This EU-funded project will modernise the busy 25 km railway line between the Portuguese capital Lisbon and Cascais, a seaside town popular with tourists, by installing new electrical infrastructure and signalling and control systems. The aims of the project are to make it safer and more energy efficient. The revamp is aimed at reducing pollution by encouraging a shift from car use to public transport.
Portugal’s popular Lisbon-Cascais train line to be modernised
- 11 May 2020
Modernisation efforts will include putting in place new 25 kV AC overhead lines and building an electric traction substation in Sete Rios to replace the existing 1.5 kV DC electrification system. This will result in 50 % energy savings.
In addition, three new systems will be installed: signalling, European Train Control System level 2 speed control, and communication and information. Stations along the line will be upgraded to make them safer and more user-friendly. This will include changes to platforms, signage, power supply and lighting.
Lack of integration
The current electrical power and signalling system on the Lisbon-Cascais line is completely different to the rest of Portugal’s railway network. The trains that run on the line are used exclusively for this section, which limits railway operations. The project will ensure that the infrastructure on the line is interoperable and integrated with what is in place in the rest of the country. This will allow for the introduction of new trains at a later stage.
The current train service meets neither the public’s transport needs nor government obligations. Lisbon-Cascais is the second-busiest line on the national railway network and has four of the national railway network’s busiest stations: Cais de Sodré, Cascais, Algés and Oeiras. Cais de Sodré has the network’s highest passenger demand.
Shift from road to rail
During the past decade, use of cars in the Lisbon metropolitan area has increased significantly, leading to more congestion, pollution and noise, and a loss of market share for public transport. In addition, there has been greater densification in housing and workplaces.
The project will create a better rail link between the Lisbon metropolitan area and outlying areas and ensure improved service along this busy route. This will encourage development, along with sustainable, environmentally friendly urban mobility.
Better operating conditions, safety, reliability and efficiency on the line are expected to result in more people travelling by train instead of by car. This, in turn, will contribute to the financial sustainability of the railways and reduce pollution for a healthier, cleaner urban environment.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Modernisation of the Cascais Railway Line” is EUR 94 712 474, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 50 000 000 through the “Regional OP Lisboa” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Supporting the shift towards a low-carbon economy in all sectors”.