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Porto Metro

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The Porto Metro (Portuguese: Metro do Porto) is a light rail network in Porto, Portugal and a key part of the city's public transport system.[3] Having a semi-metro alignment, it runs underground in central Porto and above ground into the city's suburbs while using low-floor tram vehicles.[4][5] The first parts of the system have been in operation since 2002.[6] It is a separate system to Porto's vintage trams.

Porto Metro
Flexity Outlook Eurotram of the Porto Metro at Trindade station
Flexity Outlook Eurotram of the Porto Metro at Trindade station
Overview
Native nameMetro do Porto
OwnerGovernment-owned corporation
LocalePorto
Gondomar
Maia
Matosinhos
Póvoa de Varzim
Vila do Conde
Vila Nova de Gaia
Transit typeLight rail / Semi-metro
Number of lines6
Number of stations85
Daily ridership216,824 (average for 2023) [1]
Annual ridership79 million (2023)[1]
WebsiteMetro do Porto
Operation
Began operation7 December 2002; 21 years ago (2002-12-07)
Operator(s)ViaPorto
Number of vehicles120[2]
Technical
System length70 km (43 mi)
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC OHLE

The network has 6 lines and reaches seven municipalities within the metropolitan Porto area: Porto, Gondomar, Maia, Matosinhos, Póvoa de Varzim, Vila do Conde and Vila Nova de Gaia. It currently has a total of 85 operational stations across 70 kilometres (43 mi) of double track commercial line. Most of the system is at ground level or elevated, but 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) of the network is underground. The system is run by ViaPORTO.[1][7]

The Porto Metro has received the Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design in 2013.[8]

History

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Porto Metro train

During the 1990s, political leaders started advocating for a partially underground electrified railway transport system to service the city of Porto and the surrounding municipalities. This culminated in the founding of Metro do Porto S.A. in 1993 and the start of planning and construction of the first expansion phase of the Porto Metro. This first phase was deemed completed in 2006 and saw the creation of lines A, B, C, D and E.[9][10]

The project included the conversion of sections of the narrow gauge railway lines of Linha do Porto à Póvoa e Famalicão and Linha de Guimarães, including the section between Senhora da Hora and Trindade nowadays shared by 5 different lines. In 2001, train services came to an end as construction started.[11]

Line A (blue line) was the first line to open on 7 December 2002, running between Senhor de Matosinhos and Trindade in central Porto. On 5 June 2004, the line was extended to Estádio do Dragão, Porto's largest football stadium, in time for the Euro 2004 Football championship.[9]

On 3 March, 2005, Line B (red line) opened between Estádio do Dragão and Pedras Rubras. The remaining section between Pedras Rubras and Póvoa de Varzim was opened a year later in March 2006. This line replaced Linha do Porto à Póvoa e Famalicão, between Porto and Póvoa de Varzim.[9] The section between Póvoa de Varzim and Famalicão had already been closed in 1995 and was not included in the project. Instead, it got decommissioned and converted into a bicycle trail.[11][12] In July 2017, an infill station called VC Fashion Outlet - Modivas was added.[9][13]

Line C (green line) opened on July 30, 2005, until Fórum Maia in the centre of Maia and was extended until ISMAI in March 2006.[9] Line C was built using part of the Guimarães line between Senhora da Hora and ISMAI. A section of this railway line between ISMAI and Lousado was decommissioned and expected to be serviced by the Porto Metro, but as of 2024 it was only serviced by busses.[14] The Guimarães line continued to have train services from Lousado via Linha do Minho.[15]

Line D (yellow line) proved the most problematic to excavate[citation needed] and opened on 17 September 2005 between Câmara Gaia in Vila Nova de Gaia and Pólo Universitário in the north. In the northern end, the São João Hospital and IPO stations, were not brought into service until March 2006 due to safety concerns[citation needed]. In the southern end, the line was expanded until D. João II in May 2008 and then to Santo Ovídio in October 2011.[9] In June 2024, the line was extended southwards by 3.15km with three new stations added, Manuel Leão, Hospital Santos Silva and Vila d'Este.[16]

Line E (violet line) opened on May 27, 2006, connecting the Airport Francisco Sá Carneiro and Campanhã.[9] Several weeks later, the line was extended to Estádio do Dragão.[citation needed]

Line F (orange line) opened on January 2, 2011, connecting the Porto city centre to the Gondomar region in the east, this line runs between Senhora da Hora and Fânzeres.[17]

Costs and financial results

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On board a Porto Metro train
 
An Andante ticket being validated

As of 2007, the total cost of the Porto Metro public transport system stands at 3.5 billion euros - over 1% of Portugal's GDP. The first phase of the project alone, which was led by the mayors of several Grande Porto (Greater Porto) municipalities including Valentim Loureiro as a chairman of the state-owned company, was 140% more expensive than initially planned – a slippage of over 1,5 billion euros. The Porto Metro state-owned company has reported losses every year, reaching a record loss of 122 million euros in 2006.[18][19]

Rolling Stock

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The Metro uses modern Eurotram low-floor, articulated trams. Flexity Swift LRVs are used on line B, Bx and occasionally line C since 2008, and can reach 100 km/h (62.1 mph). They also have more seats, and can, in common with most modern light rail systems, recover 30% of the total of consumed energy during braking.[citation needed] New LRVs from CRRC Tangshan, dubbed CRRC Tram or CT,[20] are being implemented on the network, running since 2023 on line C.[21]

The majority of services run with two LRVs coupled together. The Eurotram consists of four main compartments, two in each carriage linked by short corridors, and also features an articulation between the two carriages. They have a capacity of 80 seated and 134 standing passengers. The Flexity Swift consists of three components linked by articulations, with a capacity of 100 seated and 148 standing passengers. The CT consists of four articulated components, having a capacity of 244 passengers, 64 of which are seated.[22]

Tickets

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The system uses the "Andante" ticketing system, used for public transport in the Porto Metropolitan Area. Under this system, a ticket holder can use multiple modes of transportation by various providers within a certain time period. Ticket prices and single ticket duration can vary depending on the number of zones that the ticket includes. The Andante system divides the Porto metropolitan area into fare zones, each representing a geographic area. The number of zones required is determined by the traveler's starting zone. A Z2 ticket allows the traveler go to all adjacent zones. A Z3 ticket lets the traveler go to all adjacent zones and to all zones adjacent to those.[23][24][25]

Various ticketing options exist to use the Porto Metro. Paper tickets called Blue Andante (Andante azul) can be bought and recharged in machines in stations. These can be charged with single trips or 24 hour tickets. Monthly passes called Silver Andante (Andante prateado) can be purchased in Lojas Andante (Andante Shops) and topped up at Multibanco ATM terminals. They are personalized PVC cards with the name and picture of the holder. They are free for students between the ages of 4 and 18 and discounts exist for families, seniors, veterans and lower income households. Other ticketing options under the Andante system include Andante Tour, a 24 or 78 hour ticket for tourists, the Anda App, an app available for Android and contactless card payments on some readers. Children under 4 years old do not require a ticket if they are accompanied by an adult.[23][24]

The Porto Metro operates on a proof-of-payment system. Tickets must be validated before travel by scanning them in front of the yellow machines located in stations. Instead, groups of fare inspectors randomly check tickets with hand-held scanners. The current penalty for travelling without a validated ticket is €95.[26]

Network

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Porto Metro
Legend
Routes[27] [28]
 
 Póvoa de Varzim
 
Póvoa de Varzim
Vila do Conde
 
 São Brás
 
 Portas Fronhas
 
 Alto do Pega
 
 Vila do Conde
 
 Santa Clara
 
 Azurara
 
 Árvore
 
 Varziela
 
 Espaço Natureza
 
 Mindelo
 
 VC Fashion Outlet
 
 Modivas Centro
 
 Modivas Sul
 
 Vilar do Pinheiro
 
Vila do Conde
Maia
 
 Lidador
  Aeroporto
 
 
 Pedras Rubras
Botica
 
 
 
Verdes
 
 
 
Crestins
 
 
Esposade
 
 
 
 ISMAI
Custóias
 
 
 
 Castêlo da Maia
 
 
 
 Mandim
Senhor de Matosinhos
 
 
 
 
 Zona Industrial
Mercado
 
 
 
 
 Fórum da Maia
Brito Capelo
 
 
 
 
 Parque da Maia
Matosinhos Sul
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maia
Matosinhos
Câmara de Matosinhos
 
 
 
 
 Custió
Parque Real
 
 
 
 
 Araújo
Pedro Hispano
 
 
 
 
 Pias
Estádio do Mar
 
 
 
 
 Cândido dos Reis
Vasco da Gama
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Fonte do Cuco
Senhora da Hora
 
 
 
 
 
Sete Bicas
 
 
 
 
 
Matosinhos
Porto
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Hospital de São João
Viso
 
 
 
 
 
 
 IPO
Ramalde
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Pólo Universitário
Francos
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Salgueiros
Casa da Música
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Combatentes
Carolina Michaëlis
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Marquês
Lapa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Faria Guimarães
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Trindade
  Aliados
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Bolhão
     São Bento
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Campo 24 de Agosto
Porto
Vila Nova de Gaia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Heroismo
  Jardim do Morro
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Campanhã  
  General Torres
 
 
 
 
 
 Estádio do Dragão
Câmara de Gaia
 
 
 Contumil  
João de Deus
 
 
 Nasoni
D. João II
 
 
 Nau Vitória
Santo Ovídio
 
 
 
Porto
Gondomar
Manuel Leão
 
 
 Levada
Hospital Santos Silva
 
 
 Rio Tinto  
Vila d'Este
 
 
 Campainha
 
 Baguim
 
 Carreira
 
 Venda Nova
 
 Fânzeres

  Line A •    Line B •   Line Bx
  Line C •   Line D •   Line E •   Line F

  Metro do Porto
Line Length Stations Opened Equipment
  Estádio do Dragão – Senhor de Matosinhos 15.6 km
(9.7 mi) 		23 7 December 2002 Bombardier Flexity Outlook (Eurotram)
  Estádio do Dragão – Póvoa de Varzim 33.6 km
(20.9 mi) 		35 13 March 2005 Bombardier Flexity Swift
  Campanhã – ISMAI 19.6 km
(12.2 mi) 		24 30 July 2005
  Hospital São João – Vila d'Este 9.2 km
(5.7 mi) 		16 18 September 2005 Bombardier Flexity Outlook (Eurotram)
  Trindade – Aeroporto 13.1 km
(8.1 mi) 		21 27 May 2006
  Fânzeres – Senhora da Hora 17.4 km
(10.8 mi) 		24 2 January 2011
 

Line A

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Grassy median of Line A
Senhor de Matosinhos – Estádio do Dragão
  • Travel time: 40 minutes
  • Headway: 10 minutes

Line A or the Blue Line is the main and, historically, most important of the five Porto Metro lines. It has 23 stations.

The line was opened between Trindade and Senhor de Matosinhos on 7 December 2002, by then Prime Minister Barroso. Until the end of 2002 travel was free of charge to allow users to familiarize themselves with the new light rail line. On June 5, 2004, on the occasion of the Euro 2004 European Football Championship, the section between Trindade and Estádio do Dragão was opened.

Service runs every 10 minutes between 07:00 and 20:00 between Senhor de Matosinhos and Estádio do Dragão, with some trips extended to Fânzeres on Line F. Between 6:00 and 7:00 and after 20:00 the frequency is 15 minutes. After 21:00 services only run between Senhor de Matosinhos and Trindade.

Flexity Outlook Eurotrams number 001–072 service the line.

Line B/Bx

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Bombardier Flexity Swift on Line B
Póvoa de Varzim – Estádio do Dragão
  • Travel time (B): 61 minutes
  • Travel time (Bx): 53 minutes
  • Headway: 30 minutes (each service)

Line B or the Red Line has 35 stations and is the longest line of the system. The line reuses, for almost its entire length, the route of the old Póvoa Line, which connected Trindade to Póvoa de Varzim. Line B was Porto Metro's second line to open. Initially the line only ran between Estádio do Dragão and Senhora da Hora, thus sharing the route with Line A. On March 13, 2005, an extension was opened between Senhora da Hora and Pedras Rubras. On March 18, 2006, after successive delays, the final section to Póvoa de Varzim was officially inaugurated.

The line has two types of services between Póvoa de Varzim and Estádio do Dragão: regular, which stops at all stations; and the Bx express, which only stops at Portas Fronhas, Vila do Conde, Varziela, Mindelo and Pedras Rubras, between Póvoa de Varzim and Senhora da Hora. From early summer 2011 the express service was expanded to operate daily.

In July 2016, Porto Metro announced that an additional infill station, Modivas Norte, will be added at The Style Outlet. The work is financed 50% by the mall management and will cost a total of €1.2 million.[13] Although no extensions are planned, consideration was given to use the abandoned Famalicão branch to reach Barreiros, near Avenida 25 de Abril, via Mourões. Beyond Póvoa de Varzim the right-of-way has been converted into a cycle path in order to preserve the branch.

Line C

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ISMAI – Campanhã
  • Travel time: 41 minutes
  • Headway: 15 minutes
  •  
    Line C near the Forum Maia station
  •  
    Aliados station entrance

Line D

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Vila d'Este – Hospital São João
Travel time: 32 minutes
Minimum headway: 5 / 10 minutes

Line D or the Yellow Line has 19 stations and runs separate from all other lines, connecting with lines A, B, C, E and F in Trindade. It runs from Vila Nova de Gaia in the south before crossing the River Douro at the top level of the Luís I Bridge and passing through central Porto en route to São João Hospital in the north.

  •  
    Tram crossing Dom Luís I Bridge
  •  
    Line D platform at Trindade Station
  •  
    IPO Station

Line E

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Aeroporto – Trindade
Travel time: 35 minutes
Headway: 30 minutes

Line F

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Senhora da Hora – Fânzeres
Travel time: 39 minutes
Headway: 15 minutes

Funicular dos Guindais

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Main article: Funicular dos Guindais
 
 
Car of the funicular. In the background, the Ferdinand Wall of Porto.

The Metro do Porto company managed and operated the funicular system Funicular of Guindais between 2004 and 2019. Management was transferred to Porto municipality in 2019 and to a municipal company called STCP Serviços in 2022. The funicular connects the riverside area of Ribeira to higher ground at Batalha, near the São Bento station. It was originally built in 1891 and remodeled in 2004.[9][29][30]

Future expansion

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  • Line G (Pink line): A new 2.7km, 4 station fully underground line which connects Casa da Música to São Bento through Cordoaria.[31] The construction started in 2020 and the line is expected to go into service at the start of 2025.[32][33]
  • Line H (Ruby line): A new 6.74km, 8 station line that will connect Casa da Música station in Porto with Santo Ovídio station in Vila Nova de Gaia. Construction will be put out for bid in 2023 with the line planned to enter service in 2026.[34][35]

Network map

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c https://www.metrodoporto.pt/metrodoporto/uploads/document/file/718/relatoriocontas_2023_site_compactado.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  2. ^ https://www.metrodoporto.pt/metrodoporto/uploads/document/file/718/relatoriocontas_2023_site_compactado.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ Ashton, J.H. (10 August 2018). "An Ergonomic Study and Analysis for the Porto Metro Driver Cabin Area". Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018). VII (Ergonomics in Design, Design for All, Activity Theories for Work Analysis and Design, Affective Design). Springer: 193. ISBN 978-3-319-96071-5. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  4. ^ Trikkestrategi (in Norwegian) (4 ed.). Oslo: Ruter As. 2011. p. 46.
  5. ^ Sistema de Metro Ligeiro do Porto (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  6. ^ Webb, Mary (ed.) (2009). Jane's Urban Transport Systems 2009–2010, p. 277. Coulsdon, Surrey (UK): Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2903-6.
  7. ^ "Metro em números". www.metrodoporto.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  8. ^ "Veronica Rudge Green Prize in Urban Design". gsd.harvard.edu. Retrieved Oct 16, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h "História". www.metrodoporto.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  10. ^ Avaliação do impacto global da 1ª fase do projecto do Metro do Porto, 2ª parte (PDF). March 2008. p. 3.
  11. ^ a b Trofa, O. Notícias da (2023-12-31). "A linha de Guimarães "nasceu" na Trofa há 140 anos". O Notícias da Trofa (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  12. ^ "Ecopista de Famalicão | IP Patrimonio | Infraestruturas de Portugal". www.ippatrimonio.pt. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  13. ^ a b "Metro do Porto vai ter nova Estação em Modivas Norte". www.metrodoporto.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  14. ^ "Horários ISMAI-Trofa" (PDF).
  15. ^ Trofa, O. Notícias da (2023-12-31). "A linha de Guimarães "nasceu" na Trofa há 140 anos". O Notícias da Trofa (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  16. ^ "É oficial: o metro chegou a Vila d'Este" (in Portuguese). Jornal de Noticias. 2024-06-28.
  17. ^ METRO DO PORTO CELEBRA 20 ANOS., retrieved 2024-03-21. (in Portuguese)
  18. ^ Gestores do Metro do Porto recebem €650 mil de prémios, Expresso newspaper, 18 February 2006, accessed March 2007 (in Portuguese)
  19. ^ Metro do Porto fechou exercício com resultado negativo de 122 milhões de euros Archived 2011-09-29 at the Wayback Machine, Diário Económico website, 7 March 2007, accessed March 2007 (in Portuguese)
  20. ^ "Já chegou o novo Metro". Metro do Porto. 23 December 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2024. (in Portuguese)
  21. ^ Cruz, Hermana (12 December 2023). "Passageiros rendidos ao "luxo" dos novos assentos do metro do Porto". Jornal de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  22. ^ Larguesa e Lusa, António (6 December 2023). "Novo metro chinês do Porto faz viagem inaugural com Costa a bordo". ECO (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Fares". en.metrodoporto.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  24. ^ a b "Purchase". Andante - Transportes Intermodais do Porto. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  25. ^ "Zones". Andante - Transportes Intermodais do Porto. Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  26. ^ "Faq's". en.metrodoporto.pt (in European Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  27. ^ Map of network
  28. ^ UrbanRail.net
  29. ^ CMP (2022-02-07). "Câmara aprova delegação de competências na STCP Serviços". www.porto.pt (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-10-25.
  30. ^ "Funicular dos Guindais no Porto encerrado por tempo indeterminado". Correio da Manhã Canadá (in European Portuguese). 2022-04-01. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  31. ^ "Mais 6 quilómetros. 7 novas estações. Metro do Porto vai crescer" (in Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  32. ^ "A nova linha do Metro do Porto vai ligar a Casa da Música a S. Bento" (in Portuguese). NIT. 7 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  33. ^ Rose line got green light by the tribunal of financie
  34. ^ second line in Gaia
  35. ^ A bridge to the future (soon)
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