Portugal - Articles and news items

Three new connections in the Portuguese network

Issue 6 2010 / 10 December 2010 /

In 2010, REFER EPE – the Portuguese rail infrastructure manager – opens three new connections of great importance for the rail network in Portugal. Three investments in the Main Network, considered as priorities in the Strategic Guidelines for the Railway Sector established by the Portuguese Government in 2006, include the rail link to the Port of Aveiro, the Trofa Bypass and the Alcácer Bypass. (more…)

Portuguese high-speed rail business model: a new way forward on PPP

Issue 5 2010 / 17 September 2010 /

1 June 2009 marks the day, exactly 12 months after the international Public-Private Partnership (PPP) tender for the Poceirão–Caia high-speed rail line (HSRL) was launched, when best and final offers were in and the procedure which would lead to a successful financial close on 8 May 2010 was initiated. (more…)

Preparing to face future challenges

Issue 5 2009, Past issues / 26 September 2009 /

In October 2006, the Portuguese government issued the Strategical Guidelines for the railway sector, which aims at empowering the railway competitive advantages in terms of performance and efficiency in the frame of the transportation system and enhance the sector’s sustainability as a contributor to the economical development and to the social and territorial cohesion.

In the same document, the Portuguese authorities have established global objectives to be reached through sustainable financial models, improvement of the accessibility, the mobility, the environmental sustainability, the energetic efficiency, the promotion of investigation and the development and innovation, so as to reach, until 2015, an increase of 10% in the number of passengers and of 70% in freight.

Contemplating this, CP – Comboios de Portugal, E.P.E.1 – has defined its priorities and among them is the renovation of the fleet, combined with the necessities to make the motive power compatible with the technical specifications, as well as with the current modernisation investments to be performed in infrastructures, and also to provide an answer to dynamics. (more…)

Iberian Rail Development 2009 – Successfully linking the Iberian region to the rest of Europe

Issue 2 2009, Past issues / 26 March 2009 /

On 17 and 18 February 2009, European Railway Review organised the first ever Iberian Rail Development conference, held at the Lisbon Marriott Hotel, Portugal.

Attracting over 200 delegates, the conference was specifically developed to invite all industry personnel concerned with the ongoing developments for railway infrastructure and rolling stock in the Iberian region, and the links it has to the rest of Europe.

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Poceirão-Caia PPP call for tenders – a vital infrastructure project

Issue 5 2008, Past issues / 27 September 2008 /

On 2 June 2008, the launch of the international call for tenders for the Poceirão-Caia Public-Private Partnership rail infrastructure concession took place, which will be part of the high-speed line from Lisbon to Madrid.

The concession will last for 40 years and covers the design, building, financing and maintenance of the railway infrastructures. It also includes the section of line between Évora and Caia, which is part of the conventional freight line running between Sines-Évora-Elvas-Caia and the construction of the new Évora station, which will be built approximately 6km outside of the town.

Direct passenger journey times on the high-speed line between Lisbon and Madrid should take approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, while the journey from Évora to Lisbon will be made in less than 30 minutes and the 167km section from Poceirão to Caia in 32 minutes.

The construction works on the high-speed line between Poceirão and Caia will begin in 2010 but the complete Lisbon to Madrid service should only open to traffic in 2013.

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Recent progress boosts REFER’s success

Issue 5 2008, Past issues / 27 September 2008 /

The Portuguese railway has recently seen significant developments with many of its operations including the construction and renovation of its infrastructure, railway systems and equipment, as well as making alterations to management personnel; including those involved in maintenance and traffic management divisions.

Along with the liberalisation of the railway sector, a set of new challenges were enforced which demanded the infrastructure managers to outline their management plans towards a more competitive market, opening, at the same time, a window of opportunity to increase its market share in transportation.

The assumption of this new reality has led REFER to restructure its organisational philosophy – namely on the aspects that are related to the infrastructure management, with the creation of specific areas directed towards the client as well as its maintenance and reinforcement of traffic components’ integration – in such a way as to create an effective means of response to the transport’s requests and also on fomenting its use, for which we must also point out the strategical guidelines defined by the government for the railway sector and the current policies for environmental protection.

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Portuguese high-speed network is fast approaching

Issue 5 2007, Past issues / 26 September 2007 /

RAVE is a company that develops and co-ordinates the projects and studies that are necessary to facilitate decision-making in the context of planning, constructing, financing and operating a high-speed rail network that is to be established in continental Portugal along with its planned connections to the high-speed railway network in Spain.

RAVE was founded in 2000 with a corporate capital of €2,500,000, which was wholly subscribed by its two shareholders, the Portuguese State and REFER – the Portuguese national railway system.

In addition to its activities in Portugal, in partnership with ADIF – a Spanish Railway Infrastructure Management company, RAVE is a 50% shareholder in AVEP – Alta Velocidade Espanha-Portugal [High Speed Spain-Portugal], a European economic interest grouping created in order to study rail links between the two countries. AVEP is responsible for co-ordinating market research studies and defining routes and other technical aspects of the trans-crossing sections of this railway system, and also co-ordinates applications and procedures for obtaining EU funding for the project. (more…)

Portugal – plans, projects and priorities

Issue 4 2006, Past issues / 28 July 2006 /

In the wake of Directive 440/91 CEE, Portugal decided to set up a new model for the railway sector.

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High-speed and GSM-R: Portuguese overview

Issue 4 2006, Past issues / 28 July 2006 /

By decision of the Portuguese Government, a High Speed Transportation System shall be developed which offers both international high-speed and national high-speed train services (passenger and freight) accommodating the increasing requirements for cross-border mobility and which contributes to the strengthening of the economic position and social cohesion, in particular between neighbouring regions of Portugal and Spain.

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