Vitória-Minas Railway
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Service type | Inter-city |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale | Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo, Brazil |
| First service | 13 May 1904 |
| Current operator(s) | Vale S.A. |
| Website | vale |
| Route | |
| Termini | Belo Horizonte Vitória |
| Stops | 28 |
| Distance travelled | 905 km (562 mi) |
| Average journey time | 13 hours–13 hours, 10 minutes |
| Service frequency | 2 per day |
| On-board services | |
| Class(es) | Economic, executive and accessible |
| Disabled access | Fully accessible |
| Seating arrangements | 4 across in Economic Class, 3 across in Executive Class |
| Catering facilities | On-board café, at-seat meals |
| Entertainment facilities | Video monitors in Economic Class, personal sound system in Executive Class |
| Baggage facilities | Overhead bins and racks; no checked luggage |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge |
| Operating speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) |
The Vitória-Minas Railway (Portuguese: Estrada de Ferro Vitória a Minas — EFVM) is a Brazilian railway that connects the Metropolitan Region of Vitória, in Espírito Santo, to Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas Gerais – a stretch of the EF-262. It began to be leased at the end of the 19th century and its initial purpose was to transport passengers by rail and to transport coffee from the Vale do Rio Doce and Espírito Santo. Its focus changed in 1908 when it began to transport the iron ore extracted in the municipality of Itabira to the port complexes in Espírito Santo.
The construction of the railroad facilitated the development of new settlements, including Coronel Fabriciano and the Vale do Aço. These areas experienced industrial growth, which was supported by the railway's presence and transportation capabilities. In 1991, the railroad reached the capital of Minas Gerais, following the construction of a new branch line. Over the years, it has become the only railroad in Brazil to provide passenger trains with daily long-distance departures.