Construction of Porto metro’s Pink Line, from Casa da Música to São Bento, will make public transport accessible to more local residents. The new service should also encourage a shift away from car use, which will benefit the entire Porto metropolitan area by reducing emissions.
- 10 February 2020
The project covers the laying of 3 km of new tracks and the construction of four metro stations: Liberdade - S. Bento, Hospital Santo António, Galiza and Boavista - Casa da Música. Work also includes provision of a branch line to the existing network and the start of a future line towards the nearby municipality of V.N de Gaia.
Underground working
The Pink Line runs on a double track and is underground throughout, while the branch line is on a single track. The Liberdade - S. Bento, Galiza and Boavista - Casa da Música stations will be constructed by using the cut-and-cover excavation method. The Hospital Santo António station will be built by mining excavation with two access shafts.
Trains will be powered by 750 V dc electric traction using a rigid catenary system. Two traction power substations will be built as part of the scheme.It will also be necessary to procure equipment for the new line and stations – and to adapt or modify the Central Command and Control Systems. Procurement covers equipment for the signalling, safety, operational support and the ticketing systems for the new stations.
Tackling emissions and climate change
The Pink Line and its stations improve access to the metro system in city’s central zone, which has the highest demand for public transport in the Porto metropolitan area. Casa da Música station already has a link with the urban and international road transport network, while São Bento connects with the local railway station. The locality has the region’s densest supply of road transport and has several key locations that do not have any metro access.
The new line will therefore give people greater public transport options, encouraging commuters to leave their cars at home. This should cut emissions and help Portugal in its overall efforts to tackle climate change. Estimates suggest the line will meet high levels of demand (over 30 million passenger km in the first full year of operation) and deliver significant environmental benefits (an estimated reduction in CO2 emissions of some 1 500 tonnes over the same period). Operation of the new line also promises to deliver energy savings of 98.61 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe) per year.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Porto Metro Extension: Pink line (Casa da Música - São Bento)” is EUR 268 375 086, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 63 640 380 through the “Sustainability and Resource Use Efficiency” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Supporting the transition to a low economycarbon emissions in all sectors”.