Salou, Catalonia – A colloquium and audiovisual screening, "50 Years in Memory. The Salou-Reus Carrilet", took place in Salou on 17 April 2026. The event, held at the Costa Daurada Room of the Civic Centre, honoured the Carrilet narrow-gauge railway, which operated between 1887 and 1975, connecting Salou and Reus.
The initiative, organised by the Centre d'Estudis Salouencs and the Cineclub Miramar Association, highlighted the railway's critical role in the economic, social, and tourist growth of both municipalities. Salou Mayor Pere Granados and Reus Councillor for Economic Promotion and Knowledge, Josep Baiges, attended alongside a large public audience.
The colloquium featured personal accounts and anecdotes from individuals closely linked to the Carrilet. Speakers included Joan Sardiña and Enric Pinyol, both members of the Centre d'Estudis Salouencs. Montserrat Jardí Soteras, daughter of Salou station master Joaquim Jardí Alabart, and Maria Mercè Garcia Guardiola, daughter of steam engine driver Manolo García Pérez, a Salou resident, also shared their memories. Journalist Jordi Sardiña, president of Cine Club Miramar, moderated the discussion.
Carrilet's Origins and Impact
Mayor Granados recalled that the Carrilet was inaugurated on 23 June 1887. It was driven by the Reusenca Tram Company with a clear goal: to link Reus with its natural port in Salou. This connection helped transport goods, such as brandy, wine, and industrial products, and facilitated the movement of people.
Measuring 8.2 kilometres with a dozen stops, the journey between Salou and Reus took approximately 20 minutes. The Carrilet quickly became more than just a railway infrastructure, according to Granados.
During the early decades of the 20th century, the Carrilet was the primary way to reach Salou's beaches, long before international tourism arrived. Generations of Reus residents remember it as the 'Sunday summer train', used for family excursions and daily commutes between the inland city and the coast.
A Lasting Legacy
Remembering the Carrilet means "valuing a legacy that is still very present in our place names, in areas such as Carrilet Square or the old Salou station, now recovered for new uses serving the public," Granados stated. The line initially used steam locomotives imported from England.
It operated for 88 years, becoming an essential part of daily life and economic activity in the region. Initially, the Carrilet's main function was industrial and freight transport. However, by the 1960s, it was almost the only public transport option between Reus and Salou, used for beach access and commercial travel, carrying hundreds of thousands of people annually.
End of an Era
The last Carrilet train ran on 10 November 1975. The service ended due to a growing preference for other transport methods and a lack of investment to modernise the infrastructure. The event served as a reminder of the railway's historical significance and its enduring mark on the urban fabric of Salou and Reus.
