Infrastructure: Railway news in Portugal

Work on the first section of Portugal's high-speed rail line (Linha de Alta Velocidade) between Porto and Lisbon officially begins on Monday. The initial stretch links Porto-Campanhã to Oiã and includes a new road-rail bridge over the Douro River and an underground station at Vila Nova de Gaia-Santo Ovídio. Managed by Infraestruturas de Portugal, the complete line is planned to cut rail travel time between Lisbon and Porto to approximately one hour and 15 minutes.

The municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia rejected plans to build a high-speed train station in Santo Ovídio, demanding that authorities evaluate an alternative site in Mafamude and Vilar do Paraíso. Local officials warned that the current station project would cause prolonged disruption to the city. The municipality's formal objection comes days before the scheduled groundbreaking for the high-speed rail line.

Train traffic on the Northern railway line (Linha do Norte) was restored in both directions early Monday morning following a wildfire in Vila Franca de Xira. The fire, which broke out Sunday evening, forced the suspension of rail services and restricted traffic on the Marechal Carmona Bridge.

A high-speed rail link will connect the future Lisbon airport to the city center in 20 minutes. The new airport project, estimated to cost between 7.9 and 8.9 billion euros, is expected to open in 2035 and will be supported by extensive new rail, road, and utility infrastructure.

Electric trains are set to begin full service on the Algarve line this Sunday, marking the end of a project that began over two decades ago. The upgrade is expected to reduce travel time between Lagos and Vila Real de Santo António by 45 minutes. Meanwhile, the government confirmed that the diesel trains previously used on this route will be redeployed to support rail services in the Alentejo and Western regions.

Starting July 19, the entire Algarve rail line will operate with electric trains. The national rail operator, CP - Comboios de Portugal, is using the transition to overhaul its commercial schedule, which will increase service frequency, eliminate the need for transfers, and reduce travel times.

The national railway operator, CP - Comboios de Portugal, recorded a profit of 4.9 million euros in 2025. The company benefited from a record 111 million euros in public service compensation and increased traffic revenue, though it continues to struggle with maintenance capacity, leaving 30% of its Intercidades fleet out of service.

The national rail operator, CP, has launched a public tender worth 504 million euros to acquire 12 high-speed trains, with options for eight additional units. Infrastructure Minister Miguel Pinto Luz confirmed the project aims for operational status by 2032, connecting Lisbon, Porto, and Vigo, with the first new trains expected to arrive in 2031.

The Railway Union for Itinerant Commercial Inspection (Sindicato Ferroviário da Revisão Comercial Itinerante or SFRCI) announced that all railway workers at Comboios de Portugal (Comboios de Portugal or CP) will join the general strike scheduled for June 3rd. The union is protesting against proposed labour reforms, with the strike covering all professional categories and shifts starting on June 2nd.

The Avenida Marginal and the Cascais railway line will close on Saturday night in Algés to allow for the installation of a new pedestrian bridge. Rail services between Cais do Sodré and Caxias will be suspended starting at 9:00 PM, with road traffic closures beginning at 10:00 PM.