Miradouro train to be discontinued in 2019

[Giugiaro]

It has been announced by the Portuguese national railway company that the Miradouro train, composed by an English Electric Class 1400 diesel locomotive and 1950's Schindler passengers cars, will be discontinued this year, and the three locomotives and six cars designated for this service will be withdrawn after the reopening of the Douro Line's Caíde-Marco block in April 1st.

The company claims the train hasn't really got that popular and is economically unsustainable even when a service gets completely sold out.

The air-conditioned, fixed window DMU's currently leased from Renfe are less expensive overall to run and require less energy, less human resources and less logistical operations. All services to the Douro and Minho line, including charters, will now exclusively be made with these DMU's.

Full news report and statements are in here (Portuguese): https://www.publico.pt/2019/03/28/economia/noticia/cp-acaba-comboio-turistico-linha-douro-1867125

This news comes after businessman Gonçalo Castel Branco announced a brand new train, "The Vintage", to be composed with 6 Schindler cars acquired by his company, T&M. The same businessman involved in a controversy over preferential treatment involving him and his current train, the "The Presidential", a special gourmet gastronomic train composed with the former Portuguese presidential train and which will seize to operate in 2020. Long story short, there's evidence that the Portuguese National Railway Museum and the National Railway Company are being charged with all the expenses of running and maintaining the train, while T&M (the company responsible for the "The Presidential") collects all the profits.

Full news report on the "The Presidential" controversy and the "The Vintage" announcement are in here (Portuguese): https://www.publico.pt/2019/03/18/e...sidencial-envolto-polemica-acaba-2020-1865590

 

[duesselmartin]

<The company claims the train hasn't really got that popular and is economically unsustainable even when a service gets completely sold out.>

Not popular but sold out?

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

Was the Miradouro train a special tourist train.? I have been on that line a few years ago, I think it was steel stock. There was also a steam train further down the line which was good. We were supposed to do all the branches, but they had been closed on a temporary basis.

 

[Giugiaro]

The Miradouro was a touristic train but cost the same to ride as any other regional train to the Douro line. Tickets were also limited for the number of seats allocated.

Not popular but sold out?

Mostly the morning service up the line. What the company says is that it runs a loss even when completely full.

 

[CC 72100]

It is a shame that this service is being discontinued as I had an excellent trip (only the one way) in the late summer sun of September 2017. What could be better than a journey through fantastic scenery on stock fully opening windows and the dulcet tones of a 1400 upfront?

The return journey was on the unit, which whilst the fantastic scenery doesn't change, is a much less pleasant travelling environment as the unit felt rather grotty and past it's best.

However Comboios de Portugal is at the end of a day a commercial organisation. Given their budget issues then if it doesn't wash its face then there is little point of it continuing in the current climate. That said if it didn't cover its costs when full then you have to question the financial planning behind it in the first place.

A shame - I would have happily returned to Porto/Douro valley for another break, but to be honest with the end of this service I'm not sure whether j could justify visiting Porto again (only) with other places on my list.

 

[martinr1]

A disappointing development. My wife and I travelled on it last year in connection with the Douro historical steam train and enjoyed it immensely. I wonder whether Portugal realised its overall value to tourism?

 

[30907]

Sad. The page on the CP website has disappeared.