Porto, Portugal, April 6, 2026 (Lusa) - According to Portugal’s train operator CP (Comboios de Portugal), the international Celta train service, which connects Porto to Vigo in Galicia, Spain, will operate via a replacement bus service within Spanish territory for one year starting on Monday, due to ongoing engineering works on the Spanish section of the line.
Lusa reported on 23 March that "due to works carried out by ADIF (Spanish Railway Infrastructure Administrator), from 6 April 2026 to 7 April 2027, rail services for trains Celta 420, 421, 422 and 423 will be restricted, requiring a road transfer", reads a notice published on the CP - Comboios de Portugal website.
The operator confirmed that all Celta services would be affected and that replacement buses would run between Vigo-Guixar and Valença stations, with no intermediate stops.
CP warned that, while current train timetables would be maintained, arrival times might vary depending on traffic conditions, also highlighting that the replacement bus service did not have the technical facilities to carry wheelchairs, that bicycles and scooters were not permitted on board unless they were packed within the dimensions of 140×90×40 centimetres, and that domestic animals were not allowed.
On 24 March, CP told Lusa that it would deploy 2240 series electric multiple units, while the Celta international train, which connects Porto to Vigo, would require a road transfer in Galicia.
The report said the service was usually operated by a diesel train hired from CP’s Spanish counterpart, Renfe, even though the line was electrified on both sides of the border, with different voltages.
When asked whether the entire route could be operated by electric trains once the works were complete, an official source at CP replied that the matter was still being assessed alongside Renfe.
Furthermore, at the end of the previous year, the Celta route had also been operated by bus between Valença and Vigo during weekends in September and the first weekend of October due to works in the Galician city.
CP had said that a mandatory changeover at Viana do Castelo had been implemented from August to December as an exceptional, temporary measure to ensure service continuity.
The Celta train, operated by CP and Renfe and providing daily departures, began service in July 2013, connecting Vigo to Porto with stops at Valença, Viana do Castelo, Barcelos, and Nine.
The report concluded that the service allowed a 175-kilometre journey in approximately 2.5 hours, a significant reduction from the previous travel time of over 3 hours.
JE/MYAL // ADB.
Lusa
