The consortium AVAN Norte is set to propose a high-speed train station in Gaia, located south of Santo Ovídio, along with two bridges over the Douro River. These solutions differ from the original plans, which had called for a station near D. João II connected to the Yellow and Rubi metro lines and a combined road-rail bridge.
Before the official project announcement in February 2022, the then mayor of Gaia, Eduardo Vítor Rodrigues, had already highlighted Santo Ovídio as a major public transit hub, underscoring the importance of connecting the potential railway line with the Yellow and Rubi metro lines and other public transportation services.
In the first public presentation of the project in September 2022, the vice-president of Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP), Carlos Fernandes, remarked on the financial viability, noting that constructing one bridge is significantly cheaper than two. He stated that the technical feasibility of merging the two bridges had been proven after both Porto and Gaia had abandoned plans for a single road bridge.
The Environmental Impact Study (EIA) presented in May 2023, meeting these criteria, received a favorable Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA) in August.
The proposed underground station, extending 60 meters deep, is planned to have a length of 500 meters, with passenger platforms measuring 420 meters in length and 5.0 meters in width, allowing speeds of 120 km/h for non-stopping vehicles. This area will also include urban development designed by Catalan architect Joan Busquets and the transformation of Rotunda de Santo Ovídio into a plaza with areas for passenger pick-up and drop-off for both the train and Porto Metro.
IP emphasized the creation of an “intermodal transport hub,” which will include soft mobility options and parking facilities, aiming to serve Gaia and the southern area of the Porto Metropolitan Area, and through integration with the Porto Metro system, the western part of Porto as well.
In June 2024, IP publicly presented the Detailed Plan for Santo Ovídio in Vila Nova de Gaia, and on October 10, 2024, the project was awarded to the consortium LusoLav, which showcased the station and bridge designs, featuring architect Eduardo Souto Moura (working with Armando Rito on the bridge).
However, less than a year later, without the official knowledge of the government and IP, the consortium sought to relocate the station to Vilar do Paraíso and construct two bridges instead of one. This adjustment was justified by citing the need to reduce financial risk, decrease the risk of deadline non-compliance, and distinctly separate future maintenance responsibilities for each bridge, according to municipal documents.
The new station location is above a stream, situated in a National Ecological Reserve area, and would lose direct connection to the Yellow Metro line. Gaia’s city council held several meetings with the consortium before casting a non-binding favorable vote for the changes.
Representatives from the consortium expressed “formal concerns” regarding compatibility with the public tender and noted that while the new plans might incur higher costs, they requested not to term them as “alternatives,” highlighting legal and formal significance, fearing that such labeling might be detrimental in the final stages, according to Rui Guimarães.
“We will need your [municipality’s] support. We need everyone to approach IP, APA, so they might approve these kinds of solutions, especially relating to the station,” stated Jorge Rodrigues, another representative.
The National Railway Plan, published in the government gazette in April, dictates that the Gaia station will be situated in Santo Ovídio, with connections to the Yellow and Rubi metro lines.
On April 16, the government ensured that any potential alterations must be fully legally safeguarded, align perfectly with the initial project specifications, and secure municipal agreements. The initial consortium proposal adhered to the pre-project presented by IP, with the station at Santo Ovídio, direct linkage to the Yellow Metro line, and a single bridge.
IP lists at least 13 publications about high-speed rail on its website, with the last public statement made during the signing of the concession contract with AVAN Norte on July 29, in which a joint statement with the European Investment Bank (EIB) indicated Santo Ovídio as the station location and mentioned one bridge, although Mota-Engil’s market communication did not specify the Gaia station and referred to two crossings.
