PORTO Metro has awarded a consortium of Alberto Couto Alves (ACA), FCC Construction and Contratas y Ventas a €379.5m contract to construct the 6.4km Ruby light rail line. A second bid by a consortium of Casais, Conduril, Teixeira Duarte, Alves Ribeiro and Somafel was unsuccessful.
Following the signing of the contract, work is due to begin by the end of 2023 and will be completed by the end of 2026. The line will have eight stations at Casa da Música, Campo Alegre, Arrábida, Candal, Rotunda, Devesas, Soares dos Reis and Santo Ovídio, and will run through two tunnels with a bridge over the River Douro.
The Santo Ovídio station will act as a transport hub, providing an interchange with the Yellow Line and the future Lisbon - Porto high-speed line.
Porto Metro says the line will result in €1.7bn in social, economic and environmental benefits.
The line will connect popular areas including Casa da Música Station, the Campo Alegre University hub, commercial areas, Arrábida hospital, the historical area of Gaia and nearby tourist areas.
Lisbon LRVs
Lisbon public transport operator Carris began operating the first 15 new articulated LRVs built by CAF on September 22, its first new vehicles in 28 years. The LRVs are quieter and more modern and ergonomic than the previous fleet, with an increased capacity of 220 passengers.
The LRVs will be used on route 15E, the oldest light rail line in the city, which runs along the riverfront, reinforcing services on this route and paving the way for the future extension of the line to Cruz Quebrada/Jamor in the west, Santa Apolónia in the east, and later to Parque das Nações.
Tickets can be purchased through onboard automatic machines using the MBWay payment method or contactless card.
CAF was awarded the €43.4m contract to supply the 15 LRVs and provide five years of maintenance in December 2019, beating a competing bid from Stadler, but the order was not confirmed until April 2021.
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