‘Getting off the beaten track’ is an often overused phrase, but it’s entirely apt if you’re hoping to explore the less-visited towns and cities across Portugal. Sometimes your destination is the goal; occasionally it’s a bonus, as it can be more about the journey itself and the evolving landscapes the carriage windows frame so perfectly. With this in mind, we give you our pick of Portugal’s Best Railway Journeys…
The Fertagus Line is an anomalous part of the Portuguese railway network.
Originally known as the Eixo Norte-Sul (North-South Axis), this is the only privately run passenger line in the country, connecting the Areeiro district of the capital Lisbon to the old ship building city of Setubal. It’s primarily a commuter line and not much to write about on paper. However, it does provide a unique perspective on two of the capital’s most-impressive man-made landmarks.
The first is the Aqueduto das Aguas Livres which dominates the skyline over Campolide station. Built in 1744 to bring much-needed fresh water into the city from the parish of Canecas, the aqueduct consist of thirty-five arches spanning a total distance of 941m, feeding water into the underground Reservatório da Mae d’Agua das Amoreiras in the centre of the city. Testament to their over-engineered design and construction, both structures survived the great earthquake of 1755. However, they didn’t survive the construction of the Barbadinhos reservoir which superseded them – both the aqueduct and the Mae d’Agua were decommissioned in 1968.
The Aqueduto das Aguas Livres will live in infamy, thanks to serial killer Diogo Alves. Known as the Aqueduct Murderer, Diogo attacked and robbed seventy passers by in the mid-1800s, throwing them off the 65m high aqueduct in order to disguise his crimes as suicides. Tried and convicted in 1841, Alves was the penultimate criminal to be hanged in Portugal, but his tale took an even more macabre twist. After his death, his head was preserved and donated to Lisbon’s surgical school: perhaps an early example of neuro-criminology, the head still exists in a glass jar of formaldehyde at Lisbon University and can be viewed by appointment.
Without doubt the highlight of this train journey is the crossing of the magnificent Ponte 25 de Abril bridge. This 2.3km suspension bridge was constructed in 1966 and was originally christened the ‘Ponte Salazar’ – named after Prime Minister Antonio Salazar, leader of the ruling fascist Estado Novo regime. This dark period in the nation’s history saw Europe’s great explorers retreat inwards, as the Salazar regime suppressed outside influences and free speech. A group of middle-ranking army officers, (the ‘April Captains’, as they became known), co-ordinated a military coup on 25th April 1974 by transmitting the song ‘Grandola, Vila Morena’ by Jose Afonso – the transmission instigated a series of synchronised takeovers at key institutions across the city. The Lisboetas took to the streets en-masse, and the government relinquished power six hours later. As a lasting symbol of their ‘Carnation Revolution’, the citizens marched across the bridge, forcibly removed Salazar’s plaque and painted ’25 de Abril’ in its place.
Uniquely for the Portuguese rail network, the Fertagus Line’s electric multiple units are double decker, and sitting on the top deck is a must for the best view as you cross the Tagus River. The river pops up as a natural divide throughout Portuguese history, and it’s quite surprising that the first bridge wasn’t built until 1966. The rail platform came even later – it was added as part of a major refurbishment in 1999.
A second bridge, the Vasco da Gama road bridge, was constructed in 1998 – this 12km bridge was once Europe’s longest bridge until the opening of the Crimean Bridge in 2018. Future plans are being mooted for an extension of the Lisbon Metro under the river, to connect the city with the beaches of the Costa da Caparica on the southbank, a third bridge from Chelas to Barreiro, and possibly a road tunnel from Alcochete to the site of the new airport.
Back on the train, you could alight at Pragal to visit one of Lisbon’s most-photographed landmarks: the Santuario de Cristo Rei catholic monument. Although it’s often compared to the more famous statue in Rio, its design was inspired by a much older monument on the island of Madeira. The Cais do Sodre ferry criss-crosses the river throughout the day (departing every fifteen minutes), and it normally takes around thirty minutes to walk up the hill from the ferry terminal the Santuario. You can take a lift (for 5€ per person) up to the viewing platform on statue’s giant plinth for a 360⁰C view of Lisbon’s endless waterfront, the Serra de Sintra to the east and the green hills of the Serra de Arrabida to the south.
Riding the Fertagus Line to its conclusion will bring you to Setubal. Setubal is popular with the residents of Lisbon for its fresh fish, particularly a dish called choco frito. Like so many great recipes, it’s a dish born out of necessity: cuttle fish was seen as poor man’s squid and local fishermen struggled to sell their catches. The fish would end up being traded for beer and wine with local bar keepers – they’d simmer the fish in saltwater with bay and garlic, before dusting them in cornflower and deep frying them. The resultant choco frito were served back to the fishermen as late-night bar snacks – it’s now a staple of restaurant menus across the town and a fabulous end to the train journey.
Thanks to its location on the Sado estuary, Setubal was one of Portugal’s largest industrial centres and home to the Lisnave shipyards – it’s been sadly neglected in recent years, but its historic centre around the Convento de Jesus, the Museu de Setubal and the Ingeja do Antigo Mosteiro de Jesus (with its impressive spiralling Solomonic columns) has seen recent renovation.
Being a commuter line, the Fertagus route is best avoided during rush hour, and tickets are purchased from the vending machines on the stations. We’re also toying with the idea of offering day trips to the beautiful medieval city of Evora – the Comboios de Portugal service from Lisbon Oriente to Evora also crosses the Ponte 25 de Avril, and we’ll be including prebooked tickets as part of our day tour.
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