Porto Metro

Porto Metro

Flexity Outlook Eurotram train of the Porto Metro at Trindade station
Overview
Native name Metro do Porto
Owner Government-owned corporation
Locale Porto
Gondomar
Maia
Matosinhos
Póvoa de Varzim
Vila do Conde
Vila Nova de Gaia
Transit type Light rail
Number of lines 6
Number of stations 81
Daily ridership 152,600 passengers (on average) (2011)
Website Metro do Porto
Operation
Began operation 7 December 2002 (2002-12-07)
Operator(s) ViaPORTO
Number of vehicles 102
Technical
System length 67 km (42 mi)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 12 in) standard gauge
Electrification 750 V DC OHLE

The Porto Metro (Portuguese: Metro do Porto), part of the public transport (mass transit) system of Porto, Portugal, is a light rail network that runs underground in central Porto and above ground into the city's suburbs. Metro do Porto S.A. was founded in 1993, and the first line of the system opened in 2002.[1]

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 81 operational stations across 67 kilometres (42 mi) of double track commercial line. Most of the system is at ground level or elevated, but 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) of the network is underground. The system is run by ViaPORTO.

History

Porto Metro train.

Line A (blue line) between Senhor de Matosinhos and Trindade in central Porto was the first Porto Metro line to open, in 2002. The line was extended in 2004 to Estádio do Dragão, in time for the Euro 2004 Football championship.

On April 14, 2005, Line B (red line) opened. The Casa da Música concert hall (which has a station on the combined ABCEF line) opened on the same day. Lines A and B are the last legacy of a line which once went from Trindade to Famalicão, originally narrow gauge, opened in 1875, completed in 1881 and switched to metre gauge in 1930. (The stretch from Varzim to Famalicão is now a bicycle trail.)

Line C (green line) opened on July 30, 2005, reaching the centre of Maia. An extension to ISMAI opened in March 2006. Line C uses a stretch formerly part of the Guimarães line which joined the current line at Lousado.

Line D (yellow line) proved the most problematic to excavate and opened in 2005. The line runs from João de Deus and Vila Nova de Gaia in the south before crossing the River Douro and passing through central Porto en route to São João Hospital in the north. The São João Hospital and IPO stations were not brought into service until April 2006 due to safety concerns. In October 2011, it was extended to Santo Ovídio.

Line E (violet line) opened on May 27, 2006, connecting the Airport Francisco Sá Carneiro and Campanhã. Several weeks later, the line was extended until Estádio do Dragão. An end-to-end journey takes 33 minutes, with trains departing every 20 minutes.

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.

Lines A, B, C, E & F follow the same course within the City of Porto (between Estádio do Dragão and Senhora da Hora). The transfer point between Line ABCEF and Line D is at Trindade in central Porto; from Trindade to Senhora da Hora, the right of way recycles the original Porto-Varzim-Famalicão/Maia-Trofa-Guimarães trunk line.

Costs and financial results

On board a Porto Metro train
An Andante ticket being validated

As of 2007, the total cost of Porto Metro mass transit public transport system stands on 3,500 million 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 which means a slippage of over 1,500 million euros. The Porto Metro state-owned company has reported losses every year, reaching a record loss of 122 million euros in 2006.[2][3]

Trains

The Metro uses modern Eurotram low-floor, articulated trams. New Flexity Swift LRVs are used on line B, Bx and occasionally line C since 2008, and can reach 100 km/h (62.5 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.

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.

Tickets

The system uses the "Andante" ticketing system. Machines in stations issue and can recharge Andante Azul - blue "Occasional" tickets, while Andante Gold is a credit-card style "Gold" tickets (which bear a scanned photograph of the holder) that can be purchased in Lojas Andante (Andante Shops). Tickets can also be topped up at Multibanco ATM terminals.

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. A validated occasional ticket allows for unlimited travel within a specified time period, currently 1 hour for the minimum 2-zone ticket, and longer as the number of valid zones increases. The gold passes allow unlimited travel within a pre-defined area, and are available in "anytime" or cheaper "10/16" (off-peak) versions. There is also a daily ticket, known as Andante 24 that allows the user to make unlimited trips within a given day in the zones chosen. For example, a Z3 (3-zone) ticket is valid for 3 zones in any direction of travel from the first validated zone. So, to cover all of the Metro, except the northernmost part of Line B (zones N2 and N3), a Z4 ticket is needed, provided it is validated in zone C1.

There are no faregates within the Metro; instead, groups of fare inspectors randomly check tickets with hand-held scanners. The current penalty for travelling without a validated ticket is €77.

The metro uses the same zoning system as the majority of public transport providers in the Porto metropolitan area, which is divided into Central (C), North (N) and South (S) zones, and further divided into numbered sub-zones. The C1 zone in central Porto is effectively the area contained within the VCI (Via Cintura Interna) inner ring-road, while zones C2 and C6 are the areas between the VCI and the Estrada da Circunvalação outer ring-road.

The Andante system is being rolled out across the entire Porto public transit network. STCP bus routes and some other bus routes currently accept Andante and the intention is for the entire bus, metro and suburban train network to become integrated. The same ticket cannot be used on downtown Porto trams and the cable car (Funicular dos Guindais). The Andante Azul that tourists typically use are not valid, though the Andante Gold loaded with monthly tickets may be accepted.

Network

   Metro do Porto
Line Length
(km)
Stations Inauguration Vehicle
Estádio do Dragão ↔ Senhor de Matosinhos
15,6 23 7 December 2002 Flexity Outlook (Eurotram)
Estádio do Dragão ↔ Póvoa de Varzim
33,6 35 13 March 2005 Flexity Swift (Tram-train)
Campanhã ↔ ISMAI
19,6 24 30 July 2005 Flexity Swift (Tram-train)
Hospital São João ↔ Santo Ovídio
9,2 16 18 September 2005 Flexity Outlook (Eurotram)
Estádio do Dragão ↔ Aeroporto
16,7 21 27 May 2006 Flexity Outlook (Eurotram)
Fânzeres ↔ Senhora da Hora
17,4 24 2 January 2011 Flexity Outlook (Eurotram)
Ribeira ↔ Batalha
0,3 2 19 February 2004 Funicular of Guindais

Line A: Senhor de Matosinhos ↔ Estádio do Dragão (blue)

Line A
Legend
Senhor de Matosinhos
Mercado Bus interchange
Brito Capelo
Matosinhos Sul
Câmara de Matosinhos
Parque de Real
Pedro Hispano
Estádio do Mar
Vasco da Gama
Zone C3
Zone C2
Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro
Senhora da Hora
Sete Bicas
Viso
Ramalde
Zone C2
Zone C1
Francos
Casa da Música Bus interchange
Carolina Michaëlis
Lapa
Trindade
Bolhão Bus interchange
Campo 24 de Agosto Bus interchange
Heroísmo
Campanhã Comboios de Portugal Porto Metro Bus interchange
Estádio do Dragão Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro
Travel time: 40 minutes
Headway: 10 minutes
Line A grass covered track

Line B/Bx: Póvoa de Varzim ↔ Estádio do Dragão (red)

Line B/Bx
Legend
Póvoa de Varzim
São Brás
Portas Fronhas
Alto de Pêga
Vila do Conde
Santa Clara
Zone N3
Zone N2
Azurara
Árvore
Varziela
Espaço Natureza
Mindelo
Zone N2
Zone N10
Modivas Centro
Modivas Sul
Vilar de Pinheiro
Lidador
Pedras Rubras
Porto Metro
Verdes
Zone N10
Zone C5
Crestins
Esposade
Custóias
Porto Metro
Fonte do Cuco
Zone C5
Zone C2
Porto Metro
Senhora da Hora
Sete Bicas
Viso
Ramalde
Zone C2
Zone C1
Francos
Casa da Música Bus interchange
Carolina Michaëlis
Lapa
Trindade
Bolhão Bus interchange
Campo 24 de Agosto Bus interchange
Heroísmo
Campanhã Comboios de Portugal Porto Metro Bus interchange
Estádio do Dragão Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro
Travel time (B): 61 minutes
Travel time (Bx): 53 minutes
Headway: 30 minutes (each service)
Flexity Swift (Tram-train) on Line B.

Line C: ISMAI ↔ Campanhã (green)

Line C
Legend
Paradela Comboios de Portugal
Trofa
Senhora das Dores
Pateiras
Bougado future
Serra
Muro
Ribela
ISMAI
Castêlo da Maia
Mandim
Zona Industrial
Zone N11
Zone C5
Fórum Maia
Parque Maia
Custió
Araújo
Pias
Cândido dos Reis
Porto Metro Porto Metro
Fonte do Cuco
Zone C5
Zone C2
Porto Metro
Senhora da Hora
Sete Bicas
Viso
Ramalde
Zone C2
Zone C1
Francos
Casa da Música Bus interchange
Carolina Michaëlis
Lapa
Trindade Porto Metro Bus interchange
Bolhão Bus interchange
Campo 24 de Agosto Bus interchange
Heroísmo
Campanhã Comboios de Portugal Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro Bus interchange
Travel time: 41 minutes
Headway: 15 minutes
Metro do Porto composition next to the Forum Maia Station.
Aliados Station entrance.

Line D: Santo Ovídio ↔ Hospital São João (yellow)

Line D
Legend
Quinta
Quinta do Cedro future
Laborim
Santo Ovídio Bus interchange
D. João II Bus interchange
João de Deus
Câmara de Gaia
General Torres Comboios de Portugal
Jardim do Morro

Douro
Zone S8
Zone C1
São Bento Comboios de Portugal Bus interchange Funicular dos Guindais
Aliados Bus interchange
Trindade Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro Bus interchange
Faria Guimarães
Marquês Bus interchange
Combatentes
Salgueiros
Zone C1
Zone C6
Pólo Universitário
some services
terminate here
IPO
Hospital São João Bus interchange
Travel time: 25 minutes
Minimum headway: 5 / 10 minutes
Dom Luis I's bridge crossing by Metro
Trindade Station, Line D platform
IPO Station, Line D

Line E: Aeroporto ↔ Estádio do Dragão (violet)

Line E
Legend
AeroportoAirport interchange
Francisco de Sá
Carneiro Airport
Bus interchange
Botica
Porto Metro
Verdes
Crestins
Zone N10
Zone C5
Esposade
Custóias
Porto Metro
Fonte do Cuco
Zone C5
Zone C2
Porto Metro
Senhora da Hora
Sete Bicas
Viso
Ramalde
Zone C2
Zone C1
Francos
Casa da Música Bus interchange
Carolina Michaëlis
Lapa
Trindade Porto Metro Bus interchange
Bolhão Bus interchange
Campo 24 de Agosto Bus interchange
Heroísmo
Campanhã Comboios de Portugal Porto Metro Bus interchange
Estádio do Dragão Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro
Travel time: 35 minutes
Headway: 30 minutes

Line F: Senhora da Hora ↔ Fânzeres (orange)

Line F
Legend
Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro
Senhora da Hora
Sete Bicas
Viso
Ramalde
Zone C2
Zone C1
Francos
Casa da Música Bus interchange
Carolina Michaëlis
Lapa
Trindade Porto Metro Bus interchange
Bolhão Bus interchange
Campo 24 de Agosto Bus interchange
Heroísmo
Campanhã Comboios de Portugal Porto Metro Bus interchange
Estádio do Dragão Porto Metro Porto Metro Porto Metro
Zone C1
Zone C6
Contumil Comboios de Portugal
Nasoni
Nau Vitória
Zone C6
Zone C9
Levada
Rio Tinto Comboios de Portugal
Campainha
Baguim
Carreira
Zone C9
Zone C8
Venda Nova
Fânzeres
Travel time: 39 minutes
Headway: 15 minutes

Funicular dos Guindais

Car of the funicular. In the background, the Ferdinand Wall of Porto.

The Metro do Porto company also operates the Funicular of Guindais, a cable-car system that was originally built in 1891 and was recently remodelled. It connects the riverside area of Ribeira to higher ground at Batalha, near the São Bento station.

Future expansion

Line C: To Paradela, Trofa.
Line D: Connection to Vila D'Este.
Line G: Senhor de Matosinhos to São Bento.
Line H: Matosinhos Praia to Vila D'Este.
Line I: Campanhã to Gondomar.

See also

References

  1. 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.
  2. Gestores do Metro do Porto recebem €650 mil de prémios, Expresso newspaper, 18 February 2006, accessed March 2007 (in Portuguese)
  3. Metro do Porto fechou exercício com resultado negativo de 122 milhões de euros, Diário Económico website, 7 March 2007, accessed March 2007 (in Portuguese)
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