Linha do Algarve

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.

File:Faro train station Linha do Algarve.jpgFile:Regional 5913, Estação de Albufeira, 2011.07.02.jpg train, approaching Albufeira-Ferreiras, in 2011. This type of train is no longer used.]]

File: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.[https://wetravelportugal.com/trains-algarve/ Algarve Trains]. wetravelportugal.com. Retrieved 14 April 2020.

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.publico.pt/2015/07/27/local/noticia/vila-real-de-st-antonio-perdeu-o-comboio-e-a-ficou-a-ver-passar-os-carros-1703125|title=Vila Real de Santo António perdeu o comboio e ficou a ver passar os carros|work=Público|publisher=Público|date=27 July 2015|accessdate=11 December 2018}}

In 1858, the expansion of the Linha do Sul, today Linha do Alentejo, from Beja to Algarve was planned;Santos, 1995:120-121 in 1864, the contract between Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro de Sul e Sueste and the Portuguese state was signed.{{cite web|url=http://www.cp.pt/cp/displayPage.do?vgnextoid=d5433cddefcb7010VgnVCM1000007b01a8c0RCRD |title=Cronologia|accessdate=11 December 2018|publisher=Comboios de Portugal}}

The connection to Faro was completed on 21 February 1889,{{cite web|url= http://promontoriodamemoria.blogspot.com/2009/08/chegada-do-comboio-faro.html|title=Inauguração do Comboio em Faro|accessdate=11 December 2018|author=MESQUITA, José Carlos Vilhena|date=22 August 2009|publisher=Promontório da Memória}} but only opened on 1 July of the same year.Santos, 1997:181

The railway reached Olhão on 28 March 1904 (although the station was only opened on 15 May of that yearMarques, 1999:391), Fuseta railway station on 1 September, Luz on 31 January 1905, Tavira on 19 March, and Vila Real de Santo António on 14 April 1906.{{cite web|url =http://www.barlavento.online.pt/index.php/noticia?id=5656|title=Primeiro comboio chegou a Vila Real de Santo António há 100 Anos|accessdate=11 December 2018|author=CABRITA, Aurélio Nuno|date=6 April 2006|publisher=Barlavento Online}} Towards Lagos, the stations of Algoz, Ferragudo and Lagos were opened on 10 October 1889, 15 February 1903{{cite web|url=http://www.barlavento.online.pt/index.php/noticia?id=17967|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070711171844/http://www.barlavento.online.pt/index.php/noticia?id=17967|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 11, 2007|title=Recordar a Inauguração do Ramal de Caminho de ferro de Silves a Portimão|accessdate=11 December 2018|author=CABRITA, Aurélio Nuno|date=13 September 2007|publisher=Barlavento Online}} and 30 July 1922.Coutinho, 2008:81 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.

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.{{cite web | url=https://www.infraestruturasdeportugal.pt/pt-pt/linha-do-algarve-inicio-da-empreitada-de-eletrificacao-do-troco-tunes-lagos | title=Linha do Algarve - Início da empreitada de eletrificação do troço Tunes - Lagos | Infraestruturas de Portugal }}

• List of railway lines in Portugal
• List of Portuguese locomotives and railcars
• History of rail transport in Portugal

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Cabrita |first=Aurélio Nuno |title=O comboio no Algarve: festejos e inaugurações|year=2014 |publisher=Casa do Algarve e Centro de Arte e Cultura Teixeira Gomes |location=Lisboa e Portimão |isbn=978-989-96133-3-1}}
• {{cite book |last=Marques |first=Maria da Graça Maia |title=O Algarve Da Antiguidade aos Nossos Dias|year=1999 |publisher=Edições Colibri |location=Lisboa |isbn=972-772-064-1 }}
• {{cite book |last=Santos |first=Luís Filipe Rosa|title=Os Acessos a Faro e aos Concelhos Limítrofes na Segunda Metade do Séc. XIX|year=1995 |publisher=Câmara Municipal |location=Faro |isbn=972-772-064-1 }}
• {{cite book |last=Santos |first=Luís Filipe Rosa|title=Faro: um Olhar sobre o Passado Recente|year=1997 |publisher=Câmara Municipal |location=Faro |isbn=972-772-064-1 }}

{{Linha do Algarve stations}}

{{Railway lines in Portugal}}

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Category:Iberian-gauge railways

Category:Railway lines opened in 1889