Comboios de Portugal, the Portuguese national rail operator, has launched a EUR 584 million tender for the purchase of 12 high-speed trains for the future Lisbon–Porto line. The new trains will need to travel at speeds exceeding 300 km/h and reduce the travel time between the two major Portuguese cities to approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The tender was officially launched on May 20, and the deadline for submitting bids is July 2. The contract is expected to be awarded in the first quarter of 2027, and the first train should be delivered in the first quarter of 2031, approximately one year before the infrastructure is completed.
The base order covers 12 high-speed trains, with an option for eight additional units. The total financial package amounts to EUR 584 million, of which EUR 539 million are allocated for trains, spare parts, and special equipment, and 45 EUR million for workshop facilities.
The new trains will be used on the future Lisbon–Porto high-speed corridor, a project intended to become the rail alternative to domestic flights between the two cities. The line is designed for speeds of up to 300 km/h, and the stated goal is to reduce travel time to approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
12 trains, with an option for eight more
According to the documentation, the trains must offer over 500 seats, accessibility for people with reduced mobility, bicycle storage, and modern onboard amenities. The planned equipment includes infotainment systems, Wi-Fi, USB-C ports, and video surveillance.
Full delivery of the trains is scheduled for the third quarter of 2032, in line with the infrastructure completion timeline. CP thus aims to have the rolling stock available before the full opening of the modernized corridor.
Miguel Pinto Luz, Portugal’s Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, stated that the launch of the tender is part of the strategy to modernize the railway system and increase public investment in the sector.
“We want a modern CP, capable of competing in the market, to provide an increasingly efficient, sustainable, and high-quality public service,” said Miguel Pinto Luz.
Iberian gauge, but with the possibility of conversion
One of the key requirements of the tender is compatibility with the Iberian gauge, 1,668 mm, used in Portugal and Spain. However, the specifications are also open to manufacturers with no prior experience with this gauge, provided they meet the requirements regarding speed and axles.
The trains must be capable of being subsequently converted to the European standard gauge by replacing the axles. This provision is relevant in the context of broader discussions regarding the integration of the Iberian rail networks into the European high-speed system.
Vehicle authorization will be carried out through the One-Stop Shop system of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA). If the area of use includes more than one Member State, ERA will be the authority responsible for authorization. For use limited to Portugal, authorization could be managed either by ERA or by the Portuguese national railway safety authority.
A Project Delayed by the Political Crisis
The launch of the tender comes after a delay of approximately one year, caused by the political crisis in Portugal in 2025. The initiation of the procedure on May 20 restarts a procurement process that CP and the Portuguese government were unable to advance during that period.
At the same time, the Portuguese government has also initiated procedures for the high-speed rail link between Lisbon and Porto, a controversial project but one considered essential for the modernization of domestic transport. The cost of the infrastructure is estimated at at least EUR 4.5 billion, and the work is planned in three phases.
The first phase, which includes a new crossing over the Douro River, must be completed by 2028 at the latest to qualify for European funding. The corridor would allow trains to travel at speeds of up to 300 km/h, significantly reducing dependence on the Lisbon–Porto air connection.
CP is analyzing a broader network model
Pedro Moreira, CP’s president, indicated that the operator is analyzing whether the new fleet could be used in an integrated network model, beyond the dedicated high-speed corridor. Such a decision could influence both the final size of the fleet and the trains’ operational specifications.
For now, the tender primarily targets the future Lisbon–Porto link. However, the possibility of using the trains on other routes would indicate that Portugal views the project not merely as a point-to-point connection between the country’s two most important cities, but as the beginning of a new phase in the development of the national rail network.
With this purchase, CP is seeking to prepare the necessary rolling stock for the operation of the high-speed corridor well in advance. If the deadlines are met, the first train will arrive in Portugal in 2031, and the entire initial fleet is expected to be available in 2032, upon completion of the infrastructure.
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