Saturday 5th November 2022
Porto to Vigo to do this northerly cross-border route between Portugal and Spain, which only has two train pairs per day, and the two routes between Vigo and Santiago de Compostela (one mostly diesel and one electric). The return train from Vigo to Porto failed at Vigo and for a while I was at risk of missing the start of the next day's railtour, but a replacement train was found to get us across the border to connect into an internal Portuguese service train.
Route: Porto-Campanhã 08:13 (C421 CP DMU 592-220/210/219) - Vigo Guixar 11:35 (arr 15 late); walked up the hill to Vigo Urzáiz station and back again, looking at former railway alignment; Vigo Guixar 15:02 (R12538 RENFE DMU 599009) - via diesel route; not via Portela; via Catoira - Santiago de Compostela 16:34; 17:30 (MD9173 RENFE EMU 121003) - via AC electrified route - Vigo Urzáiz 18:20; walk down the hill; Vigo Guixar 19:56 (C422 CP DMU 592-220/210/219) - unit failed at departure, replaced by: Vigo Guixar 19:56 (C422 RENFE DMU 594101, dep 20:45) - Valença 20:24; 20:23 (IR856 CP EL 2607+2C, dep 5 late) - Porto Campanhã 22:30 (arr 7 late); 22:45 (CP EMU 3433) - Porto São Bento 22:50. Overnight at Porto Peninsular Hotel, close to São Bento station.
Porto to Vigo to do this northerly cross-border route between Portugal and Spain, which only has two train pairs per day, and the two routes between Vigo and Santiago de Compostela (one mostly diesel and one electric). The return train from Vigo to Porto failed at Vigo and for a while I was at risk of missing the start of the next day's railtour, but a replacement train was found to get us across the border to connect into an internal Portuguese service train.
Route: Porto-Campanhã 08:13 (C421 CP DMU 592-220/210/219) - Vigo Guixar 11:35 (arr 15 late); walked up the hill to Vigo Urzáiz station and back again, looking at former railway alignment; Vigo Guixar 15:02 (R12538 RENFE DMU 599009) - via diesel route; not via Portela; via Catoira - Santiago de Compostela 16:34; 17:30 (MD9173 RENFE EMU 121003) - via AC electrified route - Vigo Urzáiz 18:20; walk down the hill; Vigo Guixar 19:56 (C422 CP DMU 592-220/210/219) - unit failed at departure, replaced by: Vigo Guixar 19:56 (C422 RENFE DMU 594101, dep 20:45) - Valença 20:24; 20:23 (IR856 CP EL 2607+2C, dep 5 late) - Porto Campanhã 22:30 (arr 7 late); 22:45 (CP EMU 3433) - Porto São Bento 22:50. Overnight at Porto Peninsular Hotel, close to São Bento station.