Search

PTG Tours · Escorted walking tour

Railway Ramble – Tamega and Chaves

Walk Portugal's closed Tâmega Line, 50km over eight days from Porto

Illustration of Railway Ramble – Tamega and Chaves

PTG Tours' Railway Ramble - Tamega and Chaves is an eight-day escorted walking tour in northern Portugal combining hiking with railway heritage. Beginning in Porto, the group walks the full 50-kilometre length of the closed Tâmega Line, converted to a cycle path with repaired bridges and lit tunnels, averaging 10-15km per day at a leisurely pace. Based in Mondim de Basto for five nights, walkers explore the former railway formation, visit the private loco sheds and railway heritage sites in Chaves, and tour the Arco de Baúlhe museum, home to Portugal's only operational petrol rail car. The tour includes inter-regional trains on the Douro line to Livração and Tua, a farewell river-side lunch, and daily minibus transport between the hotel and each walk's start and finish. Tour Manager David escorts the group throughout, and all meals and accommodation are included. This trip suits history-loving repeat rail travellers and guided-comfort seekers who want to walk railway heritage well away from mainstream tourist routes.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure date listed: May 2026. Confirm availability and book early.
  • The deposit is £700 if flying from the UK or £400 if arranging your own travel to Porto; flight costs are not included in the from-price.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Porto

    Fly to Porto

    Fly from the UK to Porto and take the metro to the city centre, staying the first night at the Hotel Porto Trindade. Welcome dinner either tonight in Porto or the following night in Mondim de Basto, depending on arrival times.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Mondim de Basto

    Livração to Amarante walk; on to Mondim de Basto

    A short metro ride to Porto São Bento or Porto Campanhã station for an inter-regional train (class 1400 diesel-hauled) to Livração, the former interchange with the Tâmega Line. Luggage travels by minibus while the group walks 13km to Amarante, largely along the old railway formation (with a road diversion around the high Passinhos Bridge). Onward by minibus to Mondim de Basto, home for the next five nights.

  3. Day 3overnight: Mondim de Basto

    Tâmega Line walking (part of 4-day block)

    First of four days walking the full length of the Tâmega Line, converted to a cycle path from Amarante to Arco de Baúlhe with repaired bridges and lit tunnels. The two biggest days are Amarante to Codeçoso and Codeçoso to Mondim de Basto, each around 14km; the exact daily order was to be confirmed nearer the time to fit museum visit bookings.

  4. Day 4overnight: Mondim de Basto

    Tâmega Line walking (part of 4-day block)

    Continuing the multi-day walk of the Tâmega Line; one day follows the River Tâmega north to the Corgo Line with a stop to see a plinthed steam locomotive and a girder bridge, and a private visit to the loco sheds in Chaves, returning with a walk on stretches of the Corgo Line.

  5. Day 5overnight: Mondim de Basto

    Tâmega Line walking (part of 4-day block)

    Continuing the multi-day walk of the Tâmega Line.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Mondim de Basto

    Final Tâmega Line section and Arco de Baúlhe museum

    The final approximately 9km section of the Tâmega Line, combined with a visit to the Arco de Baúlhe museum, unique in Portugal for its operational petrol rail car, with hopes of a short run along the track.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Porto

    Back to Porto via the Douro line to Tua

    Back to Livração station for an inter-regional train (class 1400 diesel-hauled) to Tua on the Douro line, with time to walk up the short remaining stump of the closed Tua Line for a view of the dam. Farewell lunch at the Calça Curta restaurant overlooking the river, then return to Porto and the Hotel Porto Trindade via metro.

  8. Day 8

    Fly home

    Metro from Trindade to Porto Airport for flights home.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2A 13km walk from Livração to Amarante largely along the old Tâmega railway formation, with a road diversion around the high Passinhos Bridge
  • Day 4Walking north along the River Tâmega to the Corgo Line, seeing a plinthed steam locomotive and a girder bridge, then a private visit to the loco sheds in Chaves
  • Day 6The final section of the Tâmega Line combined with a visit to the Arco de Baúlhe museum and hopes of a short run on the track in its operational petrol rail car
  • Day 7An inter-regional train back to Tua on the Douro line, then a short walk up the closed Tua Line to view the dam, followed by a farewell lunch at the Calça Curta restaurant overlooking the river

Included

  • All travel and excursions as outlined in the itinerary
  • En-suite accommodation
  • Meals as shown in the itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
  • Services of the tour manager
  • Holiday is fully escorted

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The tour includes inter-regional trains (class 1400 diesel-hauled) from Porto to Livração and back from Livração to Tua on the Douro line. These are part of the package.
Is this tour escorted?
Yes, it is fully escorted. Tour Manager David is with the group throughout the eight days.
How many kilometres of walking per day?
The tour averages 10-15km (6-9 miles) per day, with some days longer. The pace is leisurely and balanced to suit group abilities.
What is included?
All travel, accommodation, meals as outlined in the itinerary, and services of the tour manager are included. Transport between the hotel and each day's walk start and finish is provided.
What is not included?
Flights from the UK are not included in the from-price (though ports include Gatwick, Stansted, Bristol, Birmingham, and Manchester; you can also join in Porto without flights).
Which hotels?
Hotel Porto Trindade in Porto (two nights) and Mondim Hotel and Spa in Mondim de Basto (five nights).

Similar journeys