Given the “exceptional situation of recognised national interest” of the Porto-Lisbon high-speed rail link, the Government justifies the measures approved today in the Council of Ministers “in view of the risk of changes in land use, as well as the issuance of licenses, authorisations, or other acts that conflict with the studies already carried out and that may compromise the construction of the railway infrastructure in question or make it more difficult and costly.”

Council of Ministers

In Council of Ministers Resolution No. 53/2026, the Government establishes that, “without prejudice to other opinions, authorisations, approvals and licenses legally required, the following are subject to a binding prior opinion from Infraestruturas de Portugal” (IP): land subdivision operations and urbanisation, construction, expansion and reconstruction works, with the exception of those exempt from prior administrative control; land remodeling works; demolition works of existing buildings, except those that, by municipal regulation, may be exempt from prior administrative control; and the mass felling of trees or destruction of topsoil and vegetation cover.

The request for a prior opinion must be submitted to IP “directly by the interested party or through the entity to which the powers to license or authorise the operation or activity in question are attributed,” and this public company must issue an opinion within 45 working days from the date of receipt of the request. In exceptional cases, the measures may apply to prior acts, already "validly authorised," but which "seriously and irreversibly harm the execution of the high-speed rail link project on the Sorocaba/Carregado section."

The Porto-Lisbon high-speed line will be developed through three public-private partnerships: the first for the Porto-Campanhã and Soure section, the second for the Soure-Carregado section, and the third for the Carregado-Lisbon section.

Project phases

Phase 1 of the project, corresponding to the Porto-Campanhã/Aveiro (Oiã) and Aveiro (Oiã)/Soure sections, was already safeguarded with "preventive measures" adopted on 26 December 2023.

The same applies now to phase 2 of the project, which covers the municipalities of Pombal, Leiria, Marinha Grande, Porto de Mós, Alcobaça, Rio Maior, Azambuja and Alenquer.

Thus, in the area of coverage, the rules of the current territorial plans apply alongside the preventive measures adopted..

Remembering that this is "an infrastructure of recognised national public interest", the Government concludes that "the damages resulting from the practice of the acts" mentioned "are socially and economically more relevant than the damages" that may result from the preventive measures approved.

The tender for the second public-private partnership for the Porto-Lisbon high-speed rail line was launched in January, with a 30-year duration, including 5 years of development and 25 years of availability.

Authorised expenditure

The maximum authorised expenditure in net present value is €1,603 million, referenced to December 2023, with payments spread over 2026-2056, with the start scheduled for July 2026.

In addition, the Government authorised expenditure of up to €600 million for projects, expropriations, site setup, and works supervision, eligible for community funding.

According to IP (Infraestruturas de Portugal), the total investment for the second phase amounts to approximately €2.4 billion and covers approximately 60 kilometres of new high-speed line, as well as 18 kilometres of connections to the conventional rail network, including interventions on the Northern Line.

The Government notes that the environmental impact studies for the Porto-Campanhã/Aveiro (Oiã), Aveiro (Oiã)/Soure and Soure/Carregado sections have already been approved by the Portuguese Environment Agency.

The third phase of the Porto-Lisbon high-speed rail project, between Soure and Carregado, is scheduled to have a tender launched in the first half of this year.

The preventive measures approved for the second phase of the project will come into effect on Friday and remain in force for 2 years, extendable for another year “if necessary”.