Infraestruturas de Portugal awards €1.6 billion high-speed railway contract

Infraestruturas de Portugal announces contract on new high-speed line (Photo: Infraestruturas de Portugal)

The agreement covers the design, planning, and construction of 71 kilometres of a new high-speed line between Campanhã Station in Porto and Oiã, the adaptation of the current Campanhã Station, a new underground station in Vila Nova de Gaia in the Santo Ovídio area, a new bridge over the Douro River, connections to the Northern Line near Canelas, and a new electric traction substation in the Estarreja area.

The contract also includes the maintenance and provision of the above, except for the Campanhã Station and the surface component of the Gaia Station (Sto. Ovídio), for a period of 25 years.

The total term of the contract is 30 years, which includes a development period estimated to be five years and a period of infrastructure provision of 25 years.

It has been reported that the award value may be increased by a maximum amount of €480 million, to cover expenses such as projects, expropriations, and works related to the application to the European funds program Connecting Europe Facility for Transport 2 (CEF 2), which has been approved.