Porto to Régua, Pinhão & Pocinho
Portugal's most scenic train ride takes you along the Douro Valley from Porto (Portugal's second city) to Régua, Pinhão & Pocinho. It makes a great day trip from Porto, although too far for a day trip from Lisbon. The line currently ends at Pocinho, although there are plans to reopen the 28km from Pocinho to Barca de Alva on the border with Spain. Indeed, until 1984 the line continued all the way to Salamanca. If you love train rides, scenery and port wine this is the route for you! Watch the video.
Train times
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There are 5 or 6 trains per day from Porto to Pinhão & Pocinho. Porto to Pocinho takes around 3h25.
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Check times from Porto to Régua, Pinhão or Pocinho using the Portuguese Railways website www.cp.pt.
Or download a .pdf timetable at www.cp.pt/.../comboios-regionais-porto-regua-douro.pdf (please let me know if the link stops working).
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You can catch any of these trains from the main Porto Campanhã station, but the key trains start/terminate at the wonderful Porto São Bento station, one of Europe's most beautiful stations located right in the UNESCO-listed old town. I recommend starting from there.
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The best trains use classic carriages built by Swiss firm Schindler with wide opening windows. There is a page about these services with a timetable of when this type of train runs at www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/how-to-travel/For-leisure/Nature-and-Culture/miradouro-train (please let me know if that link changes).
How much does it cost?
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Porto to Pinhao around €12 each way, Porto to Pocinho costs around €14.50 each way.
Fixed-price, unlimited availability, cannot sell out.
How to buy tickets
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You can buy tickets at www.cp.pt (in €) or Omio.com (in €, £ or $) and print them out or show them on your phone, but as there are no reservations, tickets have unlimited availability and cannot sell out, you can just buy at the station on the day.
Travel tips
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Start at Porto São Bento
São Bento station with its classic wall tiling is a Porto attraction in its own right, so for the full experience take the 08:20 or 13:20 direct departures from Porto São Bento (times may vary, check online), rather than joining at Porto Campanhã.
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Bring your own food & drink
The trains are inter-regional trains with no catering, so bring your own food & drink.
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Which side of the train to sit?
Going east, the river is on the right hand side all the way from Porto through Tua to just before Ferradosa, then on the left for the last short stretch to Pocinho. The train isn't usually crowded so you can usually switch sides at Ferradosa.
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Should you go all the way to Pocinho?
Ideally yes, as arguably the most scenic part is from Tua to Pocinho, where the river narrows between rocky banks. Pocinho is little more than a village and there isn't much there, but there are a couple of bar-restaurants near the station, the family-run A Taberna da Julinha is a 7 minute walk from the station and has been highly recommended for lunch, see walking map. Or you could return with the same train to Pinhão and stop off there before heading back to Porto.
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But if you're short of time...
You'll still see plenty of wonderful Douro scenery and vineyards travelling as far as Pinhão. One correspondent recommends lunch in Pinhão at the Casa do Escritor restaurant, dourorenaissence.wixsite.com/writersplace.
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Combine train and boat
Any hotel in Porto can book you onto a river boat trip along the Douro, for example from Régua to Pinhão. You can then take the train from Porto to Régua and Pinhão back to Porto, a DIY day trip from Porto by train & boat. Indeed, you can find one-way river boat trips all the way from Porto to Régua which allow you to return to Porto by train, or vice versa. Or cruise between Régua & Pocinho, with travel to and from the boat by train. Try www.cruzeiros-douro.pt.
The journey in pictures
Porto São Bento
Porto São Bento is a terminus in Porto's historic UNESCO-listed centre. Built between 1904 & 1916, the azulejo tiling in the main hall makes it one of Europe's most beautiful stations and a Porto attraction in its own right. Make sure you call in here! It's not served by mainline trains to or from Lisbon, but frequent suburban trains link it with Porto Campanhã every 5-15 minutes, journey time 4 minutes. A few Douro Valley trains start from here, before serving Porto Campanhã. See location map. More about Porto São Bento station.
Below, the lunchtime train from Porto to Pocinho is ready to leave Porto São Bento.
Leaving Porto
The train briefly runs along the Douro from São Bento to Porto Campanhã, the river is on the right. Looking back, you can see Porto's iconic Ponte Luis I in the distance.
Ponte Dona Maria Pia & Ponte São João
Looking forwards, you can see the disused Ponte Dona Maria Pia, built by the Eiffel Company in 1877. This iron single-track bridge carried the railway south towards Lisbon until 1991, when it was replaced by the concrete double-track Ponte São João which you can see behind it.
The first hour
After calling at Porto Campanhã, the train leaves the Douro behind and heads through countryside north of it. Below, crossing the river Tâmega.
Rejoining the Douro
The train rejoins the river Douro at Pala, just before Mosteirô, around 1h15 after leaving Porto.
The train descends from the hillside and is soon running close to the river. For most of the trip, the Douro is on the right.
Ermida
Below, at Ermida we pass a westbound train.
Below, the train passes endless vineyards along the route, many displaying famous names: Warre's, Sandeman, Taylor's, Cockburn, Dow's...
Régua.
Below, the train passes a turntable and rusting steam engine as it approaches Régua station.
More Douro scenery. The train is often only feet from the water.
Pinhão
Below, Pinhão station with its beautiful azulejo tiling.
Below, passing river cruise boats.
The scenery keeps on coming.
Tua
Below, Tua station. The most scenic section of river starts here.
Beyond Tua, the Douro narrows and the banks become rockier.
Looking back...
Ferradosa
The train crosses the Douro just before Ferradosa and the river is then on the left hand side.
Scenery between Ferradosa and Pocinho.
More scenery
You'll see several cruise boats.
Pocinho
There isn't much at Pocinho, but there are a couple of bar-restaurants. The line originally carried on all the way into Spain. Below, the locomotive has run round its train and is ready to return to Porto. If you want lunch before returning, the A Taberna da Julinha has been recommended, a 7 minute walk from the station, see walking map.
What are the trains like?
InterRegional (IR) locomotive-hauled trains
The main departures including the 08:20 & 13:20 from Porto São Bento are locomotive-hauled with a mix of former Swiss Railways carriages or stainless-steel cars made in Portugal. They're not air-conditioned, but have a major advantage - the windows open, for reflection-free photography. All the trains are 2nd class only, bring supplies as there's no catering. Don't expect WiFi or power outlets. They're not usually crowded, you can spread out and move sides when you need to.
Above: You may also find one or more stainless steel cars built in Portugal by Soreframe, also with opening windows. I found these seats had more padding!
Other trains
Some departures (there's no easy way to tell which) are operated by diesel units, air-conditioned but without opening windows and nicknamed camelos because of the air-conditioned equipment hump on the roof of each car. But again, don't expect WiFi or power outlets.
Video: Porto to Pocinho by train