The strikes have been called off as of today, 8th April.

Given what is about to hit Portugal I fear that the big problem with CP will not be strikes but permanent closures at short notice.

From a tourist point of view I wouldn't make any longer term plans for using the Douro Valley lines beyond Marco da Canaveses or the line between Caldas da Rainha and Coimbra. I can also see services up to Guarda and Covilha being thinned out and maybe even the Evora line being abandoned instead of rebuilt. And maybe more cuts between Tavira and VRSA.

Couldn't agree more - with minor exceptions!

The three narrow gauge Douro Valley lines are gone for good. No one is interested in taking them over from CP.

They have just brought new trains onto the Dourto valley line at the service at least as far as Regua seems safe, even though the number of trains was slated to be reduced by 50% and most small stations closed - which didn't happen.. Beyond there though, there is very little traffic and the line is difficult to maintain. I cannot see trains to Tua and Pochino running for much longer.

Covilhã - Guarda trains have already been withdrawn; all service is now by bus. Guarda to Vilar Formosa is down to two trains a day.

Also gone is the rural Torre de Vargens - Marvão Beira line local service, with no replacement bus, although it remains open for freight and the nightly Tren-Hotel Lisbon - Madrid.

Closed in January at two weeks notice was the Ermesinde - Leixoes suburban line, which had only just been rebuilt and re-opened at vast expense.

The Beja - Funcheira line, which has only two passenger trains a day anyway, was reprieved at the last moment as were the three daily local trains Setubal - Funcheira - Tunes. Setil - Coruche was saved the day before closure (also announced at two weeks notice) by an injection of funds from the relevant local councils.

The Evora line does look doomed, even through the reconstruction work is virtually complete. The rail replacement bus service was withdrawn in January. CP have been saying that without government subsidy, which they now won't get, the operating costs will far outweigh any revenue, even by using regional train sets rather than inter-city and providing a more frequent and faster service. All this is much to the disgust of the residents of Evora of course.

When the new austerity package is announced we can look forward (?) to another wave of strikes in the public sector which will for sure spell the end for most regional railway service, including those other lines mentioned in the post above.

Plans are in hand to sell off the self contained Lisbon - Cascais suburban line and possibly the Sintra line as well.

One possible exception and we don't know how firm this is now that the plans to introduce tolls on the A22 motorway have been suspended, is that it was intended to increase the frequency of service between Faro and Vila Real de Santo Antonio through Tavira. Some bright person worked out that the toll charge per km was the same as the train fare. Elsewhere when tolls were introduced, more people used the train for commuting.

These are not good days for rail travellers in Portugal.

Ps neither at the airports, which will be badly affected on forthcoming Wednesdays following a decision by airport workers to join the strikes.

and the obvious contender for the Cascais and Sintra lines is Stagecoach who could then unify them with the Scoturb buses. Something for SWT commuters to look forward to! But no doubt Arriva (via TST) and Veolia (Connex to those of you from Kent and Sussex!) will be sniffing around. Interesting times...

the newly delivered refurbished regional trains are only leased from RENFE so any mention of CP not having money and they'd take them back.