The Infrastructure Portugal (IP) has confirmed the imminent launch of the second public-private partnership (PPP) for the high-speed rail line. Despite not specifying an exact date, the process is reportedly in its final approval stages.
Originally, IP scheduled the opening of this public tender for May 31, indicating that the deadline has already been surpassed by two months.
The City Council of Coimbra announced to As Beiras newspaper that the tender will be launched within the current month.
This second PPP follows the previous tender in July 2024, which received only one bid. The evaluation committee rejected this proposal as it suggested relocating the high-speed rail station from Coimbra-B to Taveiro, contrary to the initial plans.
The new tender maintains the station at Coimbra-B but reduces several financial burdens by shortening the projected concession route, now ending at Taveiro instead of Soure.
According to IP, a new passenger building will still be constructed in Coimbra-B. The section between Taveiro and Soure, spanning approximately 11 kilometers, will be included in a future PPP that extends the high-speed line to Carregado, including a stop in Leiria.
In February, Jornal de Negócios reported that the evaluation committee recommended dismissing the Lusolav consortium, led by Mota-Engil, for not meeting the project’s specifications.
The termination of Lusolav’s contract was in line with the Coimbra City Council, advocating for the proposal’s rejection and the urgent relaunch of the tender. This motion was backed by the Municipal Assembly, passing with all-party support except abstentions from PS and Chega, and a dissenting vote from the president of the União de Freguesias de São Martinho do Bispo e Ribeira de Frades (PS).
Municipal bodies criticized Lusolav’s proposal for its deviation from IP’s solution, suggesting an alternative station location from Coimbra-B to Taveiro.
Infrastructure and Housing Minister Miguel Pinto Luz expressed confidence in a March 28 interview with Público that the tender will proceed at the same base price.
The Lisbon-Porto high-speed rail line is expected to connect the two major cities of Portugal in approximately one hour and 15 minutes, with potential stops at Gaia, Aveiro, Coimbra, and Leiria.
