PORTUGAL: National train operator CP and a consortium of Alstom and its local partner Domingos da Silva Teixeira have formally signed a €746m contract for supply of 117 electric multiple-units, and the government has authorised CP to exercise a €212.7m option for 36 more.

The order includes 55 trains for regional services and 62 for suburban routes.

CP intends to use the new vehicles to replace older rolling stock, some of which is around 70 years old; increase capacity and service frequency; and end the leasing of Series 592 diesel multiple-units from Spain’s RENFE which have been used since 2011 on lines which are now being electrified.

The suburban order includes 34 EMUs for the 25 km Cascais Line from Lisboa to the coastal town of Cascais; 25 of these will be dual-system to support the planned conversion of the standalone line from 1.5 kV DC to the 25 kV 50 Hz used on the rest of the national network.

The remaining suburban fleet will be divided between Lisboa (16) and Porto (12).

Prolonged procurement

The procurement process for the largest single rolling stock procurement in CP’s history began in 2021.

Six bids were received from Alstom/DST, CAF, CRRC Tangshan, Hitachi, Stadler and Siemens with Talgo. Best and final offers were then accepted from Alstom/DST, Stadler and CAF.

Alstom/DST was selected as preferred bidder in November 2023, but CAF and Stadler appealed.

The award of the contract was cleared by the administrative court in August this year, enabling it be officially signed on October 15. This delay resulted in the loss of an estimated €191m of EU funding, which will now be covered by the state budget and alternative EU programmes.

The consortium plans to undertake final assembly of the EMUs at Matosinhos and build a depot in nearby Guifões, close to Porto, supporting around 300 direct jobs and 1500 indirect jobs.

The first of the units are expected to be delivered by 2029.