According to a statement from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Housing, there will be no new appointments for public manager roles until the current government’s term concludes. This decision affects the appointment of a new board for Metro do Porto, as the current board, headed by Tiago Braga, had its mandate expire at the end of 2024 but continues to function in its duties indefinitely.
Regarding the public tender for a new subcontract to operate Metro do Porto, the ministry, under Miguel Pinto Luz, confirmed that no decisions will be made due to the prevailing political climate.
It was reported today that Metro do Porto has extended its subcontract with operator ViaPorto for three additional months at a cost of €10.9 million, as obtained from the public procurement portal Base.
The contract extension states, “By the present amendment, the parties mutually agree to extend the contract execution period by three months, effective until June 2025,” as outlined in the addendum to the Subcontract Agreement for the Metro System in the Porto Metropolitan Area.
The document further specifies an estimated amendment price of €10,936,688.07, excluding VAT, which increases the total subcontract cost, originally set at €204.3 million in 2018, to €215.3 million.
This expense was confirmed by Ordinance 176/2025/2, published in the Official Gazette on March 5.
The existing subcontract was initially scheduled to end this month.
Last October, the Ministry of Finance’s Technical Unit for Project Monitoring (UTAP) established a project team to explore and prepare for a new subcontract arrangement for Metro do Porto.
The initiative involves the formation of a project team tasked with initiating studies and preparations for a new partnership for subcontracting the operation and maintenance of the light rail system in the Porto Metropolitan Area, according to the project’s summary.
The current subcontract, awarded to ViaPorto, a subsidiary of the Barraqueiro Group, commenced in 2018 and will continue following the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Metro do Porto presently operates six lines and 85 stations across the municipalities of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Matosinhos, Maia, Gondomar, Vila do Conde, and Póvoa de Varzim.
Construction is underway for the Pink Line (G), connecting São Bento to Casa da Música (Porto), and the Ruby Line (H), running from Santo Ovídio (Vila Nova de Gaia) to Casa da Música (Porto).
