Presidential Train

Point of deParture: São Bento Porto (Portugal)

ComPosition of train: 6 carriages (1 presidential carriage, 1 ministerial carriage, 1 committee and security carriage, 1 dining car, 1 press carriage, 1 staff carriage) in serviCe: 1890–1970; brought back into service in 2016

Ia Gastronomic Nostalgia Trip

n the National Railway Museum in Entroncamento, one of the smallest towns in Portugal, the Presidential Train, a real railway gem, waited patiently for its chance to rise from the ashes. Built in Paris in 1890 in response to a commission from the Portuguese royal family, this train became presidential with the fall of the monarchy in 1910, and remained so until 1970. After 80 years of service that saw it carry many illustrious passengers – such as Queen Elizabeth II or Pope Pius VI – her six cars were consigned to the museum's collection of relics.

for the enticing programme it has been offering its complement of 60 or so passengers since 2016 and the inauguration of the line.

Following

It was here that it was rediscovered by Gonçalo Castel-Branco, a visionary theatre producer. Fascinated by this veritable Orient Express, he decided to get it back on the rails. He had difficulty, however, coming up with the right formula. It was Inês, his 10-year-old daughter, who came up with the solution: why not turn the Presidential Train into a mobile restaurant? At first Castel-Branco rejected the idea, but it gradually grew on him, and in the end he adopted it. Once he had established his objective, he opened negotiations with the various actors involved and managed to obtain permission to run his gastronomic train on the Douro Valley railway line. The carriages themselves were fully renovated without changing their original appearance. Velvet armchairs, varnished wood panels and the simple and elegant Art Deco-inspired décor first designed in the 1930s came back to life, making the ideal setting

Once out of the magnificent historic station of São Bento, the train crosses the elegant steel arch of the Maria-Pia bridge, designed by Gustave Eiffel and Théophile Seyrig in 1877, and then begins to climb the hills of the Douro Valley. Once they have settled into their private compartments, the passengers are invited to one of the dining cars to sample a gourmet meal prepared by the current chef in residence. For the Presidential Train – this monument on wheels – is as much a culinary experience as a railway journey. Top chefs take it in turn on each of the 25 trips per year to cook meals based on local produce. As the convoy climbs through a landscape of increasingly steep hillsides, porcelain plates are emptied and crystal glasses drained in a ballet choreographed by the attentive staff. Finally the train reaches the private station of the Quinta do Vesuvio winery. After a tour of the estate and a tasting of its world-famous port in the shade of the orange trees, it’s time to head back down the river to the bustle of the city. In the elegant cars, everyone has the option to continue the feast by sampling Portuguese spirits, cold cuts and cheeses or to relax, lulled by music rising from the bar carriage and by the movement of a train which has definitely had the good fortune to return to service.