The route of the intercity train Lisbon-Faro it will be changed as of this Sunday, the 11th, allowing the trip to be reduced by half an hour, stopping at Setúbal and Alcácer do Sal, but gaining two new stops at Ermidas-Sado and Santa Clara-Sabóia.
CP informed, in a press release, that the “new solution allows, in addition to improving the connection time Lisbon-Faro, the reduction of operating costs by more than two million euros per year”.
The CP also revealed that it was agreed with the Municipal Councils to maintain the Intercidades stop at the Funcheira Station and the introduction of stops in Ermidas-Sado and Santa Clara-Sabóia, considered “places that aggregate the existing demand in these regions”.
As of this Sunday, the Intercidades trains will no longer pass through Setúbal and Alcácer do Sal, stopping at Entrecampos, Sete Rios, Pragal, Pinhal Novo, Grândola, Ermidas-Sado (Santiago do Cacém municipality), Santa Clara-Sabóia (municipality of Odemira) and Funcheira (municipality of Ourique), Messines, Tunes, Albufeira and Loulé. Three trips will be carried out daily, in a total of six Intercidades trains in both directions.
CP also informed that this gain of half an hour on the Intercidades trip is due to the fact that the Alcácer do Sal bypass is now being used.
The changes have elicited very different reactions. Thus, while the Municipality of Odemira considers that «the stop of the intercity train at the Santa Clara-Sabóia station is of extreme strategic importance for Odemira, namely for the interior of the municipality and especially for the tourist dynamization of the Santa Clara Dam », the Chambers of Setúbal and Alcácer do Sal have very different opinions.
Maria das Dores Meira, president of the municipality of Setúbal, considers the suppression of the passage of the Intercidades in the district capital as “unacceptable”, especially given the great connections between Setúbal and the Algarve.
The City Council of Alcácer do Sal has also protested against the changes to the route and the suppression of the stop for intercity trains in that Alentejo city.
Previously, the Alcacer variant was only being used by the Alfa Pendular train.
Comments