Infraestruturas de Portugal awarded Comsa – Fergupo consortium a EUR 25.4 million contract for the electrification of Algarve railway line.
The work consists of the electrification of the 45 km Tunes-Lagos rail section with a 25kV/50HZ catenary including the traction current return system and protective earth. In order to carry out these works, it is necessary to lower by 400 metres the platform at some points, with additional drainage and embankment works.
The contract also includes intervention to the metal bridges of Portimão and Vale da Lama to install the catenary as well as interventions in station buildings and stops for the installation of fixed electric traction infrastructure.
The project also includes the construction of the new infrastructure supporting the signalling and telecommunications systems, the remodelling of the drainage system to adapt it to the new troughs and catenary massifs.
Under the project it is planned the adaptation of the station and halt buildings to support the new installations, as well as the construction of three overpasses to eliminate level crossings.
The electrification of the Algarve railway line is being carried out in two phases. The first one covers the electrification of the section between Faro and Vila Real de Santo António which started on in November 2021 and under the second phase the Tunes-Lagos rail section will be electrified.
This investment will ensure important benefits in terms of safety, efficiency, quality of service and environmental sustainability. The operation on the fully electrified line will allow the use of more modern, comfortable and faster trains, reducing travel time between Lagos and Vila Real de Stanto Antonio to 25 minutes.
In addition to the advantages in terms of speed and safety, the reinforcement of the operating capacity will make it possible to increase the number of trains available to passengers, greatly benefiting mobility in the metropolitan area of the Algarve.
The project is 85% co-financed by the European Union under the OP for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (Compete 2020).
The 140 km Algarve Line runs from west to east from Lagos station in Lagos to Vila Real de Santo Antonio station in Vila Real de Santo Antonio. The Tunes and Faro stations are providing transport connections to the express trains to Lisbon.
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