The Porto Metro Extension: Connectivity & Sustainability

The Porto Metro opened over 20 years ago with a 67km long metro network, spanning 7 localities,  6 lines, 81 stations and  5 tunnels.  The system carries high volumes of passengers daily, particularly the Yellow Line, which is the busiest as it connects the region’s two biggest municipalities.

In March 2021, works started on the Yellow Line extension which aims to improve the city’s metro service and connectivity.  The project is divided into two contract packages, with the first phase covering a 3.5km extension of the Yellow Line southwards, including a 3.15km dual-track light rail. By adding this additional length, the metro will connect the city to new localities and essential services in the south including the Hospital Eduardo Santos Silva, the RTP studios and Vila d’Este.  The project will also include the construction of a viaduct, 3 stations and a 770m-long tunnel.

In September of the same year, the new design commenced for the Ruby Line – spanning 6km in length, the line starts at Casa da Música (Porto) and reaches Santo Ovídio (Vila Nova da Gaia), the city’s southern quarter.

These line extensions are currently the most ambitious of their kind in Europe. The expanded Porto Metro is expected to transport an average of 325,000 passengers each day or almost 120 million people per annum.

As a global provider of technology and engineering services, Ayesa has a well-established presence in Portugal and close ties to the city’s transportation authority, Metro do Porto. The Ayesa group, as part of a consortium, alongside the Portuguese firm FASE Estudos e Projetos, S.A.  is currently carrying out two projects for the state-owned company.  The first which commenced in 2021 is worth 5.1 million euros and will be delivered over 36 months. This project includes the supervision of the construction of the Yellow Line extension from Santo Ovídio to Vila d’Este. The new section will be entirely located in Vila Nova da Gaia, in the south of Porto.  This extension will add 3km of line, and two overground and one underground station.

The second project, valued at 3.4 million euros, started in September 2021. Ayesa is part of the consortium appointed to deliver this project alongside, Portuguese based company Quadrante Engenharia e Consultoria, S.A.

Ayesa and Quadrante are partnering to deliver the design of the Ruby Line (or H Line), which connects Porto and Vila Nova da Gaia. The scheme will map out highly complex station, electrical and tunnelling systems. The line will improve transport links and cut journey times while providing sustainable transportation. Ayesa is responsible for multiple elements including structures, tunnels, electromechanical installations, railway electrification, related services, and architectural components. The development plan includes the construction of six new stations: Campo Alegre, Arrábida, Candal, Rotunda, Devesas, and Soares dos Reis.  In addition, Ayesa is supervising the architectural design, landscaping, and urban integration for these new stations, with the exception of Campo Alegre. Each of these stations falls within the realm of large-scale project; including transit areas, vegetation planning, and material selection, all aimed at seamlessly blending the stations with their environment and converting them into vibrant social hubs.

The metro extension will support the city of Porto’s efforts to cut emissions and fight climate change with enhanced public transport options for commuters while delivering annual energy savings of 98.61t of oil equivalent.

Enhanced Accessibility: The careful integration of essential facilities within the transportation network maximizes efficiency, benefitting daily commuters and the city as a whole. This will create the very first underground for Vila d’Este’s, which is a densely populated area, enhancing transportation options for its citizens.

Partnership & Collaboration: By harnessing the collective strengths of the partnership between Ayesa and Quadrante, the new Ruby Line will benefit from combined innovation, efficiency, and comprehensive problem-solving, leading to a better-connected and more resilient urban transportation system. The aims is to create a solution that will increase public transportation usage, and contribute to a greener and more sustainable urban environment

Integration of cutting-edge tech for project optimisation: Our teams leverage cutting-edge tools including advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other technologies to enhance project efficiency. Our modelling teams have created a 3D lifecycle model of the metro system, that incorporates crucial parameters and information, enabling comprehensive oversight and effective management of the construction, operations, and maintenance phases. This strategic integration drives efficiency and excellence for this new metro system.