High-speed rail in Portugal

Since the late 1990s Comboios de Portugal - CP (formerly Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses) has run the Alfa Pendular service, connecting Portugal's mainland from the north border to the Algarve (southern counterpart) at a speed of up to 220 km/h (135 mph).

The service is operated using 10 Italian-designed Pendolino tilting trains. Based on ERT480, trains were assembled in Portugal at SOREFAME/ADtranz plant in Amadora (now closed). FiatFerroviaria was the main contractor with Siemens AG and ADtranz as subcontracted parties.

Additionally some InterCity "corail" coaches have been upgraded to 200km/h running , hauled by CP class 5600 locomotives (max.speed 220km/h).These "corail" coaches were based on the French SNCF "corail" with their carbody in stainless steel. The adaptation project was also made in SOREFAME

Northern Line was modernized to allow trains to run at 220km/h between Lisbon-Alverca, Vila-Franca de Xira-Santarem and Mealhada-Espinho, and to allow full use of the tilting to achieve speeds between 180-220km/h in the intermediate sections between Entroncamento-Alfarelos, and work is underway to continue to connect these isolated stretches.Southern Line was modernized to allow trains to run at 220km/h between Lisboa-Pinheiro and Grandola-Funcheira, work is underway in a new variant between Pinheiro-Grandola. Alfa Pendular trains run in most sections at 20/40 km/h above conventional trains speed limits.

Trains run hourly between Lisboa and Porto, most being Alfa Pendular (2 stops at Coimbra and Aveiro) and some InterCity (loco hauled 200km/h trains with 8/10 intermediate stops).Additionally Intercity trains run north to Guimarães and a couple of Alfa Pendular run north to Braga. Southern line is serviced by two Porto - Faro Alfa Pendulars and four Lisbon - Faro InterCity (160km/h loco hauled trains).

In 2005 the Portuguese government has approved the construction of three High-speed lines:

- from the capital Lisbon to Porto (300km/h new HSL expected to be finished in 2015) , The two biggest cities of Portugal will be at a distance of a 1h15 train trip.

- from Lisbon to Madrid (300km/h mixed traffic HSL expected to be complete by 2010/2013) bringing the countries' capital cities within three hours of each other (less than 2h45 expected).

- from Porto to Vigo (250km/h mixed traffic new line between Braga and the border) which will connect both extremes (Porto and Vigo) in less than 45 minutes.

External links

* [http://www.cp.pt Alfa Pendular] at CP (Train Operator Company) Official Page
* [http://www.refer.pt REFER (Rail Infrastructure company)]
* [http://www.rave.pt RAVE - Rede de Alta Velocidade (High Speed Infr. Company , now a part of REFER)]

See also

* Comboios de Portugal: The state passenger rail service in Portugal