Trams in Porto
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The tram system of Porto in Portugal is operated by the Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP) and currently has three regular tram routes with 30-minute headways. All are heritage tram routes, as they use vintage tramcars exclusively, and should not be confused with the modern Porto Metro light rail system.
History
In 1872 the Companhia Carril Americano do Porto à Foz e Mattosinhos opened the first
In 1946, the city purchased the tram system from CCFP and took over its operation, with a new municipal company,
For many years, the system had more than 20 lines, but most were closed during the 1960s and 1970s.[3]: 45–47 By July 1978, only four routes remained: 1, 3, 18 and 19. Route 3 (Boavista – Pereiró) closed on 30 April 1984. For almost 10 more years, the three remaining routes continued in operation without any closures, as routes 1 (Infante – Matosinhos), 18 (Carmo – Castelo do Queijo – Boavista) and 19 (Boavista – Matosinhos).[3]: 46 The section from Castelo do Queijo to Matosinhos was closed on 11 September 1993 with the withdrawal of route 19 and of that section of route 1. The remainder of route 1, between Castelo do Queijo and Infante, was withdrawn on 10 September 1994.[3]: 46 On 11 June 1996, the final route, 18, was downgraded from a full-service tram line to a heritage service with reduced frequency, but operating seven days a week. Buses took over most of the service on the route at that time, but with trams continuing to operate some trips, as a heritage service. The service used only three trams, operating on a 35-minute headway.[4] Route 18's 4 km section along Avenida Boavista was later closed, but tram service was gradually re-introduced in the 2000s on other sections, in the form of additional heritage-tram services, lines 1 and 22, as well as the former Line T (the Porto Tram City Tour, which has since been discontinued).
Heritage system
Lines
Tram fares are paid with a customized ticket that can be bought on board of the vehicle, on the Museum and in some hotels. The fare for a single trip is € 3.50.
- Line 1: Passeio Alegre-Infante follows the northern bank of the Douro River from Infante, via Alfândega and Massarelos, to Passeio Alegre in Foz do Douro. This line is heavily used by tourists.
- Line 18: Massarelos-Carmo: connects Massarelos (site of the Tram Museum) via Rua da Restauração with Carmo (Praça Parada Leitão) next to the Rectory of the University of Porto.
- Line 22: Circular Carmo-Batalha: connects Carmo and Praça da Batalha with the Funicular dos Guindais, with convenient connections to three stations on the Porto Metro. Please note: due to the closure of Rua dos Clérigos for the execution of the new station in Praça da Liberdade of the Metro do Porto network, it was necessary to suspend the line 22, from 10 November, 2021 for about three years (approximately until November 2024 - source STCP).
Line 1 - Passeio Alegre–Infante
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Line 18 - Massarelos–Carmo
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Line 22 - Carmo–Batalha
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Legend
Proposed expansions
Line 1 - line could in the future be extended from Foz to
Tram museum
The Tram Museum is located in the old central power plant of the tram in Massarelos, next to an active STCP depot. The museum was inaugurated in May 1992. It preserves sixteen electric cars, five trailer cars and two maintenance cars. A parade of old cars is held annually along the streets of Massarelos and Passeio Alegre.
The museum was reopened in November 2015 with an €8 entrance charge.
Rolling stock
- Brill-23 – Built by the McKinney Avenue Transit Authorityon the M-Line in Dallas, Texas.
- Brill-28 (CCFP/STCP designation; not an indication of car's builder) – Originally 20 (Nos. 150–169) built by Brill in 1912, but all but about three were later replaced by same-numbered new cars built in CCFP's own workshops in the same general style; 30 more (Nos. 170–199) new cars built by CCFP workshops 1925–1938 in same general style as the true Brill cars.[3]: 52–53 Also, some class Brill-23 cars were rebuilt by CCFP as class Brill-28.[6] In the 1990s, some of the CCFP-built examples were sold by an American dealer in secondhand trams to the transit authority in Memphis, Tennessee, for operation on the MATA Trolley line.
- Brill-32 (CCFP designation; not an indication of car's builder) – 12 new cars built by workshops 1926–1928[7]
- Brill-28 Plataforma Salão (CCFP designation; not an indication of car's builder) – 26 rebuilt Brill 23 or 28 cars by workshops 1938–1946[8]
Network Map
See also
- Funicular dos Guindais, a cable car route in Porto, is distinct from the tram system
- Porto Metro, Porto's light rail system which is also distinct from the tram system
- List of town tramway systems in Portugal
References
- ^ a b c d e Guido de Monterey O Porto, origem, evolução e transportes (2a edição, 1972) Porto, published by the author Guido de Monterey
- ^ a b c d Manuel Castro Pereira (1995). Os Velhos Eléctricos do Porto published by José Carvalho Branco and Soc.Editorial Notícias da Beira Douro
- ^ ISBN 0-948106-19-0.
- ^ Light Rail and Modern Tramway, August 1996, p. 315. Ian Allan Publishing/Light Rail Transit Association.
- ^ "Brill-23".
- ^ "Brill-28".
- ^ "Brill-32".
- ^ "Brill-28PS".
External links
- STCP – official website
- Porto database / photo gallery and Porto tram list at Urban Electric Transit – in various languages, including English.
- Porto database / photo gallery at Phototrans – in various languages, including English.
- Sítio oficial da STCP (in Portuguese)
- Sítio oficial do Museu do Carro Eléctrico (in Portuguese)
- Sítio oficial do Porto Tram City Tour (in Portuguese)