The transport infrastructure manager Infraestruturas de Portugal has announced the launch of two major contracts to modernize the national rail network, totaling EUR 200 million, targeting the Northern Line and the Minho Line.

The investments are part of the National Investment Program 2030 and aim to increase the safety, capacity, and efficiency of rail transport for both passengers and freight.

These projects reinforce the strategy to modernize the national rail network, improving safety, reliability, and operational performance.

On the Northern Line, the work focuses on the Ovar (Válega)–Espinho section, where a complete rehabilitation of the railway infrastructure will be carried out. The total investment for this section is 160 EUR million and includes the modernization of the railway superstructure, the reorganization of the infrastructure at the Ovar and Esmoriz stations, as well as an increase in capacity for freight and passenger trains.

The project also calls for the construction of grade-separated road and pedestrian crossings, which will eliminate at-grade crossings and significantly improve operational safety. Completion of the work is estimated for 2029.

The Northern Line is Portugal’s main railway line, for which Infraestruturas de Portugal has allocated an additional EUR 95 million to modernize the signaling system. It connects Lisbon to Porto over a distance of approximately 336 km and carries the bulk of the country’s rail traffic. It is used by both long-distance and regional trains, as well as freight services, and plays a strategic role in national mobility and rail connections with the rest of the Iberian Peninsula.

On the Minho Line, the 40-million-EUR investment aims to eliminate 11 at-grade crossings between Nine and Barroselas by constructing overpasses and modernizing the local infrastructure. The project is part of a broader national railway safety program, which calls for the elimination and automation of over 200 level crossings throughout the country.

The work is being carried out on a section of over 20 km and has a completion deadline of 38 months; it is scheduled to minimize the impact on rail traffic.

The Minho Line is one of the most important railway lines in northern Portugal, connecting Porto with the border town of Valença. With a length of approximately 134 km, it connects northern Portugal to the Spanish rail network via the border crossing with Spain, playing an essential role in both passenger and freight transport.