Spain & Portugal

[Hoofhearted]

I will be visiting Spain and Portugal with my son in August. A couple of questions.

Is it OK to drink alcohol on Spanish and Portuguese trains? I've had problems in recent years where drinking of alcohol is banned on trains in many countries, and this list of countries appears to be expanding!

Secondly, last spring (2024) my son and I travelled along the Doura valley line in Portugal. This is an incredibly picturesque route, and at that time the trains were loco hauled by vintage diesels, similar to our class 20's. Are these loco hauled trains still in existence, or have they been (or are they being) phased out? I look forward to your responses.

 

[43096]

I will be visiting Spain and Portugal with my son in August. A couple of questions. Is it OK to drink alcohol on Spanish and Portuguese trains? I've had problems in recent years where drinking of alcohol is banned on trains in many countries, and this list of countries appears to be expanding! Secondly, last spring (2024) my son and I travelled along the Doura valley line in Portugal. This is an incredibly picturesque route, and at that time the trains were loco hauled by vintage diesels, similar to our class 20's. Are these loco hauled trains still in existence, or have they been (or are they being) phased out? I look forward to your responses.

Douro valley is still worked by the fabulous English Electric diesels.

 

[Elwyn]

I was on cruise on the Douro in May this year. The railway parallels the river for quite a distance. I did see a loco hauled train operating up and down the line one day. The loco was blue and I think may have been a tourist special rather than a standard service train. Staff on the cruise ship thought it just operates 3 or 4 days a week.

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Most of the 'IR' services are still loco-hauled. The 'celebrity' blue 60s liveried loco (1424) is used turn and turn about on normal service trains.

Booze on Spanish services is fine - bring your own or visit the buffet car. In Portugal there is no restriction, but it not really the done thing so be respectful.

 

[BahrainLad]

No issue with drinking on a train in Portugal. The IC and AP have a cafe bar and pricing is absurdly cheap by UK standards. AP have a trolley too.

 

[JKF]

Most of the 'IR' services are still loco-hauled. The 'celebrity' blue 60s liveried loco (1424) is used turn and turn about on normal service trains.

Booze on Spanish services is fine - bring your own or visit the buffet car. In Portugal there is no restriction, but it not really the done thing so be respectful.

1413 and 1455 are also blue, the former was out on a service train today. I think there’s a fleet of about ten of these which cover nearly all of the regional train services from Porto out to Pocinho, several each way per day. They also will often have a loco waiting at the end of the line to drop on to the train so you’ll get hauled by a different one on the return journey.

 

[WessexEclectic]

They also will often have a loco waiting at the end of the line to drop on to the train..

Is this at Pochino or Porto? Are all the locos serviced at the Porto end?

 

[43096]

Is this at Pochino or Porto? Are all the locos serviced at the Porto end?

They run round the train at Pocinho as far as I know and also at Porto Campanhã. It is only at Porto São Bento that a fresh loco is required, as it is a terminus. Locos are serviced at Contumil depot in Porto.

 

[Belperpete]

It is well worth a trip on the Duoro Historical Train, with it's vintage coaches. You get a much better view and experience than with the service trains, with a drink of port and a snack included. Unfortunately this year due to "technical difficulties" they are not being steam hauled.

I rode it the first weekend it ran that year, and unfortunately the steam loco wasn't ready so we got a historic diesel instead. Took the shine off slightly, but I was still very glad I did the trip. I booked the ticket the day before in the main station in Porto, as I was there anyway, but I recall it took the clerk a long time to work out how to issue it.

The following day I did the river cruise (which I would also thoroughly recommend). The price of the cruise included the return to Porto by service train, but I found the experience in the crowded train with the view out of the windows obscured by graffiti not particularly enjoyable.

If I were to go again, I would try and do the cruise even further up river, as it becomes increasingly spectacular the further up river you go.