Portugal starts work on high speed rail line linking Lisbon and Porto

Portugal began construction on a high speed rail line connecting Lisbon and Porto on Monday. Euronews and Euronews Election News reported that work started on the initial section between Porto-Campanha and Oia, located in the Aveiro district. Once finished, the railway will allow passengers to travel between the two cities in one hour and 15 minutes. [1][2]

Miguel Pinto Luz, the minister of infrastructure and housing, stated that high speed rail lines and the new Lisbon airport are the largest infrastructure projects Portugal will undertake this century. Euronews reported that the government considers the high speed project a central component of its national airport strategy to support the new Lisbon airport. [1]

Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with a population estimated at 658,236 within its administrative limits in 2025. Portugal has operated high speed train services known as Alfa Pendular since the 1990s. However, these trains run primarily on conventional railways with top speeds of 220 kilometres per hour, as dedicated high speed rail lines faced multiple cancellations and revivals over several decades. [3][5]

The new transit connection aims to modernise domestic transport links across the country. The rail line will improve passenger transit times between Portugal's main urban centres and support broader national infrastructure integration. [1]