On Thursday 10 September 2026, the Erasmus+ EU Tour&Rail project published its comparative analysis of the Douro railway line in Portugal and the Lucca–Aulla railway line in Italy. The study examines the role played by tourism in the preservation and development of low-traffic regional railway lines and, conversely, how these lines can contribute to regional development and more sustainable forms of tourism.
The comparative analysis follows work carried out in Portugal and Italy between railway, tourism, and regional stakeholders, comparing the two lines through their railway services and infrastructure, regional, and tourism assets, as well as the institutional and stakeholder frameworks surrounding their development. It combines field visits, focus groups and interviews with local stakeholders, infrastructure conservation assessments, and regional and cartographic analysis.
Despite their different characteristics and backgrounds, the Douro and Lucca–Aulla cases illustrate how the relationship between rail transport and tourism can contribute to territorial development, maintaining and enhancing low-traffic regional railway lines. The comparison also highlights the importance of cooperation between different stakeholders in developing strategies adapted to the specific characteristics of each region.
The findings of the comparative analysis were discussed during the Tour&Rail conference “Low Traffic, High Value: Activating the Potential of Rail Services in Europe’s Rural Areas”, held in Florence in June 2026. The conference brought together representatives from Trains of Portugal (CP), Turismo do Porto e Norte, Trenitalia, the Italian Railway Network (RFI) and the Tuscany Region, alongside other project partners and experts, to discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with regional and tourist railway lines. This conference followed the joint Rail Tourism (TopRail) and Commuter and Regional Trains (CRTS) meeting in Florence, which had already highlighted the connections between rail tourism, regional passenger services, and heritage preservation.
The publication is one of the final deliverables of the Tour&Rail project and contributes to its broader objective of improving knowledge and sharing practices on the role that tourism can play in supporting regional railway lines across Europe.
The UIC CRTS and TopRail experts, the Tour&Rail consortium partners, and numerous organisations and stakeholders involved in the two case studies are contributed to making this study a success.
Read the full comparative analysis: Comparison of two selected railway lines – TOUR&RAIL
Watch the Tour&Rail conference: “Low Traffic, High Value: Activating the Potential of Rail Services in Europe’s Rural Areas”
Learn more about the CRTS Sector at UIC here and about TopRail initiative here.
