Portuguese government approves second high-speed rail public-private partnership project

A joint Finance and Infrastructure order, published today in the Diário da República (the official gazette of Portugal), approved the launch of the tender for the PPP concession contract for the conception, design, construction, financing, maintenance and provision of the railway infrastructure for the Oiã – in the Aveiro district – to Soure – in the Coimbra district.

Last Tuesday, in a statement issued by the Council of Ministers, approval was given for the respective expenditure.

Infraestruturas de Portugal, which had already proposed the adoption of a public-private partnership model for the High-Speed Railway, will now be in charge of launching this tender through three contracts:

• PPP1: Porto (Campanhã)-Oiã (part of Phase 1);
• PPP2: Oiã-Soure (part of Phase 1);
• PPP3: Soure-Carregado (corresponding to Phase 2).

The launch of the third tender, for Phase 2, which includes the Soure-Carregado section, is scheduled for early 2026, and the Preliminary Study and Environmental Impact Study are being finalised for submission to the Portuguese Environment Agency to begin the Environmental Impact Assessment.