First competition for TGV launched
The Portuguese government has launched a tender for the first stretch of the high speed train line between Porto and Lisbon – the Porto-Aveiro section.
When built, the high-speed rain line will cut journey times between Porto and Lisbon by 1 hour and 15 minutes; less than half the current 2 hours and 49 minutes it takes now according to ECO online. The work will be undertaken in three phases. The first involves two sections: Campanhã (Porto) to Oiã (Aveiro) and Oiã to Soure.
The second will link Soure to Carregado, and the third from Carregado to the Oriente station in Lisbon.
When completed, it will allow 60 outbound and return trips (presumably per week) and the government expects that it will be used by up to 16 million passengers, compared to the current six million who use the North Line, removing around a million air passengers. It is also estimated that the new TGV will reduce CO2 emission by 5 million tonnes.
The project was presented in September, 2022 by the Prime Minister António Costa and the former minister of Infrastructures, Pedro Nuno Santos. It will involve the modernisation of Campanhã station, two new stations at Vila Nova de Gaia and Coimbra, and adaptations to stations at Aveiro and Leiria and the widening of Oriente station in Lisbon. It will also be adaptable for the future third crossing over the River Tejo. A new railway bridge is also envisaged over the Douro.
The goal is to have the TGV completed in 2030 with a total estimated cost originally forecast at €3.550Bn, but could end up being as much as €6Bn according to the latest estimates.
Image: RODRIGO ANTUNES/LUSA
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