Porto light rail orders more Chinese LRVs

Metro do Puerto, operator of the light rail system in the Portuguese city, has placed an order with the Chinese rolling stock manufacturer CRRC Tangshan for 22 new four-section 35m LRVs; the contract value is EUR 69.5N, giving a very favourable price/vehicle of EUR 2.93M. The new cars will be delivered in 2026/7 for the 6.3km Ruby line H, at present under construction between Casa da Música in the city centre and the southern suburb of Santo Ovidio. There is an option for a further 10 LRVs. This is the second time that Metro do Porto has chosen the Chinese manufacturer; in 2023 18 LRVs entered service, the first urban rail vehicles to be exported from China to an EU country. The Chinese LRVS accommodate 244 passengers, 64 seated, and have aluminium bodies with seven double doors each side. The new cars will be equipped with CBTC for attended automatic operation. They are financed by the Sustainable 2030 programme and the Environmental fund and will bring the fleet to 144 LRVs. The ciivil works for line H are costing EUR 435M. 

 

Metro do Porto is a 70km standard-gauge system with six lines carrying about 80M passengers/year. operation of the first line started in December 2002, based on a closed railway alignment, with subway under the city centre.