Government Finalizing Second High-Speed Rail Tender for Porto-Lisbon Line
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing has announced it is in the final stages of preparing the second public tender for the Porto-Lisbon high-speed rail line, a critical infrastructure project for the country. Minister Miguel Pinto Luz confirmed during a parliamentary hearing that the proposal for the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) covering the Oiã-Taveiro section will soon be submitted for approval by the Council of Ministers. This move signals the government's intent to relaunch the project after the initial tender for the section was cancelled last year.
The minister's announcement was made before the Parliament's Committee on Infrastructure, Mobility, and Housing, where he addressed questions regarding delays in the project's timeline. Concerns were raised by Socialist Party deputy Frederico Francisco, a former Secretary of State, who noted that the tender had been promised for May and its delay could postpone the project by at least a year. Minister Pinto Luz attributed the revised schedule to the four-month period when the government was operating in a limited caretaker capacity, assuring that the project remains a priority.
The project specifications for the second section detail a 60-kilometer line connecting Oiã, in the municipality of Oliveira do Bairro, to Taveiro in Coimbra. This represents an 11-kilometer reduction from the original plan, a change intended to decrease the financial burden of the concession. The initial tender was voided after the jury determined that the sole bid, from the Lusolav consortium led by Mota-Engil, did not adhere to the technical designs established by Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP), the state-owned infrastructure manager. The new process will proceed with the established plan to extensively upgrade the Coimbra B station, including a complete layout reformulation for high-speed service and a new passenger terminal with integrated parking.
The financing arrangements for this major undertaking have been outlined with significant figures. The second PPP was initially launched with a base price of €1.604 billion in net present value. Infraestruturas de Portugal estimates the total required investment at €1.918 billion. Over the course of the 30-year concession, the state's payments at current prices are projected to reach €4.207 billion. An additional €395 million is allocated for associated costs, including project design, land expropriations, and preliminary construction works.
Need Expert Guidance?
Get personalized insights from verified real estate professionals, lawyers, architects, and more.
Looking ahead, the government also provided an update on the third and final section of the high-speed line, which will establish the connection to Carregado, north of Lisbon. Minister Pinto Luz guaranteed that this phase, which has already secured its Environmental Impact Statement (Declaração de Impacte Ambiental), will move forward as scheduled. This was further detailed by the Secretary of State for Infrastructure, Hugo Espírito Santo, who informed the committee that the public tender for the Carregado section is slated to be launched in the first quarter of 2026.
The comprehensive plan for the high-speed connection between Portugal's two main economic hubs involves not only new tracks but also the significant enhancement of existing railway infrastructure. The project includes the quadrupling of the Linha do Norte (Northern Line) tracks between Taveiro and the southern approach to the Coimbra B station, a measure designed to improve capacity and efficiency for both high-speed and conventional rail services. The government's commitment to advancing these interconnected projects underscores a strategic vision to modernize national transportation and foster economic growth across the regions served by the new line.
Monitor new development opportunities at realestate-lisbon.com.