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As memory from the past into the future (since 1996)
On 11 June 1996 a busservice with the line number 24 was
introduced, following almost exactly the route 18. But the
tram did survive, although frequencies decreased from every
15 minutes (with seven cars) to every 35 minutes (with three
cars). Also the working times were reduced: 9h - 19h.
Positive was the re-introduction of working of the tram on
Sundays. In this way the last of the classic tramlines was
converted in the first line with heritage characteristics:
- 18 - Carmo - Viriato - Massarelos - Foz - Castelo do
Queijo - Boavista
Due to the reconstruction of the river border between
Infante and Massarelos and resituation of the Carmo
terminus, working was restricted during several months in
1998 to:
- 18 - Foz (Castelo) - Castelo do Queijo - Boavista
However as the number of cars was retained to three, the
frequency was increased to every 22 minutes.
When the reconstructions were finished, the framework of the
tramservices was changed: four cars in a half-hourly service
between Boavista and Massarelos and alternating to Carmo or,
via the new single track on the reconstructed river border,
to Infante. In May 1999 this last service got the number 1E.
- 1E - Infante - Alfândega - Massarelos
- Foz - Castelo do Queijo - Boavista
- 18 - Carmo - Viriato - Massarelos - Foz - Castelo do
Queijo - Boavista
Due to the (re)constructions on many locations (tunnel near
the Hospital de Santo António, Rua da
Restauração, Castelo do Queijo) services were
limited further. Line 18 was closed for this in July 1999
with now four cars providing a 30' frequency on line 1E.
This line was on 29 May 2000 reduced to only:
- 1E - Infante - Alfândega - Massarelos
With 2 cars there was a 15' frequency.
In 2001 (February 15th) line 18 was reintroduced
between Massarelos and Viriato. On March 11th,
2002 line 1E was extended to Foz.
- 1E - Infante - Alfândega - Massarelos
- Foz (Passeio Alegre / A Cantareira)
- 18 - Viriato - Massarelos
On both lines there was a 30' frequency with 2 cars on line
1E and 1 car on line 18.
Line 18 was extended in December 2005 from Viriato to Carmo.
At the same moment line 1E was split in two
resulting in the network:
- 1 - Infante - Alfândega - Massarelos
- 1/ - Massarelos - Foz (Passeio Alegre / A Cantareira)
- 18 - Carmo - Viriato - Massarelos.
The 30' frequency was retained with now 1 car on each line.
The lines 1 and 1/ were combined again on the 1st
of January 2007. On the 21st of September 2007 a
new line with the number 22 in the centre was opened. Early
2009 line 1 was extended from A Cantareira to Pilotos.
- 1 - Infante - Alfândega - Massarelos - Foz
(Passeio Alegre / Pilotos)
- 18 - Carmo - Viriato - Massarelos
- 22 - Batalha - Carmo
The frequency is every 30 minutes on all lines between about
9.30h and 18h with two trams working on line 1 and one each
on the lines 18 and 22.
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