en.Wedoany.com Reported - Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) announced on July 4, 2026, the launch of two railway infrastructure contracts, investing €200 million in the modernization of sections of the Northern Line and the Minho Line. The Northern Line contract is valued at €160 million, covering the Ovar (Válega) to Espinho section; the Minho Line contract allocates €40 million to eliminate 11 level crossings between Nine and Barroselas. Additionally, €95 million has been reserved for the modernization of the signaling system on the Northern Line, bringing the total investment in this line to €255 million.

The €160 million Northern Line contract includes the comprehensive rehabilitation of the superstructure on the Ovar to Espinho section, the reorganization of station infrastructure at Ovar and Esmoriz, and the construction of road and pedestrian grade separations to eliminate level crossings. The design also encompasses capacity enhancements for both freight and passenger trains. The Minho Line section covers a 20-kilometer stretch between Nine and Barroselas, with funding allocated for the construction of overpasses at 11 level crossings and the modernization of local infrastructure, with an execution period of 38 months aimed at minimizing traffic disruptions. IP confirmed that the Northern Line section is expected to be completed by 2029. The contractor names were not disclosed at the time of the announcement.

The total value of this project is €200 million (€160 million for the Northern Line plus €40 million for the Minho Line), with an additional €95 million for the Northern Line signaling system. The procuring entity is Infraestruturas de Portugal, and the contractor has not yet been disclosed. The Northern Line is scheduled for completion in 2029, while the Minho Line is set for 38 months after contract award. Both lines are located in Portugal: the Northern Line connects Lisbon and Porto, spanning approximately 336 kilometers; the Minho Line connects Porto and Valença, spanning approximately 134 kilometers and linking to the Iberian border.

Portugal's total allocation of €255 million for the Northern Line (modernization plus signaling system) aligns with the broader European trend of increased railway infrastructure spending. Domestically, Portugal's 2030 National Investment Plan views these contracts as part of a systematic corridor upgrade cycle. Within IP's nationwide plan to eliminate and automate over 200 level crossings, the 11 level crossings addressed on the Minho Line represent approximately 5% of this total target. As the country's densest railway corridor, the capacity enhancement on the Northern Line directly addresses freight bottlenecks constraining the growth of intermodal transport along the Iberian axis.