Comboios de Portugal


CP — Comboios de Portugal, EPE is Portugal's national state-owned railway company, which operates passenger trains in Portugal. Prior to June 2009, CP stood for Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses although the company has been using its current designation as a brand name since 2004.
CP can trace its origins back to October 1856 and the opening of the first railway line in Portugal; the majority of the network has long comprised Iberian gauge lines, compatible with neighboring Spain. During the 1950s, the Portuguese railway network spanned roughly, its greatest extent. In 1975, the Portuguese Railway Company was nationalised. Amid a decline in passenger numbers, various lines were shut down, with almost a quarter of the rail network being closed by the twenty-first century.
During the 1990s, there were efforts to restructure and improve CP services. In 1999, CP introduced its new flagship service, the Alfa Pendular, which operates between Braga - Porto - Lisbon - Faro using tilting trains. Since 2005, management of the railway infrastructure has been split from CP, which instead focuses on train services, while the former role is now performed by Infraestruturas de Portugal. Also, CP's cargo activities were transferred to private company MSC who operate them under the Medway label; leaving CP to only operate passenger trains. In 2015, a new long-term strategy for Portugal's railway network has been underway, under which full electrification of the network, the provision of European Rail Traffic Management System, and the general modernisation and improvement of trunk routes and international services is being conducted. Throughout early 2023, CP's operations have been repeatedly disrupted by industrial action.
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History

On 28 October 1856, the first railway line in Portugal was inaugurated between Lisbon and Carregado; the event marked the origins of the Companhia dos Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses. While the early railways in Portugal had been constructed in standard gauge, subsequent lines were built to the Iberian gauge as to be compatible with neighboring Spain; the initial standard gauge tracks were also rebuilt into Iberian gauge for consistency.
The railway network was gradually expanded both south of the Tagus and to the north of the country, as well as in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto and to Spain. Portugal's railways would play a role in numerous significant national events. On 14 December 1910; President Sidonio Bernardino Cardeso da Silva Paes was assassinated at Lisboa-Rossio Railway Station of one of the presidents of the first republic. In 1958, a railway rout formed a prominent part of the political campaign of the democratic opposition candidate Humberto Delgado for the Portuguese presidency. More generally, the railways had been crucial to the rapid dissemination of news across the more rural areas of the nation.
It was during the 1950s that the Portuguese railway network expanded to its greatest extent, covering roughly. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the majority of CP's rolling stock was built in Portugal by Sorefame - notably carriages with stainless steel bodywork. Gradually, electrification was put in place for a little less than half the network. In 1975, the company was nationalised, after which its name was shortened to CP. During the 1970s and especially during the 1980s, as cars became increasingly affordable to average citizens, passenger demand on CP's network declined considerably, spurring decreases in investment, the cutting back on little-used services, and the closure of less trafficked lines. By the twenty-first century, almost a quarter of the rail network had been closed, around remained operational, while of the roughly 900 stations once active, only 563 remained in use by 2023.
During the 1990s, CP inaugurated new trains for its suburban service within Lisbon; during 2001, new rolling stock was brought into service on Porto's suburban services as well. In September 2012, the Portuguese government announced its intention to privatise portions of the suburban rail services of Lisbon and Porto via a leasing arrangement. The move was part of a wider initiative towards increasing the liberalisation of the domestic Portuguese rail network.
During 1999, CP introduced its new flagship service, the Alfa Pendular, which operates between Braga - Porto - Lisbon - Faro. Using a fleet of FIAT/Siemens tilting trains, it has a maximum operating speed of 220 km/h. Despite this, the majority of Portugal's lines were not suitable for high speed operations, which was a partial consequence of the protracted lack of investment. By 2006, CP's network covers the majority of the country.
Various changes to modernise and improve CP's railway network were proposed during the early twenty-first century. At the time, the infrastructure suffered from a lack of uniformity, particularly in respect to signalling and electrical supply systems, while freight services were subject to numerous restrictions even on heavily trafficked trunk lines. A programme of works to finally connect all the district capitals by a fully electrified double line was to be implemented from 2010; elements of this plan were based on the Swiss Rail 2000 model. Furthermore, the Portuguese government was keen to improve intermobility between the rail network and various other logistic platforms, such as airports and seaports, as well as to improve links with pan-European transportation mediums in general.
In 2015, a new long-term strategy for Portugal's railway network was announced; it called for the full electrification of the network, along with the provision of European Rail Traffic Management System signaling and control apparatus, infrastructure compliance with the relevant European standards along all of the main freight corridors for complete interoperability, and changed to enable the running of -long trains carrying up to 1,400 tonnes of cargo. Particular attention was paid to the modernisation of those lines used by international services and trunk routes that traversed the country.
During 2019, CP transported 145 million passengers, an increase of 19 million from the previous year.
Throughout early 2023, CP's passenger services have been repeatedly disrupted by industrial action taken by its employees.
As of 2025, the Vouga line is the only narrow gauge line that remains operational.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure of the Portuguese network is managed by Infraestruturas de Portugal, usually abbreviated to IP
Portuguese railway network extent:
  • Broad gauge :, electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz AC and at 1.5 kV DC.
  • Narrow gauge : not electrified.
  • The maximum extent of was reached in 1949, but in the late 1980s and early 1990s some lines were shortened and some totally closed.

Organisation

CP is split into three divisions:CP Longo Curso, long-distance mainline services.CP Regional, regional services.CP Urban Services

Services

CP offers the following types of trains:International is a long-distance international intercity service. The service connects Portugal with Galicia, Spain and is called Celta. The Sud-Express and Lusitânia ran to both Spain and France under Renfe's Trenhotel brand until it was discontinued in 2020Alfa Pendular is an intercity high-speed service. It is the fastest service, whose speeds can reach 220 km/h. This service runs from Lisbon to either Porto, Braga or Guimarães or between Porto and Faro. Intercidades is an intercity fast long-distance service whose speeds can reach 200 km/h. All IC services run from Lisbon to either Porto, Braga, Guimarães, Guarda, Covilhã or Évora, serving the majority of the Portuguese regions. Service to southern Portugal runs to cities including Tunes, Faro, and Albufeira.Inter-Regional is a medium distance service which stops only at the main stations. Runs mainly on the routes Porto-Viana do Castelo-Valença, Porto-Régua-Pocinho, Lisbon-Caldas da Rainha-Leiria-Coimbra and Lisbon-Tomar. Services are operated by the same trains as Regional service.Regional is CP's local service, stopping at all stations, out of the Lisbon and Porto suburban areas.Urbano is the CP's urban service, in the regions of Lisbon and Porto and in the Coimbra-Figueira da Foz Line.

Lines/Routes

The lines are no longer maintained by CP, due to EU regulations, so the infrastructure is now handled by the public company Infraestruturas de Portugal.
LineGaugeStatusNotes
AlentejoIberianPartially OpenedNo traffic between Beja and Ourique and freight only between Ourique and Funcheira
Alfarelos BranchIberiancurrent
AlgarveIberiancurrent
Beira AltaIberiancurrentClosed from April 2022 for a complete overhaul. Scheduled to reopen by the end of 2024, eventually reopened late 2025
Beira BaixaIberiancurrent
Ramal de BragaIberiancurrent
Ramal de CáceresIberianformerclosed in 2012
CascaisIberiancurrent
CinturaIberiancurrent
Corgometreformerclosed in 1990 between Vila Real and Chaves; remaining section closed in 2009
Dãometreformerclosed in 1989
DouroIberianPartially Openedclosed in 1988 between Pocinho and Barca d'Alva
Ramal do Estádio NacionalIberianformerclosed in 1979
ÉvoraIberiancurrentclosed in 1990 between Estremoz and Vila Viçosa; closed in 2009 between Évora and Estremoz
Évora–ElvasIberianfutureNew line between Évora and Elvas
Ramal da Figueira da FozIberianformerclosed in 2009
Guimarãesmetreformerclosed in 1986 between Guimarães and Fafe; closed in 2001 between ISMAI and Trofa; converted to Iberian gauge between Trofa and Guimarães in 2004; converted to Porto Metro between Senhora da Hora and ISMAI in 2005
GuimarãesIberiancurrent
Linha de LeixõesIberiancurrentreopened commuter service from Campanhã to Leça do Balio in 2025
LesteIberiancurrentpassenger service restored in 2017
Lisbon–Porto HSLIberianfuture
Ramal do LouriçalIberiancurrentfreight only
Ramal da LousãIberianformerclosed in 2010 for construction of Metro Mondego; work halted due to lack of funds
MatinhaIberianPartially OpenedClosed between Sacavém and Beato in the mid 1990's to make way for Expo '98 grounds
freight only
MinhoIberianPartially OpenedClosed in 1990 between Valença and Monção
MontemorIberianformerclosed in 1989
MontijoIberianformerclosed in 1989
MoraIberianformerclosed in 1990
MouraIberianformerclosed in 1990
NorteIberiancurrent
OesteIberiancurrent
PortalegreIberianformerclosed in 1990
PóvoametreformerClosed in 1995 between Póvoa de Varzim and Famalicão
Porto - Póvoa de Varzim converted to Porto Metro between 2002 and 2006
Porto-Vigo HSLIberianfuture
Ramal Neves CorvoIberiancurrentfreight only
Sabormetreformerclosed in 1988
SinesIberiancurrentfreight only
SintraIberiancurrent
SulIberiancurrent
TâmegametreformerClosed in stages between 1990 and 2009: Arco de Baúlhe - Amarante and Amarante - Livração.
Ramal de TomarIberiancurrent
TuametreformerClosed in stages between 1992 and 2019: Bragança - Mirandela, Tua - Cachão and Cachão - Mirandela - Carvalhais. Mirandela - Carvalhais section reopened between 1995 and 2019 as Metro de Mirandela
Vendas NovasIberiancurrentfreight only
VougametrePartially OpenedViseu branch closed in 1990

Major stations

Lisbon

Porto

Other

Accidents and incidents

On 21 January 2013, two trains crashed on the Portuguese Northern Line in Alfarelos. Twenty-five people were injured and the line was closed for three days.
On 31 July 2020, an Alfa Pendular Train collided with a track maintenance vehicle at Soure, Portugal. Two people were killed and 43 were injured, three seriously.