Transportation in Portugal

Transportation in Portugal became a priority in the 1990s, primarily due to increased automobile usage and industrialization. Portugal was one of the first countries in the world to have a highway, inaugurated in 1944, connecting Lisbon to the National Stadium, which would become the Lisbon-Cascais Highway (current A5). Although some other sections were built in the 1960s and 1970s, large-scale highway construction only began in the late 1980s. Today, the Portuguese highway network is highly developed, covering almost the entire territory, connecting the entire coastline and major inland cities, with a total length of approximately 3,000 km.

The country also has Principal Routes (IPs) and Complementary Routes (ICs), which can consist of highways, expressways (roads designated only for motorized traffic, with grade-separated crossings and restricted access to connection nodes), and national roads. The country has 68,732 km of road network, of which about 2,600 km are part of the highway system. Of these, approximately 900 km do not require toll payment.

The two main metropolitan areas have metro systems: the Lisbon Metro and Metro Sul do Tejo in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, and the Porto Metro in Porto, each with more than 35 km of lines.

Passenger and freight rail transport operates on 2,791 km of railway lines currently in service, of which 1,430 are electrified, and approximately 900 allow circulation speeds above 120 km/h. The railway network is managed by Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP), while passenger and freight transport is managed by Comboios de Portugal (CP), both public companies. In 2006, CP transported 133 million passengers and 9.75 million tons of freight.

High-Speed Rail

The bidding phase for the construction and operation of a high-speed rail network, including Lisbon-Madrid, Lisbon-Porto, and Porto-Vigo connections, was set to begin in 2008 for the first route. However, the tenders for Lisbon-Porto and Porto-Vigo connections were postponed due to the financial crisis. The total investment planned for these three connections is 7,790 million euros. Two additional high-speed lines are under study: Aveiro-Salamanca and Évora-Faro.

Air Transportation

Lisbon’s geographical position makes it a stopover point for many foreign airlines at airports throughout the country. The Government is currently studying plans for constructing a new International Airport in Alcochete to replace the current Portela airport in Lisbon. Currently, the most important airports are:

• Lisbon Airport (Portela)
• Faro Airport
• Porto Airport (Francisco Sá Carneiro)
• Funchal Airport (Madeira)
• Ponta Delgada Airport (João Paulo II – Azores)

Additional airports include:

• Porto Santo Airport
• Horta Airport
• Santa Maria Airport
• Flores Airport
• Beja Airport

Maritime Transportation

• Transtejo
• Soflusa

Road Transportation

The national highway network in Portugal had a total length of 3,065 km in 2019, making it the 4th largest highway network in Europe, behind only Spain, Germany, and France. Portugal has the second-highest highway network per capita in Europe, after Spain.

The main highways include:

• A1: connecting Lisbon to Porto, the country’s two largest metropolitan areas
• A2: linking Lisbon to the southern regions of Alentejo and Algarve
• A3: connecting Porto with major northern coastal cities like Vila Nova de Famalicão and Braga, extending to Spain
• A4: linking Porto to Bragança and Spain, crossing the entire northern region from coast to interior
• A23: connecting Torres Novas in Médio Tejo to Guarda in Beiras e Serra da Estrela
• A25: linking the cities of Aveiro, Viseu, and Guarda to Spain

Railway Transportation

Portugal’s railway system primarily consists of infrastructure and traffic support managed by Infraestruturas de Portugal, with passenger and cargo operations mainly handled by Comboios de Portugal and other companies like Medway and Fertagus. The national railway network comprises lines and branches totaling 3,621.6 km. 70% of the railway network is operational, corresponding to 2,526 km, of which 1,916 km is single track and 610 km is multiple track. The electrified network extends 1,791.2 km, representing 70.8% of the total operational network.

Urban and Metropolitan Transportation Systems

Metro Networks

Portugal operates three metropolitan rail systems, serving major urban centers. The Lisbon Metro, Porto Metro, and Metro Sul do Tejo in Almada together form the backbone of urban rapid transit in the country. According to Pordata statistics, these systems collectively served more than 270 million passengers in 2019.

Each system has distinct characteristics. The Lisbon Metro operates as a fully grade-separated system, with all sections running either underground or on viaducts. The Porto Metro employs a hybrid design, combining fully segregated sections featuring stations similar to Lisbon’s with street-level segments that operate more like traditional trams, utilizing Light Rail Transit (LRT) vehicles. The Metro Sul do Tejo operates entirely at street level with light rail vehicles, featuring elevated platform stops equipped with basic passenger amenities including shelters, information displays, and ticket vending machines.

Lisbon Metro System

As Portugal’s pioneering metro system, the Lisbon Metro began service on December 29, 1959. From its initial configuration of a single line spanning 6.5 kilometers with eleven stations, it has grown to become Portugal’s busiest transit network and ranks as the 17th most utilized system in the European Union, serving 179 million passengers in 2019.

Current Network Configuration:

Line	Route	Length	Stations	Opening Year
Blue Line	Reboleira – Santa Apolónia	13.7 km	18	1959
Yellow Line	Odivelas – Rato	11.1 km	13	1959
Green Line	Telheiras – Cais do Sodré	8.9 km	13	1963
Red Line	São Sebastião – Airport	10.5 km	12	1998
Total Network		44 km	56	–

System Expansion Projects

The network is currently undergoing significant expansion. A new connection between Cais do Sodré and Rato stations is under construction, which will include two new intermediate stations: Estrela and Santos. This extension will transform the Green Line into a circular route by incorporating sections of the Yellow Line.

The Red Line will be extended from São Sebastião to Alcântara, adding three new intermediate stations: Campo de Ourique and Infante Santo. This extension is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025.

Additionally, plans are in place for the new Violet Line, a light rail system that will span approximately 12 kilometers with 17 stations, connecting the municipalities of Loures and Odivelas to the Yellow Line’s Odivelas station. This new line is expected to begin operations by the end of 2026.

Porto Metro System

Inaugurated on December 7, 2002, the Porto Metro began operations with a single line (Line A) covering approximately 12 kilometers between Trindade and Senhor de Matosinhos stations. The system expanded significantly on June 5, 2004, extending service to Estádio do Dragão in preparation for the Euro 2004 football championship. This expansion added 3.8 kilometers of underground track and five new stations in Porto’s city center.

Currently operating six lines (A through F) with 82 stations, the Porto Metro stands as Portugal’s most extensive metro network in terms of route coverage, line count, and station numbers. The system continues to expand its reach throughout Porto and surrounding municipalities.

Network Configuration:

Line	Route	Length	Stations	Opening Date
Line A	Estádio do Dragão ↔ Senhor de Matosinhos	15.6 km	23	December 7, 2002
Line B	Estádio do Dragão ↔ Póvoa de Varzim	33.6 km	36	March 13, 2005
Line C	Campanhã ↔ ISMAI	20.8 km	24	June 30, 2005
Line D	Hospital São João ↔ Vila D’Este	11.6 km	19	September 18, 2005
Line E	Trindade ↔ Airport	13.1 km	16	May 27, 2006
Line F	Fânzeres ↔ Senhora da Hora	16.4 km	24	January 2, 2011
Line G*	Casa da Música ↔ São Bento	2.5 km	4	Expected 2024
Line H*	Casa da Música ↔ Santo Ovídio	6.3 km	8	Expected 2026
Total Network		72.6 km	82	–
*Under construction

Expansion Projects

The new Line G (Pink Line) is currently under construction between Casa da Música and São Bento stations. This direct connection will enhance access to Porto’s downtown area, adding 3 kilometers of track and two new stations: Galiza and Hospital Santo António.

Line H (Ruby Line) will become the second metro line connecting Porto with Vila Nova de Gaia, crossing the Douro River. This 6.3-kilometer extension will add six new stations: Campo Alegre, Arrábida, Candal, Rotunda, Devesas, and Soares dos Reis.

Upon completion of these expansions, the Porto Metro network will encompass approximately 80 kilometers of track serving 93 stations.

Metro Sul do Tejo

Operated by Metro Transportes do Sul and inaugurated on May 1, 2007, this system serves the Almada region.

Comprehensive Metro System Comparison:

System	Inauguration Year	Length	Stations	Lines	Annual Passengers (2019)
Lisbon Metro	1959	44.2 km	56	4	183 million
Porto Metro	2002	67 km	82	6	71 million
Metro Sul do Tejo	2007	13.5 km	19	3	15 million
Total Networks	–	124.7 km	157	13	270 million

Urban Bus Services

The country maintains an extensive network of urban bus services operated by various companies including:

• Sociedade de Transportes Colectivos do Porto
• UNIR Mobilidade
• Carris Metropolitana
• Carris
• Transportes Urbanos de Braga
• Transportes Urbanos de Guimarães
• Urbanos de Vila Real
• Rodoviária do Alentejo
• Scotturb
• Mafrense
• Transportes Sul do Tejo
• Transdev
• Rodoviária Nacional
• Rodoviária do Tejo
• Vai e Vem
• MUV