A trip on Vouga's historic train

I confess I like trains, though I really do not care about the details as trainspoters do. I just enjoy the ride and I would like to share one of mine experiences with you.

For more information press HERE.

The train museum at Macinhata do Vouga - a must if you like trains 

The Vouga-Line (not to be confused with Volga, totally different rivers in many aspects) has a couple of tracks that serves the populations on the interior of Aveiro's district and connects them with one another and the coastal line. It was commissioned and built on the beginning if the 1900's and has had it's glorious days. Nowadays some kilometers of the old tracks are re-qualified as bike and tracking tracks through the breathtaking and bucolic landscape of the region.

Every Summer (since a couple of years back) the Portuguese train company organizes historical journeys on one of the old machines (don't ask me any technical details on that, ahahah) and the whole thing is lovely. The whole thing takes about five hours of train traveling, folk music played live at the train, guided tours, theatrical history telling at the train museum at Macinhata do Vouga, and so on. I have heard some local people complaining about the price of the tickets, but considering all that is included and the journey I found it quite cheap. In any other European country you would not be able to do such a complete trip under at least 100 to 150 €, while this journey costs 30 € for adults and 16,50 € per child. Really cheap!

The train was recovered tastefully and you can see the love and care on the details.

window detail 

luggage shelf detail 

door detail 

seat numbers as it was in the old days

The kids enjoyed the ride. We had several pauses and were not on the train for five hours. They really loved the train ride, the music act, especially my boy because he got to play with the family group that performed in the train. They also enjoyed being on the museum, even if the theatrical historical revival was not their favorite part (although I love it!) and the guided tour on Águeda. Actually they loved Águeda, the Agitagueda festival was on its peak and they loved all the umbrellas, ballons and graphic art all over town (by any means we must visit Águeda and the festival again!). 

By the way the train was packed! The nationalities our co-passengers were diverse and the guides explained all they could in English and sometimes in French too. Even the theatrical interpretation was explained in English and French, at least on the visit we attended. 

As I explained, the train rides the interior of the region, it does so with no rush, actually it is quite slow, so you get to see a lot. Many people living by the areas the train rides through waved at us with big smiles. I guess they too enjoy reviving the old train as it was on the old days, shining and clean from the graffitis the new train has endured. 

At Machinhata do Vouga they had a local product's little market and I bought a straw hatt and we ate local delicacies that were being cooked right there. 

Both me and the kids felt like the whole ambience was party like and we truly enjoyed the ride. We will probably do it again soon. 

So if you are in Portugal during Summer and want to see and do something different and experience a Saturday afternoon visiting the interior of Aveiro's region just let yourself ride the historical train and leave all the organizational questions to the professional guides and just enjoy. :-) 

See a bit more here: 

If you search on you-tube for "comboio historico vouga" or "vouga historical train" you will find many videos about this journey.