Train rides along the Tagus: a guide for an unforgettable trip between Entroncamento and Vila Velha de Ródão

Between Entroncamento and Vila Velha de Ródão, the train follows the contours of the river, taking us along one of the most beautiful stretches of railway in Portugal. The Beira Baixa line is the plumb line for a three-day train ride along the Tagus shore.   Entroncamento is an old-fashioned station, with many lines that depart to distant destinations and make us dream. We board one of the 7 daily trains that head inland, along the Beira Baixa line, for a ride of just under two hours that will fill our eyes.

The destination is Vila Velha de Ródão, because it is here that the train leaves the Tagus shore and goes on to other stops. Through the window we discover the river and we go on waiting for the first surprise. And what we see from the window is nothing less than one of the most beautiful Portuguese castles. Almourol, the Templar fortification on an islet in the Tagus River, parades like a model on the catwalk, enchanting us with its beauty and leaving the promise of an unforgettable walk.

Later, after Abrantes, we definitively embrace the Tagus and the train glues itself to the course of the river. It is always by the Tagus that we follow lazily to the rhythm that the locomotive lends us and that can be higher or lower, depending on whether we are in the fast Intercity or in the Regional that stops at all stations.

This is how the Belver dam can be seen through the window and then, on the other bank, the beautiful beach of Alamal. This is how we find the untouched landscape of the hills that embrace the river, we detect the mouth of the Ribeira de Nisa and – almost at the end – we enter the Portas do Ródão.

This is one of the most beautiful stretches of the railways that cross Portugal and is the pretext for a beautiful tour of a few days where the car is parked at the beginning. The itinerary of the trip will be made to the taste, time and interests of each one, but there are five points that we strongly recommend to be part of it: Entroncamento, Almourol, Belver and Alamal and, finally, Vila Velha de Ródão.

Entroncamento and the railway museum

Right at the Junction, at the beginning or the end of the journey, the National Railway Museum is a must-see. A finalist for the 2018 European Museum of the Year Award, it occupies 4.5 hectares of the Entroncamento Railway Complex and its crown jewel is the Presidential Train. But there is much more to see and experience every day of the week, except Mondays. From Tuesday to Friday it is open from 1pm to 6pm and at the weekend it is open from 10am. The price of the adult ticket is 5 euros and the child ticket (from 6 years old) is 2.5 euros. But there are tickets for families.

Almourol Castle

The best way to get to Almourol Castle is to get out at the station from which it takes its name and take a 10-minute walk to the river. There is an 18-seater boat next to the castle which makes the crossing for 2,5 euros, a price which includes a visit to the fortress. The crossing starts every day at 10am.

The origin of the castle is lost in the mists of time, but when King Afonso Henriques conquered the area in 1129, it already existed and was called Almorolan. Given to the Templars by the first king of Portugal, it has become one of the most important vestiges of the Order in Portugal.

Belver and Alamal

We get off at Belver, the beautiful town on the right bank of the Tagus, with its elegant houses and impressive castle. Here, besides the fortification and a walk through the town, we must not miss the Soap Museum, one of the four that exist in the world and which has its raison d’être for the former royal factory that held the monopoly on soap production in Portugal. This is also a place of good gastronomy, being mandatory references O Castelo and Sabores da Guidintesta, which we strongly recommend.

Staying overnight on the course, the ideal place is the Alamal River Club. Despite being on the other bank of the Tagus, this hotel with its privileged position provides a transfer from the station. The Alamal River Club is an old Inatel pousada, renovated and now run by a friendly and professional couple. With 20 rooms with a wide view of the river and its own pool, it is located on the beautiful Alamal beach, the only one where the Tagus naturally deposits sand. It is, we said when we visited, a haven of tranquillity.

Vila Velha de Ródão

This is the terminus of our route. From Vila Velha de Ródão, the railway definitely separates from Tejo river on the way to Castelo Branco and Covilhã. So, let’s get out and visit the village and one of the main geological monuments of the country, the Portas do Ródão, known as the cliffs that narrow the Tagus from both sides.

The Portas de Ródão (Rodão Gateway) were affected by the 2017 fires, but they haven’t lost their beauty. From the station it is easy to reach the viewpoint to the natural monument and, if you want, you can walk to the castle on top of the escarpment.

Another way of getting to know the monument is through the tours along the Tagus River, which are available every day from 10am. They cost 10 euros per person (minimum 2 pax) and reservations must be made to 967646614. The Vila Portuguesa operator also proposes a tour to discover the still visible rock engravings.

Most of these engravings were submerged when the Fratel dam was built, but in Vila Velha de Ródão it is possible to discover their memory at the very interesting Tagus Valley Rock Art Interpretation Centre.

As you can see, there is no lack of interesting reasons for a few days well spent in these lands by the Tagus, having the train as a pretext and exclusive means of transport. Everything is close at hand and the journey is, in itself, an event that will be remembered.

There are seven trains a day running between Entroncamento and Vila Velha de Ródão on the Beira Baixa line. To start planning your trip to the Tagus shore, check the timetables here.