Portuguese railway operators

Portugal runs an Iberian broad-gauge network with a track gauge of 1,668 millimetres. That practically rules out exchanging vehicles with Central Europe and has produced a distinctive, manageable fleet.

The market is split between the state-owned passenger operator, the infrastructure manager and a small number of freight operators. The number of active railway operators is correspondingly low – which makes the country unusually accessible for complete documentation.

Freight traffic is concentrated on the lines serving the ports and the link to Spain. Cross-border trains are rare because, although the track gauge matches, the electrification systems and train protection do not.