Portugal has launched a new round of high-speed train procurement to upgrade its local railway network, and the dust has settled on the first round of qualification review, with only two major European rail transit giants successfully shortlisted. This strong competition not only concerns the ownership of billion dollar projects, but also will affect the upgrading pace of the Iberian Peninsula high-speed rail system.

The bidding scale is considerable

The procurement project of the Portuguese National Railway Company plans to purchase 12 high-speed trains with a speed of 300 kilometers per hour, while retaining the option to purchase an additional 8 trains. The maximum contract value of the project is 584 million euros. The procurement scope includes vehicle equipment, spare parts supply, and a two-year comprehensive maintenance service. The new car needs to be equipped with about 500 seats, suitable for the railway infrastructure of Portugal and Spain, and support the interconnection of high-speed railways on the peninsula. The first train is scheduled to be delivered in 2031, and the remaining vehicles will be delivered in batches on a monthly basis. All deliveries will be completed in the third quarter of 2032, and the review work is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

Both sides have their own advantages and disadvantages

Talgo from Spain is bidding on the Avril high-speed train platform, with a maximum design speed of 330 kilometers per hour and support for variable gauge. It is compatible with the local Iberian road network and has outstanding technical adaptability. However, this model has had issues with delivery delays and insufficient operational stability in the past, making it a weak point in the bidding process. The current order reserve of the enterprise is 6.3 billion euros, and the expected net sales in 2026 are expected to exceed 700 million euros, with stable but slightly increasing performance.

Alstom in France has come up with two models, double decker and single decker, which can meet seating needs after streamlining equipment. Its local advantages are more significant, with two-thirds of Portugal's existing trains manufactured or provided with technology by it. The company continues to deepen its cultivation of the local market, expanding its new orders to 153 columns with a total amount of 1.03 billion euros. It will also lay out a new manufacturing base in the local area, and maintain high revenue and order reserves in the industry from 2025 to 2026 fiscal year. Keywords: Portugal high-speed rail bidding, European rail transit competition, railway equipment upgrade

Reshaping Regional Rail Transit

This procurement is the core project of modernization of Portuguese railways, with Talgo winning in specialized adaptation technology and Alstom winning in localized services and industrial foundations. The final result will be evaluated comprehensively based on quotation, technology, and business. After the project is implemented, it will comprehensively accelerate the construction of high-speed rail in Portugal, improve the cross-border rail transit network in the Iberian Peninsula, and drive the upgrading of the rail transit industry in southwestern Europe.Editor/Min Jing