SYSTRA celebrates the start of construction on Portugal’s Porto–Lisbon high-speed rail line

A ceremony held at the Aveiro South construction site marked the start of works on the first section of the future Porto–Lisbon high-speed rail line. A landmark moment for Portugal and for SYSTRA teams, who have been involved in this major project since 2023.

The first section, stretching 71km from Porto (Campanhã) to Oiã, is designed for speeds of up to 300km/h. The ceremony was attended by Portugal’s Minister for Infrastructure and Housing, the Chairman of Infraestruturas de Portugal, representatives of the AVAN consortium and the European Commission, which is supporting the project through the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility.

SYSTRA has been involved in the project from the outset, initially supporting the LusoLav consortium and subsequently working alongside the AVAN teams. Having contributed to the early stages of the project, our teams are now carrying out detailed design work for the first section, covering overhead line equipment, power supply, stations and systems integration.

“The start of construction on the Porto–Lisbon high-speed line marks a new chapter for rail in Portugal. At SYSTRA, we are proud to contribute to this strategic project from its origins and to support an infrastructure that will reduce journey times, promote sustainable mobility, and reinforce European rail integration”, commented Joan Serrano, vice-president, SYSTRA Ibérica & Hispanoamérica.

The start of construction marks a new phase in the development of the high-speed line. Work on the Porto–Oiã section is expected to be completed by 2030, with the Oiã–Soure and Soure–Carregado sections scheduled for completion by 2032. Once complete, the line is expected to cut journey times between Porto and Lisbon to just 1 hour and 15 minutes. It will also play a key role in the European Atlantic Corridor, with future high-speed connections planned between Porto and Vigo, and between Lisbon and Madrid.

Source: SYSTRA