Sintra tram
Eléctrico de Sintra | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Brill - summer railcar 7 on Avenida do Atlântico
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Route length: | approx. 11 km | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gauge : | 1000 mm ( meter gauge ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Eléctrico de Sintra is an overland tram line between Sintra and Praia das Maçãs ( Portugal ), which operates mainly as a tourist attraction in the summer season.
history
The first section of the route Sintra (Vila Velha) –Colares (8.900 kilometers) was opened on March 31, 1904 and on July 10, 1904 the extension Colares – Praia das Maçãs (3.785 kilometers) was put into operation. On January 31, 1930, the last extension of Praia das Maçãs-Azenhas do Mar (1.915 kilometers) took place. In the 1950s, the line was shortened in two steps to the Sintra (train station) –Praia das Maçãs section and on September 15, 1974, the tram was completely discontinued.
From May 15, 1980, the Banzão – Praia das Maçãs section was put back into operation. On October 30, 1997, the Ribeira – Banzão section was reopened and on June 4, 2004 - exactly two months after the 100th birthday of Eléctrico de Sintra - the Estefânia – Ribeira section was reopened.
The 45 minute long route is only of tourist importance today. It is operated with two to three trips per day and - only in the summer holiday season - with three daily repeater trips from Friday to Sunday.