Porto, the second largest city in Portugal (350,000 inh, 1.5 million in metropolitan area) is developping a light rail network (similar to Stadtbahn or Premetro networks elsewhere in Europe), with low-floor trams running underground in the city centre, mostly on a segregated right-of-way in outer areas, although with certain on-street sections (e.g. in Matosinhos).

Phase 1:
Total length of network 70 km, of which 50 km are converted rail tracks and 20 km newly built (7 km underground in Porto's central area).

Stations and stops with 70 m long and 25 cm high platforms for ADtranz' Eurotrams (like the ones you can see in Strasbourg), including 15 underground stations; 1435 mm gauge.

Construction work on the underground section Campanhã - Trindade started in April 1999, initially scheduled to start regular passenger service in 2001 together with converted route to Matosinhos. After trial service on the surface route (Blue Line) eventually began in July 2002, regular operation started on 7 Dec 2002, including one underground station (Casa de Música). The remaining underground stretch from Trindade to Campanhã, plus a later included 1-stop 1.2 km extension to Estádio do Dragão (Antas), was brought into service in June 2004, in time for the European Soccer Championship.

The shared stretch between Senhora da Hora and Estádio do Dragão (9.8 km) is served by four lines - A, B, C and E.

The north-south line (D - Yellow Line) from Hospital São João to João de Deus in Gaia and the remaining outer branches of the converted lines became operative in 2005/2006. The river Douro is crossed on the top level of the Luis I Bridge. On the southern shore of the river the line runs on street level through the municipality of Gaia.

    July 2002: trial service on section Câmara de Matosinhos - Viso
07 Dec 2002: regular service Senhor de Matosinhos - Trindade (11.8 km)
06 Jun 2004: Trindade - Estádio do Dragão (3.8 km)
13 Mar 2005: Line B (red) Senhora da Hora - Pedras Rubras (6.8 km)
30 July 2005: Line C (green) Fonte do Cuco - Fórum Maia (6.0 km)
17 Sept 2005: Line D (yellow) Pólo Universitário - Câmara de Gaia (5.7 km)
10 Dec 2005: Line D (yellow) Câmara de Gaia - João de Deus (0.4 km)
18 Mar 2006: Line B (red) Pedras Rubras - Póvoa de Varzim (17.2 km)
31 Mar 2006: Line D (yellow) Pólo Universitário - Hospital São João (1.4 km)
31 Mar 2006: Line C (green) Fórum Maia - ISMAI (4.5 km)
27 May 2006: Line E (violet - Airport branch) Verdes - Aeroporto (1.6 km)
27 May 2008: Line D (yellow) João de Deus - D. João II (0.7 km)

 Projects

- Eastern extension from Estádio do Dragão to Gondomar - a city located east of Porto
- Branch line (mainly at grade) along Avenida Boavista from Casa da Música to Matosinhos Sul

More possible extenions have been considered:

- Extension from Avenida França station to western Gaia, the city located south of river Douro, and link it with Santo Ovídeo station
- Southern extension from João de Deus to Vila Nova de Gaia
- Northern extension from Hospital São João to Parque de Maia

Operating 06:00 - 01:00

Senhora da Hora - Estádio do Dragão:
06:00-07:00 - every 10 minutes
07:00-20:00 - every 4 minutes
20:00-23:00 - every 10 minutes
23:00-01:00 - every 15 minutes

Fares (2008)

The new Andante contactless ticket now valid on the Metro will be extended to buses and local trains:

Metro Porto (Official Site)

Linha Andante - fare system

Porto Metro Gallery by Nuno Fonseca

Metro do Porto at Wikipedia.pt

CP - Rail network in and around Porto

UrbanRail.Net > Porto Metro Gallery