Peso da Régua -After several years of reconstruction and refurbishment, Portugal’s historic steam locomotive will again run this summer on the Douro River Line in Northern Portugal.  CP Portuguese Rail’s steam engine #0186 - built in 1925 by Henschel & Son - will return to the route from Peso da Régua to Tua. The steam engine was replaced with a diesel in 2013 to allow for restoration work.

With a price starting of 37.50€, the one day program includes onboard entertainment and a Port Wine glass. The History Steam Train departs Régua around 3.21PM and returns at 6.39PM, running between June and October. It will follow the line along the banks of the Douro River Valley, pulling 5 historic carriages. To get there, more than dozen regional trains connect Régua to Porto in either direction. Regional trains also connect Porto to Tua.

Starting in Régua, the trip up to Pinhão is a long straight that follows the right bank

of the Douro overlooking the vine terraces and farms on the other side of the river. Crossing the Douro River, the train arrives at Pinhão, home to numerous wineries - with a variety of Douro wines from Casa Ferreirinha as well as Port wines from Ferreira, Offley and Sandeman.

Back aboard, on up the right bank of the Douro, the scenery becomes wilder and rockier approaching the mouth of the River Tua. Returning, the journey is made overlooking the Douro region in the evening sun.

The Douro Line is one of Portugal’s great railway journeys due to its historic heritage, and now the historic steam locomotive. The Douro Line was one of Portugal’s engineering masterpieces of the 19^th-century. The train built a path of those that had so long been isolated from the rest of the country. The line work first started in 1875, taking three years to reach Juncal, Marco de Canaveses. The train rail arrived at Régua in 1879 and then a year later it reached Pinhão.

About the Douro

The region is located in the North of Portugal, extending from the city of Porto to the eastern border, where all the Port wine production activities happen. With three World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO, the Douro Region is one of the most amazing landscapes in all of Portugal.

There has been wine production for more than two thousand years in the region but it was only in 1756 that a Douro Region was created and Port wine production became internationally recognized as the first region in the world to be demarcated.

Despite the changes that the famous Port wine brought to the region, the Douro Region has maintained its rural character and traditional roots, welcoming those who come to explore the region.

For more information visit:

CP - http://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/how-to-travel/For-leisure/Nature-and-Culture/comboio-historico

Douro Valley - http://www.dourovalley.eu/en/