TGV land expropriations steam ahead

Land expropriated to build the new TGV rail links between Porto and Lisbon have hit a new high with compensation costs already calculated at an estimated €425 million.

According to daily Correio da Manhã, and “based on criteria and forecasts of goods and land areas that will be expropriated, it is estimated that the Portuguese State will pay (depending on the exact route of the final stretch of line chosen) between €224 million and €425 million.”
Correio da Manhã estimates that that it will be necessary to expropriate thousands of square metres of urban, industrial, farming, and forest land, and demolish over 200 homes and dozens of factories and companies.
And according to Jornal de Notícias, when up and running, a ticket between Porto and Lisbon, which will link the two cities in a journey time of just one hour and 15 minutes, would cost around €23, less than the current cost between the two cities. (€40)
“From the calculations we’ve made, the trains will be larger/longer, will transport more passengers, do more journeys, and the expectation is that a ticket will cost €25, which compares to the current cost of around €40 on the Alfa Pendular”, said the vice-president of IP, Carlos Fernandes last week. (Infraestruturas de Portugal)
It is estimated that one TGV high-speed train unit will be able to carry around 500 passengers or 1,000 with two single rolling stock units.
Carlos Fernandes also said that compared to coaches, the TGV service would be “a faster and more comfortable service.”
“Of course, we will have many different prices. When I speak of €25 on average, it means that we will have cheaper and more expensive tickets, depending on when purchased, a bit like the coaches,” he said.