Latest news and stories about transportation in infrastructure in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Assembly of the Republic has approved in principle a bill requiring the use of helmets for riders of electric scooters and e-bikes. The proposal, introduced by the PSD, also mandates the use of reflective gear during low-visibility conditions. The bill now heads to the committee stage, where details regarding enforcement and potential fines ranging from 30 to 300 euros will be further discussed.
New legislation governing paid passenger transport in electronically available vehicles, known as the TVDE regime, comes into effect on September 1. The updated law, which amends previous 2018 regulations, also mandates that new taxi fare rules will begin on October 1. The changes follow eight years of regulation for ride-hailing platforms in Portugal.
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.
ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal has formally presented the technical report for the new Luís de Camões Airport, which is planned for the Alcochete Firing Range. The report details operational capacity, engineering projects, and multimodal connectivity, with estimates suggesting the project could cost nearly nine billion euros. Government officials and the concessionaire are now moving forward with the next stages of the development process.
The National Association of United Taxis of Portugal (Associação Nacional Táxis Unidos de Portugal or ANTUP) has expressed strong opposition to the revised ride-hailing law approved by the Assembly of the Republic. The association claims the new rules create a market distortion by forcing taxis to operate under the same regulations as ride-hailing platforms. ANTUP also criticized the government for failing to curb predatory pricing practices by multinational companies.
The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is Portugal's unicameral parliament, located in the Palácio de São Bento in Lisbon. It consists of 230 deputies elected by proportional representation for four-year terms.
The Assembly's powers include making and amending laws, approving the state budget, ratifying international treaties, and overseeing the government through debates, hearings, and committees. It can also pass votes of no confidence to bring down a government, as happened in March 2025.
Following the May 2025 elections, the current parliamentary composition is led by the Democratic Alliance (AD) with the largest share of seats, followed by Chega, PS, and smaller parties including the Liberal Initiative, Left Bloc, Livre, and PCP.
The National Association of United Taxis of Portugal (Associação Nacional de Transportadores Rodoviários em Automóveis Ligeiros de Passageiros or ANTUP) is a trade organization representing traditional taxi drivers. It opposes recent legislative changes to the TVDE law (Lei TVDE), which regulates ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt, arguing that these revisions negatively impact the taxi sector's competitive position.
The National Civil Aviation Authority (Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil or ANAC) has lifted operational restrictions at Horta airport in the Azores. The regional government confirmed that normal flight operations will resume starting Wednesday. This decision follows a series of meetings between the regional authorities, the airport operator, and the national aviation regulator.
ANAC (Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil) is Portugal's national civil aviation regulator, responsible for safety oversight, licensing and economic regulation of airlines, airports and ground-handling services. It oversees tenders and issues licences such as the recent ground-handling awards for Lisbon, Porto and Faro, so its decisions directly affect airport operations, service providers and related jobs.
A marine protected area (área marinha protegida) is a designated sea zone where human activity is limited to conserve ecosystems, species and habitats, and rules can range from restrictions on certain fishing methods to full no-take zones. In the Azores and other Portuguese waters, these protections can restrict commercial and recreational fishing and are often controversial because they balance biodiversity goals with local fishing livelihoods, which is why disputes over tuna fishing arise. Enforcement and specific rules vary by region and are managed by national and regional maritime and environmental authorities.
The airport association ACI Europe has warned that European airports face a systemic risk of jet fuel shortages within three weeks if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is not stabilized. A prolonged supply interruption could significantly impact airport operations, connectivity, and the broader European economy.
