Alstom Launches 20,000 sqm Rail Plant in Matosinhos, Portugal

MATOSINHOS, PORTUGAL – Alstom held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new railway manufacturing facility in Matosinhos, in the Porto region, on an unspecified date in 2025. The facility will produce 81 of the 153 trains ordered by Comboios de Portugal (CP), the national rail operator. Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Miguel Pinto Luz, and CP President Pedro Moreira attended the ceremony alongside Alstom Europe President Andrew DeLeone and Alstom Portugal CEO David Torres.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The Matosinhos facility will cover over 20,000 square meters and is being built in partnership with DST, a Portuguese civil engineering company. The site will manufacture 81 three-car commuter and regional trains, each with capacity for up to 450 passengers, featuring step-free access, level floors, Wi-Fi connectivity, dedicated wheelchair spaces, and bicycle areas. The remaining 72 trains in the 153-unit CP order will be produced outside Portugal. Alstom states the vehicles are developed under eco-design principles with a recyclability rate exceeding 95%. The project is expected to generate approximately 300 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs in the Porto region. No total contract value or facility construction cost was disclosed by Alstom or CP at the groundbreaking.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

The Matosinhos facility forms part of a broader pattern of rail manufacturing localization in Europe and beyond, though its scale differs markedly from other ongoing initiatives. In Australia, the New South Wales government pledged A$12 billion for a train manufacturing hub in the Hunter region, a project announced in July 2026 that dwarfs the Portuguese investment in both financial commitment and production volume (Source: ABC News, 2026). Within Europe, Stadler is advancing full-speed production of new InterCity EMUs for Hungarian operator GYSEV, with final assembly underway in Poland and passenger service entry scheduled from 2027 (Source: Railvolution, 2026). Unlike the Alstom-CP contract, Stadler’s GYSEV order has a publicly confirmed service entry timeline. The Portuguese project is distinctive for establishing a new-build facility rather than expanding an existing plant — a decision Alstom says will reduce logistical complexity and improve operational efficiency for the CP contract. Portugal’s railway signalling market is projected to grow steadily through 2025, driven by infrastructure investment and network modernization, which provides a supportive demand environment for the new rolling stock (Source: IndexBox, 2025).

Editor’s Analysis

Alstom’s decision to build a dedicated manufacturing facility in Matosinhos rather than expanding its existing Portuguese footprint signals a calculation that the CP contract alone justifies the capital outlay — or that additional orders from Iberian operators are anticipated and unannounced. The absence of a disclosed contract value and completion timeline leaves open questions about the project’s financial structure, particularly given that 72 of the 153 trains will still be built outside Portugal. Alstom notes that two of every three trains operating in Portugal are already manufactured by the company or incorporate its technology, including the first 102 trains for Metro do Porto, suggesting the Matosinhos site could absorb future urban transit work beyond the CP order. The Portuguese government’s visible support — the prime minister attended the groundbreaking — mirrors the political backing seen in Australia’s Hunter region manufacturing pledge, where governments are increasingly treating domestic rail production as both industrial policy and electoral currency (Source: ABC News, 2026).

FAQ

Q: How many of the 153 CP trains will actually be built in Portugal?
A: Alstom confirmed that 81 of the 153 trains ordered by Comboios de Portugal will be manufactured at the new Matosinhos facility. The remaining 72 trains will be produced at other Alstom sites outside Portugal.

Q: When will the Matosinhos facility be completed and start producing trains?
A: Neither Alstom nor Comboios de Portugal has publicly disclosed a completion date for the Matosinhos facility or a timeline for first train deliveries. The groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction, but the production schedule remains unconfirmed.

Q: What are the specifications of the new CP trains?
A: Each train will have three railcars with capacity for up to 450 passengers. Features include step-free access, level flooring throughout, Wi-Fi connectivity, designated wheelchair spaces, and bicycle storage areas. Alstom states the trains exceed 95% recyclability and were designed specifically for the Portuguese market.