In a statement sent to Lusa, the complementary group of companies (ACE) that manages the Andante system, used in Metro do Porto, Sociedade de Transportes Coletivos do Porto (STCP), CP - Comboios de Portugal and private road operators, states that the 185 million intermodal validations represent "an increase of 12.2% compared to 2022, with 164.9 million validations"

"The previous record that occurred in 2019, in the pre-pandemic period, was surpassed when 175.5 million validations were reached", states the group managed by Manuel Paulo Teixeira.

According to TIP (held in equal part - 33.3% - by Metro do Porto, STCP, and CP), "the increase in demand was more significant in passes, up 15.9%, although occasional trips also increased by 6.4% more, compared to 2022".

Revenue from the sale and loading of Andante cards "reached the mark of 118 million euros, 14.8% more than in 2022".

"Despite the increase in operating costs resulting from inflation, as well as the increase in investment in the modernisation of the Andante Intermodal System and its Sales Network, the positive Net Profit of 1.4 million euros and the EBITDA [profit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation] with a value of 2.4 million euros", he further states.

According to TIP calculations, the 2023 numbers mean that customers with an Andante pass "paid, on average, 0.54 euros for each validation and carried out, on average, 50.09 validations per month", and users of occasional ticket "paid, on average, 1.26 euros for each validation and carried out, on average, 1.27 validations".

In 2023, in addition to the use of Andante in the AMP, there was also the "extension of Andante zoning with the integration of Interregional Zones (IR)", the "creation of new IR transport titles (3Z IR, Municipal IR, and Metropolitan IR)" and the "entry into service of the new operator UNIR", starting in December 2023.

The Andante system is also involved in the 1bilhete.pt protocol, a "national project that consists of creating an intermodal ticketing technological platform allowing interoperability between existing systems, as well as the introduction of new ticketing systems", which also involves the Mobility and Transport Institute (IMT) and Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisboa (TML).

The future company Transportes Metropolitanos do Porto, whose creation has already been validated by the Court of Auditors (TdC), should integrate the strengths of the TIP and the competencies of the AMP in terms of mobility and transport.