Vila Real users seek a better Corgo Line ecopath without losing railway memory

Vila Real residents are calling for a smoother surface, continuity and safety on the former Corgo Line, so they can make the most of its flat, traffic-free route without erasing the railway’s memory.

The former Corgo Line may no longer carry trains, but it still carries people. Early in the morning and again in the late afternoon, people enter the corridor as though finding a break within Vila Real itself. Some run, some cycle and others walk. There are no cars or traffic lights - only the route and each person’s own pace.

Using the former Corgo Line in Vila Real

Rui Gonçalves runs there “around three times a week”. He generally starts near the old city station and heads either north or south, for as long as the surface permits. Towards Régua, sections affected by stones and uneven ground mean he has to place each step more carefully. “From the UTAD campus onwards, it is almost wilderness - good for trail running,” he says. He is not asking for tarmac, but for a “smoother” surface that works for runners while retaining the route’s character.

Tiago Fraguito experiences the same ground from a bicycle saddle. In areas that have yet to be improved, “the ground is uneven”, reducing comfort for both cyclists and runners. The difference is immediately noticeable where work has already been completed. “Here, it is spectacular; it is excellent.” The gentle gradient of the former railway makes it possible to travel without major climbs or descents, an unusual advantage in a municipality shaped by hills. “We are privileged here in Vila Real,” he acknowledges.

Marina Tavares also runs along the old line and has noticed that increasing numbers of people are taking exercise there. Refurbishing the old railway corridor will be “an added benefit”, especially because it will allow people to train away from traffic. While preparing for a marathon, when her routes reached 25 or 30 kilometres, Marina and a colleague would cover ground along the “line”, leaving the city in the direction of Vila Pouca de Aguiar. The training sessions were not bad, but once the route has better conditions, “it will be far more practical”.

A future ecopath beyond the official plans

For these users, the future ecopath is already part of daily life, before it has even entered official discussions. It is not simply a project involving several municipalities or a line marked on a map. It is a place where someone can train for a marathon, where a family can walk without fearing traffic, and where cyclists can travel for kilometres without competing with urban vehicles for space.

Benefits: surface, continuity and safety

For people using the former corridor, the project means a more even surface, continuity, cleaning, signage and safety. Rui wants to run without stumbling over stones. Tiago wants to cycle more comfortably. Marina wants a long, level route. None of them is asking for an artificial track. They simply want a path that allows them to keep moving.

Altino Cunha also runs there and supports the work, although he warns that “one thing does not rule out the other”. In other words, improving the ecopath can encourage physical exercise, but “it must not erase the memory of the railway or close the debate on bringing back the train”.