The first electric tramline in Porto was opened in 1895. Until 1946 the network was operated by the CCFP: Companhia Carris de Ferro do Porto. This was a private company. In 1946 the operations were taken over by the municipal owned STCP: Serviço de Transportes Colectivos do Porto (now Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto)

On this page an overview of the network development with maps for the CCFP and STCP periods.

CCFP 1895-1946

Between 1895 and 1904 existing mule tram routes were electrified and until 1911 new electric routes were opened. In this period no line numbers were used as information for the public. The data about the dates electric services started are not always the same, between brackets is probably the date of the official inauguration:
12-9-1895 Campo dos Martyres da Patria – Rua do Ouro (Arrábida)
3-8-1896 (1-8-1896) Rua do Infante D.Henrique – Massarelos and Rua do Ouro (Arrábida) – Estação do Ouro
4-4-1897 (26-3-1897) Ouro – Esplenada da Castelo da Foz (2100 m)
20-7-1897 (29-5-1897) Castelo da Foz – Castelo do Queijo (2300 m)
31-10-1897 Castelo do Queijo – Rua Godinho (1660 m)
28-12-1897 Rua Godinho – Leça (1160 m)
23-4-1898 Praça D.Pedro – Rua do Infante D.Henrique
18-5-1899 (12-5-1899) Praça D.Pedro – Marques de Pombal
13-11-1899 Marques de Pombal – Hospital Conde de Ferreira
6-10-1900 Carmo – Batalha
26-11-1900 Batalha – Campanhã
11-5-1901 Carmo – Praça de Mousinho d’Albuquerque
24-10-1902 Rua St.Catharina – Praça da Corujeira
14-3-1904 Rua da Boavista – Rua C.Cristovão
14-3-1904 Rua F.Thomaz – Duqueza de Bragança
18-8-1904 Carmo – Campo Lindo
18-8-1904 Boavista – Bessa
28-10-1905 Batalha – Ponte Luiz I – Devesas / Santo Ovídio
19-2-1910 Circunvalação – S.Mameda de Infesta
29-5-1910 Cruz das Regateiras – Circunvalação (Areosa)
22-1-1911 Areosa – Águas Santas

Except for passenger trams, there were also freight services. From about 1914 coal to the power plant of Massarelos was the major type of freight transported, but also an extensive service existed of other types of goods for many different customers. There were many sidings and branch lines to accommodate this freight transport. Around 1930 most of this was lost to the road, but some existed until the mid 1940’s. The last was fish transport from the harbour of Leixões that even lasted until the early 1960’s. The coal transport to the Massarelos plant ended with the closure of the latter in the mid 1950’s.

Until 1911 Praça da Liberdade, until November 1910 Praça Dom Pedro, wasn’t yet the hub of the system as it would become on 1 January 1912. Before that date many trams didn’t terminate on Praça, but continued to another part of the city. Since 1 January 1912 Most trams terminated on Praça.
The network introduced on 1 January 1912 allocated line numbers to the services. Of course over the years many changes occurred, but no complete reshuffling from the line numbers.
The individual lines as they existed by 1912 with references to changes that occurred in later years were:

1 Praça da Liberdade – Infante – Massarelos – Ouro – Foz (Castelo) – Castelo do Queijo – Matosinhos (Brito Capelo) – Leça da Palmeira (Castelo).

2 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Massarelos – Foz (Castelo) – Castelo do Queijo. In 1915 extended with introducing the line-number 2/ for the new part: Castelo do Queijo – Boavista – Carvalhosa – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade.
In 1934 was in the Palácio de Cristal the Colonial Exposition. This attracted many visitors and a new route between Carmo and Boavista was made via Palácio and Rua Julio Dinis. Since 16 June 1934 the new lines 18+18/ duplicated the lines 2+2/ but went via Palácio instead of Carvalhosa.

3 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Jardim do Carregal – Rua do Triumfo (now Manuel II) Palácio de Crystal. Opposite direction Rua do Triumfo – Rosário – Breyner – Cedofeita – Carmo. This line was closed in 1934.

(4) Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Carvalhosa – Boavista – Lordelo – Ouro. Although the tracks from Boavista to Ouro were installed, line 4 was never opened and the tracks lifted again in 1917.

5 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Carvalhosa – Boavista – Fonte da Moura. Extended as successor of the steam tramline with: Fonte da Moura – Castelo do Queijo – Matosinhos (Rua Roberto Ivens / Rua Sto.Amaro). The CCFP wanted double track in Rua Brito Capelo to let both lines 1 and 5 use this street. However until 1929 the CM of Matosinhos did not allow double track in the Northern part of Rua Brito Capelo. Instead the steam tram route north of Rua Sousa Aroso in Rua Roberto Ivens was electrified and used by line 5. On 1 July 1930 line 5 left Rua Roberto Ivens and and joined the route of line 1 to Leça da Palmeira (Castelo), now with double track over the whole length of Rua Brito Capelo.
In 1934 was in the Palácio de Cristal the Colonial Exposition. This attracted many visitors and a new route between Carmo and Boavista was made via Palácio and Rua Julio Dinis. Since 16 June 1934 the new line 19 duplicated line 5 but went via Palácio instead of Carvalhosa.

6 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Carvalhosa – Monte dos Burgos.

7 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Praça da República – Ponte da Pedra.

8 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Praça da República – Paranhos (Campo Lindo).

9 Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Rua Costa Cabral – Areosa – Águas Santas. On 8 February 1916 extended to Ermesinde. In January 1925 the line was diverted following a new road passing under the Minho/Douro railway.

10 Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Bonfim – São Roque – Venda Nova.
In 1918 line 10A, later indicated as 10/, was opened using the in 1917 opened freight line to São Pedro da Cova branching off line 10 in Rio Tinto:
10/ Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Bonfim – São Roque – Santa Eulália – São Pedro da Cova. This route was mainly intended for the transport of coal from the mines and the number of passenger trams was for many years limited, passengers with passes being also carried on the coal cars. In a letter to the mine company of 6 July 1922 the CCFP specified the (number of) passengers allowed to travel on a coal car: two passengers + an employee of the mine + one of the three directors or three engineers of the mine, making a total of four passengers.
On 4 October 1926 the branch line from Santa Eulalia to Gondomar (Bouça Cova / Prelada) was opened:
10// Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Bonfim – São Roque – Santa Eulália – Gondomar (Prelada). This branch was extended in Gondomar in 1927 from Prelada to Quintã and on 1 January 1935 from Prelada to Souto. The 400 m long branch Prelada – Quintã was already closed on 1 October 1939.

11 Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Bonfim – Campanhã.
12 Praça da Liberdade – Batalha – São Lazaro – Heroismo – Campanhã. For some years around 1913 the lines 11 & 12 were combined as a circular service. The clockwise route had the number 11, the counter clockwise route the number 12. Later both services were made independent from each other again. Around 1930 line 11 was for some time a circular line Praça – Batalha – São Lazaro – Heroismo – Campanhã – Bonfim – Bolhão – Praça in both directions (clockwise 11/) while line 12 was retained. Later line 11 was reduced again to its original route.

13 Praça da Liberdade – Ponte Luiz I (upper deck) – Santo Ovidio.
14 Praça da Liberdade – Ponte Luiz I (upper deck) – Devesas. In 1913 extended to Arco do Prado.
There were two routes between Praça da Liberdade and the Ponte Luís I: via Batalha and since 1908 via the narrow streets Rua Loreiro and Rua Chã. The latter route was suspended again in 1917.

(15) Praça da Liberdade – Infante – Ribeira – Ponte Luiz I (lower deck) – VN de Gaia. Although the tracks from Infante via Ribeira until the lower deck of the Ponte Luiz I were installed, line 15 was never opened and the tracks were lifted again in 1917.

16 Praça da Liberdade – Infante – Massarelos – Rua D.Pedro V – Piedade – Torrinha – Cedofeita (opposite direction Rosário) – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade (circular line in both directions)
In 1934 the route via Rua D.Pedro V was closed and line 16 was changed to:
16 Torrinha – Cedofeita (opposite direction Rosário) – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade – Batalha.
On 13 April 1945 line 16 was changed in the down direction to Piedade – Palácio instead of Cedofeita, but the line was closed about six weeks later on 27 May 1945.

17 Batalha – Bolhão – Gonçalo Cristóvão – Praça da República – Boavista. This was for many years the only line not reaching the hub of the network at Praça da Liberdade. In later years it was extended in stages to Bessa – Fonte da Moura – Castelo do Queijo – Foz and Matosinhos. The trams to Matosinhos carried the number 17/.

18 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Carvalhosa – Boavista – Foz (Cadouços) – Matosinhos (Roberto Ivens). The electric trams of line 18 between Praça da Liberdade and Boavista gave at Boavista connection to the steam tramline which officially also got the number 18. The steam tramline was not electrified together with the mule tramlines except for the section between Boavista and Bessa where the steam trams shared their tracks with an urban electric tramline. With the opening of the electric tram route over the whole length of the Avenida da Boavista, the CCFP decided to abandon the steam tram and close the route via Cadouços. The CMP wanted to have this route retained and electrified. However the Cadouços route was not included in the 1906 concession and the CCFP could not be withhold from closing it. On 9 November 1914 the steam tram and its connecting electric tramline were suspended. The line number 18 was since 1934 used again for a new line parallel to line 2.

19 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Rua da Conceição – Trindade – Fernando Tomás – São Lazaro – Batalha – Praça da Liberdade (circular line in both directions) Already closed in 1917. The line number 19 was since 1934 used again for a new line parallel to line 5.

20 Praça da Liberdade – Batalha – São Lazaro – Rua Alegria – Rua da Constituição (near Rua Antero Quental). In 1919 extended to: Praça da Republica – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade (circular in both directions)
Line 20 was foreseen as a circular line via Boavista and Carvalhosa. The tracks between Rua da Constituição and Boavista were installed, but not used and lifted again in 1917. Only in 1949 these tracks were installed again and line 20 diverted via Boavista.

In 1912 also three lines were opened which had a character instead of a number as indication:
A Infante – Praça da Liberdade – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Rua Costa Cabral – Areosa
B Bessa – Boavista – Carvalhosa – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade – Batalha – São Lazaro – Heroismo – Campanhã
C Boavista – Carvalhosa – Carmo
The lines A and C were already suspended in November 1914. Line B was changed to
B Bessa – Boavista – Carvalhosa – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade – Infante – Alfândega
Soon the indication B wasn’t used anymore on the trams of this line which didn’t operate during the evening. In July 1927 it became line 4
4 Fonte da Moura – Bessa – Boavista – Carvalhosa – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade – Infante – Alfândega.
About 1940 a supplementary line via Palácio instead of Carvalhosa was opened.
4/ Fonte da Moura – Bessa – Boavista – Palácio – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade – Infante – Alfândega.

Although the services on the existing lines were improved, the CCFP failed to re-install the tracks removed during WWI but were obliged according to the concession. This raised yet another dispute with the CMP which eventually ended in the court where the CCFP lost its case. Most of the old tracks however never returned. Instead the CCFP and the CMP came to an agreement for making more prosperous lines which were not included in the concession.

Opened on 14 December 1941:
15 & 15/ Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Bonfim – Antas – Rua Costa Cabral – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Bolhão – Praça da Liberdade; (line 15 counter clockwise, line 15/ clockwise)

Opened on 27 May 1945:
3 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Palácio – Lordelo.

CCFP period maps

STCP since 1946

A number of improvements were made to the network. A new route was opened in 1947 to Pereiró and the route between Constituição and Boavista was opened in 1949. In Coimbrões, Leça da Palmeira and Ermesinde turning loops were made. These turning loops ended the necessity to shunt with trailers. In the 1950’s single track sections of the lines 6, 7, 10 and 15 got double track. For the lines 6 and 15 this meant their routes became double track over the whole length.

The ever increasing number of private cars together with the increasing number of trams caused severe problems on Praça da Liberdade, still the hub of the system where most tram services terminated. To solve this new termini were made at Carmo, Bolhão and Batalha where part of the trams would terminate instead of going to Praça. These new termini were made as loops, also because of the introduction of one way streets in the city centre. As a result a large part of the track layout in the centre was significant changed in the late 1940’s. The setup of the tram services was altered to reduce the numbers of trams going to Praça.

With the layout changes of 1946 to 1948 part of the lines terminated until 21h at Batalha, Carmo or Bolhão and after 21h on Praça da Liberdade. Also a number of lines were created to reinforce the busiest parts of existing lines. The resulting network as it came into existence until 1951 and lasted until 1958 was rather complicated.

With omitting supplemental lines that were covered over their whole length by the “main” line, the lines after the changes made by the STCP between 1946 and 1951 were:

1 Praça da Liberdade – Infante – Massarelos – Foz (Castelo) – Castelo do Queijo – Matosinhos (Brito Capelo) – Leça da Palmeira.

2, 2/, 2//, 18, 18/ & 18// Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Massarelos – Foz – Castelo do Queijo – Boavista – Carvalhosa / Palácio – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade. All route 2 trams had their terminus at Carmo, all route 18 trams on Praça. The route 2/ and 18/ cars ran via Carvalhosa, the route 2// and 18// cars ran via Palácio. During the trip the trams changed the line number. This could be from 2 or 18 to all four different “dashed” lines and v.v.

3 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Palácio – Lordelo.

4 & 4/ Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Carvalhosa / Palácio – Boavista – Pereiró. (Trams via Palácio had the indication 4/ and did not operate after 21h) These lines were curtailed from Alfândega to Praça and in 1947 extended from Fonte da Moura to Pereiró.

5 Carmo – Carvalhosa – Boavista – Fonte da Moura – Castelo do Queijo – Matosinhos (Brito Capelo) – Leça da Palmeira (Castelo). After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
19 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Palácio – Boavista – Fonte da Moura – Castelo do Queijo – Matosinhos (Brito Capelo) – Leça da Palmeira (Castelo).

6 Carmo – Carvalhosa – Carvalhido – Monte dos Burgos. After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
6/ Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Carvalhosa – Carvalhido. Not operating after 21h.

7 Carmo – Praça da República – Amial – São Mamede – Ponte da Pedra. After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
7/ Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Praça da República – Amial. Not operating after 21h.
7// Batalha – Bolhão – Gonçalo Cristóvão – Praça da República – Amial – São Mamede. Not operating after 21h.
8 Praça da Liberdade – Carmo – Praça da República – Paranhos (Campo Lindo).

9 Bolhão – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Rua Costa Cabral – Areosa – Águas Santas – Ermesinde. After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
9/ Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Rua Costa Cabral – Areosa.
9// Batalha – Bolhão – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Rua Costa Cabral – Areosa – Águas Santas – Ermesinde. Not operating after 21h. On Batalha trams changed from line 14/ to line 9// v.v. On the lines 9 and 9/ mainly bogie cars were used, on line 9//+14/ 2-axle cars with trailers.

10 Bolhão – Bonfim – São Roque – Venda Nova. After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
10/ Bolhão – Bonfim – São Roque – Santa Eulália – São Pedro da Cova. After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
10// Bolhão – Bonfim – São Roque – Santa Eulália – Gondomar (Souto). After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
10E Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Bonfim – São Roque. Not operating after 21h.

11 Praça da Liberdade – Batalha (opposite direction Bolhão) – São Lazaro – Bonfim – Campanhã.
12 Batalha – São Lazaro – Heroismo – Campanhã. After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.

13 Batalha – Ponte Luiz I – Santo Ovidio. After 21h terminus on Praça da Liberdade.
14 Praça da Liberdade – Batalha – Ponte Luiz I – Devesas – Arco do Prado – Coimbrões.
14/ Batalha – Ponte Luiz I – Devesas – Arco do Prado – Coimbrões. On Batalha trams changed from line 14/ to line 9// v.v.

15 Praça da Liberdade – Batalha – Bonfim – Antas – Rua Costa Cabral – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Bolhão – Praça da Liberdade. One way only.
15/ Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Rua Costa Cabral – Antas – Bonfim – Bolhão – Praça da Liberdade. One way only.
15E Praça da Liberdade – Bolhão – Bonfim – Antas – Rua Costa Cabral – Praça Marquês de Pombal – Bolhão – Praça da Liberdade. One way only. Not operating after 21h.

16 Batalha – Bolhão – Gonçalo Cristóvão – Praça da República – Boavista – Bessa – Fonte da Moura – Castelo do Queijo – Matosinhos – Leça (Av.Antunes Guimarães near the fire brigades). ex line 17/
17 Batalha – Bolhão – Gonçalo Cristóvão – Praça da República – Boavista – Bessa – Fonte da Moura – Castelo do Queijo – Foz.

20, 20/, 21 & 21/ Praça da Liberdade – Batalha – São Lazaro – Rua Alegria – Rua da Constituição – Ramada Alta – Boavista – Palácio / Carvalhosa – Carmo – Praça da Liberdade. Lines 20 & 20/ via Palácio, lines 21 & 21/ via Carvalhosa, lines 20 & 21 counter clockwise, lines 20/ & 21/ clockwise, lines 21 & 21/ not operating after 21h.

Trams on the way down

The complete replacement of the trams by trolleybuses as was decided in the 1950’s evidently needed much time and in the end was never realised. Replacement of trams by trolleybuses started on 1 January 1959 with the lines 3, 14 and 14/, a few months later followed by line 13 and on 3 March 1960 line 12. Line 11 was changed to a one way circular line:

11 Praça da Liberdade – Batalha – São Lazaro – Heroismo – Campanhã – Bonfim – Bolhão – Praça da Liberdade.

Line 4/ between Praça and Pereiró via Palácio was renumbered to 3.

The complex line group 2 & 18 was simplified. All trams to/from Restauração now terminated on Praça and all trams to/from Boavista terminated until 21h at Carmo and after 21h on Praça. With this change the line numbers 2// and 18/ disappeared.

On 4 March 1960 the route between Matosinhos and Leça da Palmeira was closed because of the extension of the Leixões docks. Leça da Palmeira was to be served by bus. The lines 1, 5, 16 and 19 were cut back to a new stub terminus next to the Mercado in Matosinhos. Shunting with trailers on a busy stub terminus wasn’t feasible, so this also meant the end of the trailer operations on the lines 1 and 5, leaving only line 9// with using trailers.

In a further attempt to reduce the congestion on Praça through working was introduced. Many trams to Praça didn’t terminate there anymore, but continued their trip on another line. Through working of trams from one route to another were: 1 with 9 and 9/, 6 with 15 and 15E, 3 and 4 with 15/, 8 with 11. This through workings made that line 6/ disappeared while the lines 6 and 9 were extended again during the whole day to Praça. Until 21h trams of line 1 arriving at Praça Almeida Garrett didn’t go into Praça da Liberdade but used a new laid track directly to Rua Sá da Bandeira to continue their trip as line 9 or 9/. Line 9// was cut back from Batalha to Bolhão.

Further closures during the 1960’s were:

• 10 June 1964 line 11 (replaced by trolleybuses)
• 1 January 1967 the line 10 group (temporary replaced by buses until the opening of the trolleybus lines 10, 11 &12 on 10 September 1967)
• 23 July 1967 the line 15 group (replaced by buses)
• 17 September 1967 the line 9 group (temporary replaced by buses until the opening of the trolleybus lines 9 & 29 in November 1968)
• 17 September 1967 the section of line 1 between Infante and Praça da Liberdade during daytime. After 21h this section was still used by the trams of line 1 until 17 November 1968 (replaced by buses)
• 20 July 1968 the line 20/21 group (replaced by buses)

For seven years the tram network remained unchanged, then again tramlines were replaced by buses:

• 6 October 1975 the line 7 group north of Arco d’Agua.
• 11 October 1976 line 6 north of Carvalhido.
• 29 November 1976 line 8 (no bus replacement).
• 9 May 1977 the remaining part of line 6.
• 20 June 1977 the remaining parts of the line 7 group.
• 31 October 1977 the part of the lines 16 and 17 between Batalha and Boavista. The remainder between Boavista and Matosinhos/Foz closed in 1978, but those routes were still served by the lines 18 and 19.
• 24 July 1978 the Carmo – Carvalhosa – Boavista route closed, which meant that the services of the lines 2, 4 and 5 were taken over by the lines via Palácio, 18, 3 and 19.

Buses replaced all tram services after about 21h and on Sundays since 1978.

Due to a landslide near Viriato / Hospital de Sto.António the trams disappeared from Praça da Liberdade and between Carmo and Boavista on 6 February 1980. Line 18 couldn’t operate between Viriato and Carmo until 1981.

Line 3 to Pereiró was replaced by buses in 1984, leaving only the tramlines 1, 18 and 19.

STCP period maps

The classic tram evolves to heritage

On 11 September 1993 the route between Castelo do Queijo and Matosinhos was closed resulting in bus replacement for line 19 and curtailing line 1 to Infante – Castelo do Queijo. One year later, on 10 September 1994 the remainder of tramline 1 was replaced by buses, which continued again to Matosinhos and into the city centre.

Line 18 was the last remaining route of the classic Porto tram. Early 1995, 100 years after the first electric trams started to work, the final closure was announced. However instead of complete closure, the network was gradually changed into a heritage system. On 11 June 1996 a bus service with the line number 24 was introduced, following almost exactly the route of tramline 18. But tramline 18 survived, although frequencies decreased from every 15 minutes (with seven cars) to every 35 minutes (with three cars). At the positive side was that tram services were re-installed on Sundays.

Renovation and reconstruction of the involved streets and roads dictated the progress of the conversion of the network to the current heritage system. As a result many changes occurred between 1996 and 2007 when line 22 was opened. Old electric trams on new tracks now ride along the classic route along the river, the first electric route in Rua da Restauração and through the city centre between Carmo and Batalha.