Portugal - Tram services over obscure routes
Introduction
Some tram systems advertise their depot workings and enable one to ascertain the regular use by passenger-carrying services of junctions or sections of line that do not otherwise see public service. This occasional series lists such services that have come to notice. While the data for each system is current at the date stated, it is not the intention to endeavour to keep every entry up to date at every service change - the listing serves as a guide for travellers as to the sort of services they can look out for, enabling them to check current published timetable material at their time of travel.
To assist in tracing services, the route and/or timetable number for each journey is shown in parentheses, e.g. (1). Days of operation are in English notation (respectively: Su, M, T, W, Th, F, S) - plus "O" for only, "X" for excepted. Su (Sundays) usually includes public holidays in mainland Europe - but check locally.
Listings for other systems throughout the world - in the same format as shown below (please include date of timetable validity) - will always be welcomed.
Lisboa: Carris
Service at January 2010
Praça da Estrela turning circle
From Praça do Comércio: Hills Tramcar Tour, as advertised locally (this turning circle is the only track not covered more cheaply on ordinary service routes)
Porto:
Service at January 2024. Map by route here
Carmo/Clérigos area
Construction work on the Linha Rosa of the Porto Metro continues to affect the operation of tram route 18, and prevents operation of route 22. From 31 January 2023, following a few months with no service at all, route 18 has operated along a single track eastwards from Viriato stop through a stop at Condoaria to terminate at Clérigos stop, returning via the same route: thus covering only the southern side of the loops around Carmo.
Historically, up to November 2021, routes 18 and 22 operated through the Carmo area as detailed below: this information is retained here in case the situation is ever restored. Normally Carmo stop is served by two routes, the 18 from Massarelos on an anti-clockwise path, the 22 from Batalha clockwise, timetabled to meet on parallel tracks every 30 minutes. Route 22 was suspended from 10 November 2021 in connection with construction work for the Linha Rosa of the Porto Metro; as at September 2022 this work had severed the line near São Bento station. When this tram route operates, the single tramcar going on and off route 22 travels in service as a through journey on/off route 18 so uses unique sides of triangles north and south of, but not calling at Carmo. Times of these first and last journeys from Viriato and Guilherme Gomes Fernandes stops respectively vary according to the time of year and could be found on the STCP website.