Porto Metro

The Metro do Porto is a light rail system in the region of Porto in northern Portugal. Currently operating on the 70 km long route network of the six metro lines serving 80 stations in Porto and the surrounding cities of Maia, Matosinhos, Vila do Conde Vila Nova de Gaia, Póvoa de Varzim and Gondomar. The standard gauge lines run mostly above ground and double-tracked on a separate sheet body. The underground part of the track is 9.5 km.

The light rail is operated by the Metro do Porto S. A., which is held by the public sector. This is also responsible for the eröffnetete on 18 February 2004 cable car " Guindais Funicular " but not for urban bus and tram traffic (STCP ) and the Vorortüge (CP Urbanos' do Porto ).

History

Had already than the tram closures in Porto end of the 1980s, reached the peak, the first time a light rail system was proposed as a substitute. However, the lines 1 and 18, all streetcar lines were replaced by buses First up on parts. 1992 approved all nine municipalities of the metropolitan region of Porto ( Junta Metropolitana do Porto ) a light rail project, resulting in the Metro do Porto S. A. on 21 January 1993 was founded. In January 1996 the first stage of the project was presented with four lines at 70 km trail network. After December 16, 1998, the funding, partly with EU funds. could be finally resolved, the construction works were officially opened on 15 March 1999.

The first tests were on 3 December 2001 on the section between the depot Gueifões and Avenida Vasco da Gama, will be included in Senhora da Hora. On February 24, 2002, the Portuguese Railways, then under the name Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses, the operation on the narrow gauge railways in the north of Porto a. Their paths were for the standard gauge Metro completely rebuilt. Finally, it was opened on 29 June 2002, the trial operation with passengers on the route of the line A between Câmara de Matosinhos and Viso. With the completion of the first section of the downtown tunnel to Trindade on 7 December 2002, the Metro do Porto was officially opened in the presence of the then Prime Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso.

On New Years Day 2003, the electronic ticket system Andante was introduced, whereas previously no fare was demanded. On 31 March 2003, the construction could begin on the second main line (line D), since the upper roadway of the Dom Luís bridge could be closed to traffic. As a replacement for this important road link, the new Infante Bridge, a little upstream, built. On November 3, the tunnel drilling was completed for the first stage, so that the first downtown tunnel (for the lines A- C and E) could be taken in time for the European Football Championship on 5 June 2004 in full operation. On 24 March 2004 a branch line from the line B with the number e to Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport has been approved (originally it was not in the first stage included), it was opened on 27 May 2006. On March 13 (line B) and 30 July 2005 ( line C ), the lines B and C opened, which use the same main line as the A line. Since the line B has a very long journey times between Porto and Póvoa de Varzim, in addition hourly express trains are available.

On January 2, 2011, the Linha de Gondomar ( line F ) was opened, which extends the trail network over the station Estádio do Dragão addition, in the eastern suburbs Valongo and Fanzeres.

Line network

First stage of expansion

• 70 km in total, of which:
• 7 km tunnel section
• 13 km in road holding (mainly line A in Matosinhos ), mostly on its own rail body
• 50 km former narrow gauge lines
• 66 stops

Essentially, the route network of two trunk routes that intersect in the station Trindade. They are connected by a working link in Trindade.

• Second trunk route line D 8 underground stations in a tunnel

Second stage

• Various extensions of existing lines outside Portos Line F Senhora da Hora - Fanzeres
• Senhor de Matosinhos line G - S. Bento
• Line H Matosinhos Praia - Vila d' Este
• Line I Campanhã - Gondomar

Stretch

The original route of the lines AC and E runs between Senhora da Hora and Trindade primarily on the route of the disused narrow gauge railway, only the tunnel at Casa da Música was newly added. Cuts and short tunnels alternate. From Trindade a ( new ) Tunnel connects to Campanhã station, the route runs parallel to the railroad on the surface to the Estadio do Dragão. The inner city is, however, rather only affected, the importance of Bolhão, near the shopping street Rua de Santa Catarina.

In Senhora da Hora, the line branches off A from west, it runs on its own track body beside roads towards Matosinhos. In the local downtown trains run on the newly designed pedestrian boulevard and end on turf track at the stop Senhor de Matosinhos, near the port of Leixões. Near the bus stop Brito Capelo, a branch of the museum tram was already installed.

The lines B, C and E lead further on its own rail body adjacent streets to the branching point Fonte do Cuco with four tracks, two side platforms and a wedge-shaped central platform. Line C uses here the east two tracks and is now leading on the narrow gauge railway line across the country, up in Parque Maia again more urban area is achieved. In this fast- track standard trassierten section the trains to their maximum speed, fully extend. Before the high station Parque Maia the steep ramp begins on the level of the satellite city of Maia. Behind Parque Maia followed by a short section in a pedestrian zone in which the station is situated Forum de Maia. After a short grass track section the track drops again and executes Maia again schnellbahn moderate and terminates shortly after Maia at the campus of the Instituto Superior da Maia ( ISMAI ). The route continues on the narrow gauge railway line to Trofa is not reactivated, however, is being considered.

Continue over the land lines lead B and E from Fonte de Cuco. The origin of the track alignment is particularly clear here: fields and scattered houses along the route, the distances between stops are high, the speed of 80 km / h fully extended. A branch leads to the depot Gueifões, cross several highways. In Verdes the route of the line E falls on the platform and passes through a short tunnel through a business park at Botica to the airport. Here reigns again in front of green track along roads, shortly before the Aeroporto railway station followed by another short tunnel.

Almost completely separated from the rest of the network, however, the line runs D. In the city, a tunnel was built, which starts just behind Ponte Dom Luís I and ends behind Polo Universitário. The rest of the route is on its own track system for Hospital São João or by Vila Nova de Gaia to Santo Ovídio where transition to suburban trains, the CP Urbanos' do Porto is. Line D opens up the downtown and the old town better than the lines A, B, C, and E, but it opens up the downtown São Bento train station, the nearby Aliados, the boulevard postage, and the town hall. At the Aliados also operate a large proportion of bus lines of the STCP. It is interesting to crossing the Ponte Dom Luís.

As the first line of the second stage of the line F was taken after Fanzeres into operation in January 2011.

Stations

It outweigh double track stations with side platforms, each 70 m long and 25 cm high. Exceptions are the stations Aeroporto and Senhora da Hora with three tracks, one middle and one side platform, Estadio do Dragão with two central platforms and three tracks, Pólo Universitário with a central platform and a high ceiling and the aboveground station Trindade with a side of railway siding. The only four-track railway stations are Fonte de Cuco and Verdes, both with side platforms. At the stops in pedestrian zones, the tracks are lowered.

The stations are typically designed by the architect Eduardo Souto de Moura, the design is unified and usually relatively simple. Grey granite, stainless steel, solid color tiles, exposed concrete and glass predominate. Only the station Aeroporto is with the arched glass roof falls Otherwise an exception as only the round roof opening in the station Casa da Música, the domed glass roof in Parque Maia and the sudden descent into a tunnel behind the stations Campanhã Verdes on. At some stations the lines B and C reception building of the former narrow gauge railway are still preserved, often with azulejos, as close to Casa da Música, the adapted for receiving bank building which still emblazoned Boavista. The underground station São Bento ( in the center of Porto Porto São Bento railway station in front of the location ) was designed by Álvaro Siza Vieira.

All platforms are equipped with dynamic objective indicators that show the time in minutes to the next exit.

Rolling stock

There are 72 five -piece Euro trams from Bombardier Transportation available. This 35 m long, 40 -ton and up to 80 km / h trams offer 80 seats and space for a total 215 persons ( 4 persons / m² ); they are an integral low. The type Euro tram is now being marketed by Bombardier as part of the Flexity Outlook series. Euro Trams next to Porto in Milan and Strasbourg. In May 2006, three-piece 30 Bombardier Flexity Swift vehicles of the type were for 115 million euros ordered from a consortium of Bombardier and Vossloh Kiepe. The design of rail vehicles was designed by the Belgian Office Enthoven for postage. The vehicles offer to 37.1 m length 248 passenger capacity, of which there are 100 seats. When used on the lines B to Póvoa do Varzim and C the last stop ISMAI they can reach their top speed of 100 km / hr.

The first of the built in Vienna trains Bombardier Flexity Swift were delivered in late 2008 and tested for a year. They are used in regular operation since early 2010, first as express trains on the red line B to Póvoa do Varzim. Since 1 February 2010, the entire traffic of the red line B is handled with the new vehicles, to expand capacity many times with two coupled vehicles ( double traction ). With the thus liberated Euro trams capacity on other lines could be increased considerably. Serviceable both types of vehicles in the depot Gueifões, located on the lines B and E.