4.7.7 Eléctrico de Sintra
Runs from near Sintra to Praia das Maçãs (HERE to HERE).
Timetable and ticket prices HERE.
That’s how the local council, who operate the Sintra Tram nowadays, spell it - the old way, with a C. And this mainly rural tramway has been through a few changes in ownership over the years: when Rodoviária Nacional, the state-owned bus operator created in the wake of the 1974 Revolution, was sold off, the operations west of Lisbon ultimately became Stagecoach Portugal. The new operator discovered that their acquisition also included the Sintra Tram.
In days gone by, the Sintra terminus was outside the station, but now you have a short walk from train to tram. The route passes Ribeira, where the trams are now stored, then Galamares, Colares and Banzão before seeing all the villas on the Avenida do Atlântico, then passing Aldeia da Praia to reach Praia das Maçãs.
And the journey takes around 45 minutes, meaning a leisurely pace and an opportunity to experience slower travel. On warmer and sunnier days, there is the bonus of riding in an open-sided tram, also known as a “toastrack”. Passing cars sound their horns; the tram’s driver and conductor wave back.
Some punters do the return journey on the tram; others travel just from Sintra to Praia das Maçãs or back, doing the other leg on the 1254 bus. If the weather is not so good, a closed-sided tram not unlike the Carris 700 series will turn out, ensuring passengers stay dry, at least while they’re on board.
An outing for those times when Sintra old town, and the castles, are so heaving with hopeful tourists and the buses serving them are equally full. Or just because you want a laid back way to get to the beach.
Timetable and ticket prices HERE.
In days gone by, the Sintra terminus was outside the station, but now you have a short walk from train to tram. The route passes Ribeira, where the trams are now stored, then Galamares, Colares and Banzão before seeing all the villas on the Avenida do Atlântico, then passing Aldeia da Praia to reach Praia das Maçãs.
Some punters do the return journey on the tram; others travel just from Sintra to Praia das Maçãs or back, doing the other leg on the 1254 bus. If the weather is not so good, a closed-sided tram not unlike the Carris 700 series will turn out, ensuring passengers stay dry, at least while they’re on board.
An outing for those times when Sintra old town, and the castles, are so heaving with hopeful tourists and the buses serving them are equally full. Or just because you want a laid back way to get to the beach.
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