Portugal Opens €1.6B High-Speed Rail Tender for Porto-Lisbon Line

Portugal launches €1.6 billion tender for the Oiã–Soure high-speed rail, part of the Porto-Lisbon line, with a 2030 operational goal, driving Iberian rail modernization.

January 26, 2026 9:39 am

🛑 Key Takeaways:

Portugal’s infrastructure manager has opened bidding on the 61 km Oiã–Soure high-speed rail section, the second major tender for the Porto-Lisbon line.
The 30-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is valued at €1.6 billion, with total availability payments to the concessionaire reaching a maximum of €4.76 billion.
This tender solidifies the project’s PPP-based financing model and advances the timeline for the first phase to become operational in 2030.

LISBON, PORTUGAL – Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) has launched the tender for the Oiã–Soure high-speed rail concession, a core segment of the Porto–Lisbon line. The 30-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) contract has a maximum value of €1.6 billion for design and construction. Bids from competing consortia must be submitted by 25 May 2026.

Category	Specification / Detail
Project Segment	Oiã–Soure High-Speed Section
Contract Value	€1.6 billion (maximum)
Total Payments	€4.76 billion (maximum over 30 years)
Additional Public Funding	€600 million (for expropriations, supervision, etc.)
Key Stakeholders	Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP), Winning Concessionaire
Contract Type / Duration	30-Year Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
Core Infrastructure	61 km high-speed line + 22 km connections
Bid Submission Deadline	25 May 2026

Operational & Technical Details

The winning consortium will deliver a comprehensive scope of work. The contract covers the design and construction of the 61 km double-track high-speed line. It also mandates the upgrade of the existing Coimbra station to accommodate high-speed traffic. A key component is the quadrupling of the Northern Line between Taveiro and the southern approach to Coimbra station.

The project includes a new traction power substation in Coimbra. It requires 22 km of new connections linking the high-speed line with the conventional Northern Line near Oiã, Adémia, and Taveiro. The concessionaire will manage maintenance for the new infrastructure over the contract term. Maintenance for the upgraded Northern Line sections and Coimbra station is excluded from this scope.

Market Impact Analysis

The launch of this second tender confirms Portugal’s commitment to delivering the Porto-Lisbon high-speed line exclusively through PPP schemes. This strategy offloads significant upfront capital costs from the state and leverages private sector efficiency. Following the contract signing for the Porto–Oiã section, this move builds critical momentum for the project, which aims for a 2030 operational start for its first phase.

The substantial long-term value, with availability payments reaching €4.76 billion, is structured to attract large, experienced international consortia. This tender will intensify competition among major European construction, engineering, and financial firms seeking to secure a strategic foothold in Iberian rail development. The project is foundational to modernizing Portugal’s primary north-south economic corridor.

FAQ: Quick Facts

What is the main value of this contract?

The concession contract for design and construction is valued at a maximum of €1.6 billion. Over the 30-year term, total payments from Infraestruturas de Portugal to the concessionaire are expected to reach a maximum of €4.76 billion.

When is the expected completion date?

The contract includes a development and construction period estimated at five and a half years. The first phase of the overall Porto-Lisbon line, which includes this section, is scheduled to become operational in 2030.