The Government authorized CP to spend 584.28 million euros on the purchase of 12 high-speed railcars and the modernization of Contumil’s workshops, according to a resolution published on Monday in Diário da República.
Of this total investment, 539.28 million euros relate to the acquisition of 12 high-speed automotive units and respective parts and special tools, with the remaining 45 million intended for the development of the workshop park and modernization of maintenance infrastructure.
The resolution of the Council of Ministers determines that CP – Comboios de Portugal can include in the tender documents for the acquisition of new railcars the right to purchase an option for up to eight additional railcars, but this can only be activated “upon express authorization from the sectoral and financial authorities, as well as obtaining the respective expenditure authorization”.
The new trains will have the capacity to travel at 300 kilometers/hour and transport 500 passengers per unit, with the delivery time for the first railcar being 48 months.
These investments are part of the first phase of the Investment Plan in Railway Rolling Stock for CP.
In a second phase, “in accordance with the evolution of national and international infrastructure”, it is planned to launch a second tender for a second fleet dedicated to international transport, consisting of up to six railcars, totaling a fleet of 26 railcars (national and international transport).
The costs for the purchase of the 12 railcars cannot exceed 50.4 million euros annually in 2027, 2028 and 2029, increasing to 117.6 million in 2030 and 246.96 in 2031 and reaching a maximum of 23.52 million euros in 2032.
The costs necessary for the development of the workshop park or the modernization of maintenance infrastructure cannot exceed the global amount of 45 million euros, with a maximum of 22.5 million euros in 2029 and another amount in 2030.
Under the terms of the resolution of the Council of Ministers published this Monday, these amounts fixed for each economic year may be increased by the balance calculated in the previous year.
The charges now approved “must be met, depending on their nature and eligibility, through the use of European funds, when compatible with the rules of liberalization of the railway sector and State aid or, alternatively, through the use of market financing solutions”.
At the end of the Council of Ministers in which this investment was approved, on January 22, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced that the Government decided to accelerate the purchase of 153 railcars (55 regional and 98 urban), with the last delivery to be brought forward from 2033 to 2031.
An option to purchase a further 36 units, within the scope of the contract for the acquisition of 117 railcars from Alstom (totalling 153 trains) was also authorized by the Government.
The additional investment will be 318 million euros and the delivery of the first train is scheduled for 2029, with the deadline being brought forward by 17 months.
“This is the largest investment in the acquisition of trains ever made in Portugal, with the value reaching over 1.6 billion euros – adding to the 746 million euros in the base contract for the 117 railcars the 318 million euros now approved for early delivery, as well as the 584 million for Alta Velocidade”, read the statement then released by the ministry.
During the discussion on the State Budget, the Minister of Infrastructure, Miguel Pinto Luz, had already announced that CP would buy around 200 trains in the coming years.
Miguel Pinto Luz stated that the Government was preparing the “legislative process for the purchase of trains for future LAV (high-speed lines)”: “This is the largest purchase of trains ever in our country. In total we are talking about around 200 new railcars that will arrive at CP”, he then said.
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