Trip to Spain and Portugal - Christmas 2025
General Notes
Christmas holiday in Spain and Portugal. Three days travelling in Spain, then two in Portugal; then six days over Christmas at my sister's house in Sanlúcar de Guadiana in Spain. Finished off with a further two days travelling in Portugal. Photo album here.
Numbers/letters in [square brackets] are platform identifiers.
Operating Company Abbreviations and Details
- CP - Comboios de Portugal (operator of Portuguese main line and suburban trains)
- RENFE - Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Españoles (national train operator in Spain)
Track gauge
RENFE trains are broad gauge unless otherwise stated: gauge-changing trains are listed individually. CP trains are broad gauge. All other trains, metros and trams are standard gauge unless otherwise stated. Broad gauge: 1668 mm; standard gauge: 1435 mm.
| Place | Arrive | Depart | Train | Traction details & notes |
Friday 19 December 2025
| Timperley | 06:14 | - | Taxi | |
| Manchester Airport T1 | 06:28 | |||
| Manchester Airport T3 (MAN) | 08:45 | FR 3208 | Ryanair 9H-QAA B737-8AS de-icing required; then push-back from gate 52 08:44, take-off 08:55 from runway 23L | |
| Málaga Airport (AGP) | 12:50 | go-around during final approach to runway 12; then landed 13:01 on runway 12, on stand 16 at 13:12 | ||
| Aeropuerto | 13:54 | 'C1' | RENFE EMU class 464 set 202 | |
| Málaga Maria Zambrano | 14:02 [11] | 16:40 [1] | Avant 8835 | RENFE EMU class 104 set 17 (standard gauge) |
| Via 'long curves' avoiding Antequera-Santa Ana; the 'short curve' tracks were rusty so are presumbly not in use. | ||||
| Granada | 17:58 | 18:12 [1] | MD 13944 | RENFE DMU class 599 set 29 |
| Huércal-Viator | 20:35 [1] | 20:40 | bus | arr 5 late / RENFE rail replacement bus dep 7 late |
| Almería | 21:00 | arr 5 late Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| Overnight: Hotel Costasol, Paseo de Almería 58, Almería; 15 minutes walk from Almería station. | ||||
| Notes: Heading to Almería for tomorrow's run through the gauge changer at Granada. I was hoping to travel over the 'short curves' on the Antequera-Santa Ana avoiding line, but these were quite rusty and we used the 'long curves' that I had done previously in the other direction. The connection at Granada was rather tight at fourteen minutes, but the journey planner allowed it and I wasn't the only connecting passenger. The 'normal' long broad gauge platform at Granada is being rebuilt so a rather temporary-looking platform 1 was in use, quite a way from the main platforms. The last few km of the line into Almería has been closed for engineering works since March 2024 (as they had also been between 2018 and 2021), presumably relating to the new station being built at Almería and possibly some vertical realignment, all to do with the new high speed line being built from Murcia. |
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Saturday 20 December 2025
| Almería | 07:58 | bus | rail replacement bus | |
| Huércal-Viator | 08:29 | 08:31 [1] | Alvia 2087 | arr 20 early / RENFE bi-mode ALVIA class 730 set 17 (broad gauge) dep on time |
| Via Cerrillo de Maracena (Granada) gauge changer, to standard gauge | ||||
| Granada | 10:58 [6] | 13:19 [5] | Avant 8935 | arr 13 early / RENFE EMU class 104 set 14 (standard gauge) |
| Antequera AV | 14:09 [4] | 14:51 [13] | MD 13064 | RENFE DMU class 598 set 14 |
| Antequera-Santa Ana | 15:05 [5] | 17:25 [3] | Avant 8575 | RENFE EMU class 104 set 11 (standard gauge) |
| Via Córdoba [4] reverse 18:13/18:20 | ||||
| Sevilla Santa Justa | 19:14 [2] | arr 11 early Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Cerrillo de Maracena (Granada) gauge changer; Antequera AV - Antequera-Santa Ana (broad gauge). | ||||
| Overnight: Novotel Sevilla, Avenida Eduardo Dato 71, Sevilla; 20 minutes walk from Sevilla Santa Justa railway station. | ||||
| Notes: Too early for breakfast in the hotel, and no nearby places seemed to be open - but I did find a nearby petrol station that sold sandwiches, cakes and coffee..... though as usual the buffet was open on the train when we got on it at Huercal-Viator. Cerrillo de Maracena (Granada) gauge changer duly covered: this is Spain's newest gauge changer, only opening in December 2024. Next aim for today was to cover one of the recently-introduced trains over the broad gauge line between Antequera AV and Antequera-Santa Ana: these started running in April 2025, and though much of the route is on the classic broad gauge route to Granada that closed in 2015; formerly running into the old Antequera-Ciudad station, the line now runs into broad gauge platforms in the newer AV (Alta Velocidad) station. This new service is formed from the broad gauge Algeciras - Bobadilla - Antequera-Santa Ana services being extended back from/to Antequera AV. Finally for the day a run via the high speed line from Antequera-Santa Ana to Sevilla Santa Justa via a reversal at Córdoba; the avoiding curve being built west of there is proceeding at a glacial pace, though it does now have some track on it. |
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Sunday 21 December 2025
| Luis de Morales | 08:59 | 'EA' | TUSSAM bus | |
| Plaza de Armas | 09:17 | photographing former MZA Sevilla station building at Plaza de Armas; then walk to | ||
| Archivo de Indias | 10:05 | 'T1' | Sevilla tram 305 | |
| Luis de Morales | 10:20 | |||
| Sevilla Santa Justa | 11:50 [9] | MD 17907 | RENFE DMU class 599 set 036 dep 10 late | |
| Via Mérida [1] reverse 15:13/15:21, dep 16 late - Cáceres | ||||
| Plasencia | 16:43 [3] | arr 17 late | ||
| Walk to 16th Century aqueduct and back | ||||
| Pasencia | 21:36 [3] | Alvia 194 | RENFE bi-mode ALVIA class 730 set 22 dep 45 late due to an earlier medical emergency on board | |
| Via Mérida baipas | ||||
| Badajoz | 23:01 [1] | arr 44 late Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Sevilla tram T1 extension from San Bernardo to Luis de Morales; Mérida: new connection to new high speed line to Cáceres (Alucén - Bif. Granja-Las Encinas - former Bif. Peñas Blancas); Mérida bapias: Bif. Granja-Las Encinas - Bif. La Isla. | ||||
| Overnight: Hotel Rio Badajoz, Avenida Adolfo Díaz Ambrona 13, Badajoz; 15 minutes walk from Badajoz railway station. | ||||
| Notes: Time this morning to go by bus to view the old Madrid-Zaragoza-Alicante terminus in Sevilla: known as Plaza de Armas, it opened in 1901 and closed in 1990 when the new route through Santa Justa opened. It was used as a pavilion during the 1992 Sevilla expo but then lay unused until being opened as a shopping and commercial centre in 1999. Unfortunately it was closed when I was there today so I could not have a look inside. I then walked to the end of the tram route at Plaza Nueva only to find no trams running - they were turning back at the second stop Archivo de Indias, for no obvious reason. From here I caught a tram to cover the new extension (opened earlier in 2025) from San Bernardo to Luis de Morales. My first train of the day took me from Sevilla to Plasencia, this covered the new connection out of Mérida onto the new high speed line, opened in late 2024. A long wait between trains at Plasencia allowed me to walk into - and beyond - the centre of this interesting town to view the 16th Century aqueduct, and then have a meal. The station bulding at Plasencia has a waiting room with coffee machine, which was handy as the train I needed to catch to Badajoz suffered a delay due to a medical emergency on board; but it did then cover for me the Mérida bapias which also opened in late 2024. It was quicker to walk than wait for a taxi to my hotel: the very late arrival didn't matter much as my first train next day wasn't until 14:09! |
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Monday 22 December 2025
| Badajoz | 14:09 [5] | R 482 | CP DR 0360 (90 94 8 030360-3) | |
| Via Torre das Vargans [2] arr 14:49/dep 15:09 (19 late, delayed by crossing late-running train R 485) | ||||
| Entroncamento | 15:55 [6] | 16:36 [4] | R 4428 | arr 20 late / CP EMU 2297 |
| Lisboa Oriente | 18:06 [8] | 18:41 [4] | U 16548 | arr 6 late / CP EMU 3527 |
| Alcântara-Terra | 19:05 [3] | 19:26 [3] | U 16454 | CP EMU 3527 |
| Sete Rios | 19:33 [3] | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Campolide - Alcântara-Terra. | ||||
| Overnight: Hotel ibis Lisboa José Malhoa, Avenida José Malhoa 10, Lisboa; 10 minutes walk from Sete Rios railway station. | ||||
| Notes: Late breakfast, then another morning exploring parts of Badajoz, before getting the first train of the day over the border into Portugal. I've already covered most of Portugal's passenger routes, but most of what I did need was in the Lisboa suburban area. First port of call this evening was the line to Alcântara-Terra, which only has a weekday service - the line continues to connect to the Cascais line but the overhead supply voltage means there are no through trains. |
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Tuesday 23 December 2025
| Sete Rios | 08:00 [2] | U 18222 | CP EMU 2307+2310 via inner tracks | |
| Sintra | 08:35 [1] | 08:40 [3] | U 18820 | CP EMU 2322+2404 |
| Cross to outer tracks before Agualva-Cacém; via Campolide [3] | ||||
| Lisboa Rossio | 09:19 [2] | 09:26 [3] | U 18669 | CP EMU 2311 |
| Via inner tracks | ||||
| Mira Sintra-Meleças | 09:55 [2] | 10:30 [2] | U 18668 | CP EMU 2311 |
| Agualva-Cacém | 10:33 [4] | 10:29 [3] | U 18440 | CP EMU 2413+2401 dep 11 late |
| Lisboa Oriente | 11:02 [2] | 11:23 [8] | IC 510 | arr 10 late / CP EL 5609 |
| Lisboa Santa Apolónia | 11:30 [5] | 11:45 [6] | R 4415 | CP EMU 2254 |
| Lisboa Oriente | 11:52 [5] | 14:02 [7] | IC 572 | CP EL 5601 dep 20 late |
| Faro | 17:35 [5] | arr 32 late Today's photos | ||
| By car to Sanlúcar de Guadiana. | ||||
| New passenger track today: Agualva-Cacém - Sintra; Campolide - Lisboa Rossio; Lisboa Oriente - Lisboa Santa Apolónia. | ||||
| Notes: Fairly early start this morning (some suburban services significantly reduce in frequency after the morning peak) to get the branch to Sintra, then back to the other weekday-only terminus at Lisboa Rossio - this being a 'proper' branch line. Then back to Mira Sintra-Meleças to cover the turn-back platforms there, and finally for today the short length of the old main line to Lisboa Santa Apolónia. My plan was for my sister to pick me up at Vila Real de Santo António, but the Lisboa to Faro train ran rather late so I doubted if the connection would be held at Faro - and we re-arranged the pickup point. As it happens the connection was made but we got 'home' quicker this way anyway. Faro - Vila Real de Santo António was electrified during 2024 but the line is still worked by diesel units. |
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Wednesday 24 December 2025
| By car from Sanlúcar de Guadiana, to do some shopping in Lepe. Photos of Lepe station area |
Monday 29 December 2025
| By car from Sanlúcar de Guadiana. | ||||
| Vila Real de Santo António | 12:43 [1] | R 5710 | CP DMU 0457 (90 94 5 000457-9) dep 11 late | |
| Faro | 13:49 [1] | 14:15 [4] | IC 672 | arr 10 late / CP EL 5602 |
| Lisboa Oriente | 17:56 [6] | 18:09 [5] | AP 137 | arr 17 late / CP EMU 4002 dep 10 late |
| Porto Campanhã | 20:48 [5] | 21:21 [2] | U 15844 | arr 10 late / CP EMU 3434 |
| Porto São Bento | 21:25 [2] | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: none. | ||||
| Overnight: Legendary Porto Hotel, Praça da Batalha 127-130, Porto; ten minutes walk uphill from Porto São Bento railway station. | ||||
| Notes: After an excellent Christmas at my sister's place she gave me a lift to Vila Real de Santo António. The connections at Faro and Lisboa were rather tight but everything worked, including what became a negative connection at Lisboa Oriente, though a platform change allowed a cross-platform connection from the IC to the AP. |
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Tuesday 30 December 2025
| Porto São Bento | 07:55 [4] | U 15715 | CP EMU 3425 | |
| Porto Campanhã | 08:00 [4] | 08:17 [7] | U 15909 | CP EMU 3415 - via diveunder line - Contumil [8] |
| Leça do Balio | 08:36 [1] | 08:46 [1] | U 15906 | CP EMU 3415 - via Contumil [8] - diveunder line |
| Porto Campanhã | 09:11 [9] | 09:17 [8] | U 15913 | arr 8 late / CP EMU 3410 dep 4 late - via diveunder line |
| Contumil | 09:20 [8] | arr 6 late | ||
| Contumil | 09:50 | 'F' | Porto Metro MP 058+034 | |
| Trindade | 09:59 | 10:03 | 'E' | Porto Metro MP 036 |
| Aeroporto | 10:31 | |||
| Porto Airport (OPO) | 13:00 | FR 1174 | Ryanair 9H-QEP B737-8AS gate 03; then bus to outer stand; push-back 12:50, take-off 13:07 from runway 17 | |
| Manchester Airport (MAN) | 15:30 | landed 15:08 on runway 05L, on stand 49 at 15:12 | ||
| The Station | 15:46 [J] | '288' | BeeNetwork bus | |
| Altrincham Interchange | 16:11 [B] | 16:18 [1] | Metrolink tram 30??+3037 | |
| Timperley | 16:23 | Today's photos | ||
| New passenger track today: Porto Campanhã - diveunder - Contumil - Leça do Balio. | ||||
| Notes: Last part of the trip was the line to Leça do Balio from Campanhã/Contumil, which opened in February 2025; the line continues to the port area at Leixões. All the Leça do Balio line trains seem to call at the high numbered, east side, platforms at Campanhã, then use a diveunder line to access the high numbered, west side, platforms at Contumil before diverging westwards towards Leixões. Access to Porto airport is very easy by metro, though the frequency is poor. |
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| Summary: another excellent holiday which met all my objectives. The only section of Spanish broad gauge passenger track I now need is the branch to Tortosa, which we should be covering on the PTG trip in January 2026; I have covered all the Spanish standard gauge passenger track. I still need a few lengths of metre gauge track around Bilbao; plus the lines in Mallorca. In Portugal the only passenger track I now need is the recently re-opened Beira Alta line (Pampilhoisa to Guarda) and the northern sections of the metre gauge Vouga line. Tickets used: normal tickets for 19 December; then six days of a Global InterRail ticket. Weather: cold mostly; some days damp, some days rain. |