Work has begun on the high-speed line between Porto and Lisbon, the first of its kind in Portugal. The start was marked on 12 October with a public ceremony at the construction site in Aveiro.
The first section to be built links Porto/Campanhã with Oiã, in the municipality of Oliveira do Bairro, over around 71 kilometres. The work is managed by Infraestruturas de Portugal and carried out by the AVAN Norte consortium.
Once the line is complete, the journey between Porto and Lisbon is expected to take about one hour and 15 minutes, with possible stops in Gaia, Aveiro, Coimbra and Leiria. The government is aiming for 2032 and also plans a 50-minute Porto–Vigo link.
Infrastructure and Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz considers high-speed rail and Lisbon’s new airport the biggest projects the country will undertake this century, and stresses that there is strong national consensus on investing in rail.
