Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) secured more than EUR 813 million CEF grant for Porto – Lisbon HSR phase 1, ranked the second largest of the 134 selected projects, after Rail Baltica (EUR 1.2 billion), with Lyon – Turin rail project (EUR 700 million) on the third position. IP submitted an application requesting EUR 875 million CEF financing. In the competitive procedure with the 15 Member States eligible for the Cohesion Fund, the component relating to engineering studies and projects, worth EUR 61 million, was not approved. The Portuguese infrastructure manager says that next September will also submit a new grant request for the first phase of the project.
The project concerns the construction of the first phase of a new high-speed railway line between the two Portuguese cities, featuring 142 km of railway works and 51 km of new single-track connections.
These funds will be allocated to the concessionaires of the first and second public-private partnerships (PPP1 and PPP2).
Porto – Lisbon HSR phase 1 comprises the 145 km rail connection between Porto and Soure, with the first PPP between Porto (Campanhã) and Oiã, and of the second PPP between Oiã and Soure.
During the construction period of the infrastructure, the grant aims to cover the associated investment costs including EUR 667 million for expropriations, bridges, viaducts and current works of art that make up the two partnerships and EUR 146 million for the quadrupling of the Northern Line between Taveiro and the southern entrance to Coimbra-B station, within the scope of PPP2 contract. This intervention aims to increase the railway capacity of this section, in order to facilitate access for high-speed train services to Coimbra.
The disbursement of these funds during the development period allows the concessionaires’ financing needs to be reduced and, consequently, contributes to a very significant reduction in the availability payments that will be due to the concessionaires during the first 25 years of operation of the Porto – Lisbon high-speed rail.
The first phase of the project has obtained a favorable environmental impact declaration (DIA) conditioned by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).
In June 2024, the European Investment Bank approved EUR 3 billion funding for the EUR 6.1 billion Porto – Lisbon high-speed line.
Share on:
