High-speed rail in Portugal
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Main station(s) | Lisbon-Oriente, Porto-Campanhã |
| Other station(s) | Valença AV, Ponte de Lima, Braga AV, Airport FSC, Gaia AV, Aveiro, Coimbra-B, Leira, Airport LC, Évora Norte, Elvas/Caia AV |
| Fleet | 16 |
| Stations called at | 13 |
| Parent company | RAVE |
| Dates of operation | ~2029– |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | Bibitola Sleepers Iberian 1668 mm) Standard (1435 mm) |
| Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz |
| Length | 593 km (368 mi) |
| Operating speed | 220 km/h (135 mph) |
| Other | |
| Website | RAVE |
The Alfa Pendular network, with top speeds of 220 km/h (135 mph) connects much of Portugal. In February 2009, the government of Portugal announced plans to build a high-speed rail line from Lisbon to Madrid; this plan was cancelled in March 2012 amidst a bailout programme of financial assistance to the Portuguese Republic. The project was valued at €7.8 billion and the government had claimed it would create 100,000 jobs. The line would link to Spain's Southwest Corridor.
In October 2020, the Portuguese government proposed a 75 minute rail link between the cities of Lisbon and Porto and a 55 minute rail link between Porto and Vigo (Spain). These new links will connect with the current railway system in Leiria, Coimbra, Aveiro and Braga (besides the already mentioned cities), diminishing travel times overall in the country.