CP notice about it and the solution for passengers - "From January 12, 2025, the railway connection between Coimbra and Coimbra-B stations will close.
Trains that have their origin or destination at Coimbra station now have their origin/destination at Coimbra-B station.
To guarantee transport between Coimbra and Coimbra-B stations, Metro Mondego will provide connecting buses."
"It's a bad solution to close the station," chanted the protesters, holding banners against the long-announced end of the rail link to the city centre.
More than 200 people gathered in the early hours of this Sunday, shortly after midnight, to say goodbye to the last train that left Estação Nova, in the centre of Coimbra, which is closing after 140 years.
About 15 minutes before the last train, people were already gathering at Estação Nova (also known as Coimbra-A), some shouting slogans, such as "It's a bad solution to close the station", and holding some banners against the long-announced end of the rail link to the city centre, planned in the Mondego Mobility System (SMM) project, with articulated electric buses running on a dedicated channel.
Around midnight, the mayor of Coimbra, José Manuel Silva, also arrived at the station, booed by some of those present, who insisted on also making the last trip from Coimbra-A to Coimbra-B, accompanied by several members of his executive and members of Metro Mondego, including its president, João Marrana.
Almost drowned out by people's shouts, the mayor explained that the SMM project is a decision that "was taken and consolidated" before taking office in 2021.
The train, which was supposed to leave at 00:20 and whose final destination was Figueira da Foz, ended up leaving at 00:30, with a prolonged honking.
Most people decided to make the four-minute journey to Coimbra-B, with some staying at Estação Nova to say goodbye to the train.
Inside the carriages, despite some conversations, songs and even slogans being heard, silence prevailed among those making the journey, next to the Mondego River.
At the exit in Coimbra-B, as people left the station, excerpts from "Os Vampiros", by Zeca Afonso, echoed: "They eat everything, they eat everything, they eat everything and leave nothing behind."
Luís Neto, from the Civic Movement for Estação Nova (MCEN), says he is already "at peace with the situation, but it is always an emotional moment".
HISTORY
Coimbra Railway Station, also known as Coimbra-A or Coimbra-Cidade, and popularly called Estação Nova, is an interface of the Lousã Branch Line, which serves the city of Coimbra, in Portugal.
It was opened by the Royal Portuguese Railway Company on 18 October 1885. Since 1864, Coimbra has been served by a station on the Northern Line. However, the opening of a branch line between this station and Coimbra-A station allowed the railway to be brought closer to the city centre. At the time of the opening of Coimbra-A station, there were already plans to build a railway line between Coimbra and the interior of its district (as far as Lousã and Arganil).
Coimbra-A Station technically ceased to be a terminus in 1906, with the inauguration of the Coimbra–Lousã line; however, for decades, many train services began and began their journey here.
In 1931, the current passenger building was opened, designed by the architect Cotinelli Telmo.