Alstom Launches 81-Train Plant in Matosinhos, Portugal

MATOSINHOS, PORTUGAL – Alstom commenced construction of a new railway manufacturing facility in Matosinhos, Porto region, at a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro. The facility will produce 81 of the 153 trains ordered by Comboios de Portugal (CP), the national rail operator, under an existing supply contract. The 20,000-square-meter plant is being built in partnership with Portuguese civil engineering firm DST.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The Matosinhos facility will manufacture 81 commuter and regional trains for CP, with the remaining 72 units in the 153-train order produced outside Portugal. Each train comprises three railcars with capacity for up to 450 passengers and incorporates step-free access, level flooring, Wi-Fi connectivity, dedicated wheelchair spaces, and bicycle storage areas. Alstom states the vehicles are designed under eco-design principles with a recyclability rate exceeding 95%. The facility itself will cover over 20,000 square meters and generate approximately 300 direct jobs alongside more than 1,000 indirect jobs in the local supply chain. Alstom has maintained a presence in Portugal for over 30 years, and two out of every three trains currently operating in the country are either manufactured by Alstom or incorporate Alstom technology, including high-speed, regional, metro, and commuter fleets.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

Alstom confirmed it has no directly comparable greenfield manufacturing facility projects elsewhere in Europe during 2024 and 2025, making the Matosinhos investment a distinct capital allocation for the group during this period. Within the broader European rolling stock market, Stadler is simultaneously advancing production of new InterCity EMUs for GYSEV, the Hungarian-Austrian cross-border operator, with production reported to be progressing at full speed at Stadler’s facilities (Source: Railvolution, 2025). The Portuguese rail market more broadly is attracting heightened investment attention: the country’s railway signalling market is projected to grow steadily through 2025, supported by a surge in private equity interest targeting Portugal’s family-owned industrial businesses amid a succession wave among entrepreneurs (Source: Private Equity Wire, 2024). Alstom’s decision to anchor manufacturing in Matosinhos positions the company to capture downstream signalling and digital rail contracts; Alstom already manages over 1,500 km of Portuguese rail network and more than 500 onboard devices through its Convel ATP system, a signalling solution developed specifically for the Portuguese market. The facility also complements Alstom’s existing footprint on the Metro do Porto, where it supplied the signalling system and manufactured the first 102 trains currently in service.

Editor’s Analysis

Alstom’s Matosinhos investment signals a strategic pivot toward localized manufacturing within its European network at a moment when supply chain resilience and proximity to end customers carry heightened commercial value. CP President Pedro Moreira framed the project as transformative for Portuguese rail mobility, stating passengers will “proudly say that we are traveling on Portuguese trains, made in Portugal” — language that underscores the political premium attached to domestic industrial capability in the rail sector. The absence of a disclosed contract value or delivery timeline leaves open questions about the project’s financial scale, but the 300 direct jobs and 1,000 indirect jobs align this facility with similar mid-tier European rolling stock plants. Portugal’s broader rail signalling market growth, coupled with the private equity succession wave targeting local industrial firms, suggests the country’s rail supply chain is entering a period of consolidation and professionalization that could generate additional subcontracting opportunities around the Matosinhos site.

FAQ

Q: How many of the 153 trains will actually be built in Portugal?
A: 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: What is the total value of the CP-Alstom contract?
A: The total contract value has not been publicly disclosed by either Alstom or Comboios de Portugal at the time of publication.

Q: When will the new Matosinhos-built trains enter passenger service?
A: No delivery or service-entry timeline has been officially confirmed. The groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction for the manufacturing facility itself, and production timelines will depend on facility completion and supply chain readiness.