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In the first six months of this year alone, close to 90,000 passengers used Portuguese Railways’ (CP) Alfa Pendular service, 6,000 more than in the same period last year, the Algarve Observer has learned from a source at the railway company. As far as the Intercity (IC) service is concerned, a fall of 12,000 passengers was recorded, from 186,000 to 174,000.
In total, CP transported 436,000 passengers on Intercity trains and 186,000 on the Alfa Pendular, between Faro and Lisbon. At present, a ticket from Faro to Lisbon costs 26 euros in “comfort” class and 19.50 euros in tourist class. The same route on an Intercity train costs 23.50 1st class and 18 euros 2nd class. For a return journey, the Alfa costs 47 euros in “comfort” class and 35.50 euros in tourist class, while the Intercity costs 42.50 euros 1st class and 32.50 euros 2nd class, prices that have remained unchanged since 2006. The Lisbon-Faro line accounts for only 18% of the traffic on the “Atlantic Axis” (Porto-Lisbon-Faro), with 82% of traffic being carried on the Lisbon-Porto route, and with a total of 3,430,000 passengers. Compared with travelling by car, train tickets are more expensive for the same route on the motorway, excluding fuel. The cost of motorway tolls between Lisbon and the Algarve is 17.05 euros for light vehicles belonging to Class 1. source: algarve observer |
