
301.889
Tunes
307.082
Albufeira-Ferreiras
311.000
Fontainhas
312.000
Patã
315.611
Boliqueime
318.502
Benfarras
320.400
Vale Judeu
322.000
Várzea da Mão
Ramal de Boliqueime
cancelled branch
323.658
323.995
Loulé goods
324.220
Loulé
Ramal de Loulé
cancelled branch
 N 396 
Estr. Vale de Éguas
325.734
Vale de Éguas
R. Vale Formoso
327.634
Almancil
formerly Vale Formoso
331.175
Almancil-Nexe
331.870
Parque das Cidades
332.400
São João da Venda
334.000
Diogal
334.692
Provimi
335.000
Borgal
336.500
Patacão
338.170
Marchil Bridge
338.009
Marchil
340.008
Faro
Faro Marina Bridge
334.700
Portas do Mar
Ramal Loulé
cancelled branch
341.148
São Francisco
342.060
Faro Harbour
Faro-Vagarosa
342.200
Bom João
ship yards
Rua do Moinho da Palmeira
Faro-Torpiva
Lavadeiras River
Seco River
344.600
Faro-Quimigal
343.700
Rio Seco
344.000
Garganta
Meia-Légua River
346.000
Meia-Légua
Bela Mandil River
349.455
São Bartolomeu
349.951
Olhão
Porto de Olhão
353.605
Marim
Fontes Santas River
355.828
Bias
358.645
Fuseta-A
359.496
Fuseta
361.993
Est. Fonte Sagrada
362.385
Livramento
Luz River
365.716
Luz
Arroio River
366.000
Pedras d’ El Rey Comboio da Praia do Barril
368.500
Varanda
371.127
Tavira
372.770
Porta Nova
373.000
Pagapouco
373.245
Est. Fonte Sagrada
375.787
376.941
Conceição
378.880
Pinheiro
380.124
Santa Rita
381.576
Nora
384.058
Cacela
387.323
Aroeira
389.911
Castro Marim
393.354
Monte Gordo
395.978
Vila Real de Santo António
Linha do Guadiana
cancelled line
VRSA mills
396.700
VRSA harbour
396.941
Vila Real de
Santo António - Guadiana
Ayamonte

Geography

edit

The line runs east to west along the southern municipalities of the Algarve, except for part of Lagos municipality and all of Vila do Bispo municipality which doesn't have railway. The main stations are Vila Real de Santo António, Tavira, Olhão, Faro, Albufeira, Tunes, Silves, Portimão and Lagos. Other stations include Fuseta, Bom João (Faro), Almancil, Algoz and Estômbar.

Operation

edit

Passengers and cargo

edit
 
Faro railway station.
 
CP Class 0600 train, approaching Albufeira-Ferreiras, in 2011. This type of train is no longer used.
 
CP Regional train at Silves May 2024.jpg

All passenger services are run by the national railway operator Comboios de Portugal. Cargo services are operated by Medway. The infrastructure is owned and maintained by Infraestruturas de Portugal. The main railway station is Faro, the most important cargo terminal is Loulé.

Four passenger services operate on the Linha do Algarve. The Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, CP Regional, and a special service during the summer, the InterRegional. The CP Regional trains operate the line completely from east to west with an interchange at Faro. The Alfa Pendular, Intercidades and InterRegional only serve Messines-Alte, Tunes, Albufeira, Loulé, and Faro.[1]

The track from Vila Real de Santo António to Vila Real de Santo António - Guadiana, which linked the line to the ferries to Ayamonte, in Spain, is closed.[2]

History

edit

In 1858, the expansion of the Linha do Sul, today Linha do Alentejo, from Beja to Algarve was planned;[3] in 1864, the contract between Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro de Sul e Sueste and the Portuguese state was signed.[4]

The connection to Faro was completed on 21 February 1889,[5] but only opened on 1 July of the same year.[6]

The railway reached Olhão on 28 March 1904 (although the station was only opened on 15 May of that year[7]), Fuseta railway station on 1 September,[7] Luz on 31 January 1905,[7] Tavira on 19 March, and Vila Real de Santo António on 14 April 1906.[8] Towards Lagos, the stations of Algoz, Ferragudo and Lagos were opened on 10 October 1889,[4] 15 February 1903[9] and 30 July 1922.[10] The Vila Real de Santo António – Guadiana station was opened in the 1940's and closed in 1998. Trains now finish their journey at the 'town' station some 1km short of the river and ferry.[8]

Work began in late 2022 on a project to modernise and electify the Faro to Vila Real de Santo António and Tunes to Lagos sections. As of May 2024, work between Faro and Vila Real de Santo António is well advanced. The Tunes to Lagos section is several months behind, having started later. The smaller stations are being equipped with modern high platforms, along with new shelters and lighting. Several level (Grade) crossings are to be eliminated by the construction of bridges.[11]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Algarve Trains. wetravelportugal.com. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Vila Real de Santo António perdeu o comboio e ficou a ver passar os carros". Público. Público. 27 July 2015. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  3. ^ Santos, 1995:120-121
  4. ^ a b "Cronologia". Comboios de Portugal. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  5. ^ MESQUITA, José Carlos Vilhena (22 August 2009). "Inauguração do Comboio em Faro". Promontório da Memória. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  6. ^ Santos, 1997:181
  7. ^ a b c Marques, 1999:391
  8. ^ a b CABRITA, Aurélio Nuno (6 April 2006). "Primeiro comboio chegou a Vila Real de Santo António há 100 Anos". Barlavento Online. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  9. ^ CABRITA, Aurélio Nuno (13 September 2007). "Recordar a Inauguração do Ramal de Caminho de ferro de Silves a Portimão". Barlavento Online. Retrieved 11 December 2018.[dead link]
  10. ^ Coutinho, 2008:81
  11. ^ "Linha do Algarve - Início da empreitada de eletrificação do troço Tunes - Lagos | Infraestruturas de Portugal".

Bibliography

edit
  • Cabrita, Aurélio Nuno (2014). O comboio no Algarve: festejos e inaugurações. Lisboa e Portimão: Casa do Algarve e Centro de Arte e Cultura Teixeira Gomes. ISBN 978-989-96133-3-1.
  • Marques, Maria da Graça Maia (1999). O Algarve Da Antiguidade aos Nossos Dias. Lisboa: Edições Colibri. ISBN 972-772-064-1.
  • Santos, Luís Filipe Rosa (1995). Os Acessos a Faro e aos Concelhos Limítrofes na Segunda Metade do Séc. XIX. Faro: Câmara Municipal. ISBN 972-772-064-1.
  • Santos, Luís Filipe Rosa (1997). Faro: um Olhar sobre o Passado Recente. Faro: Câmara Municipal. ISBN 972-772-064-1.