According to documents from the environmental studies contracted by Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP), the study of a high speed station in Ponte de Lima, district of Viana do Castelo, is expected to be carried out within the scope of the “first phase” of the Porto-Vigo line, whose entry into service is scheduled “by 2030”.

“Together with the Porto (Campanhã) / Airport and Airport / Braga sections, the implementation of the Braga / Valença section, of the new Porto – Valença – Vigo Line, aims to reduce, to around 01:00, the direct route between Porto and Vigo, currently set at 02:22”, describes IP.

The new high-speed connection between Braga and Valença “starts at Ramal de Braga (RB) and extends to the border with Spain, near Valença, where the connection will be made with the new line to Vigo, covering approximately 70 kilometres”, according to IP.

The project also includes “all necessary changes/rectifications to the Braga branch [RB] and/or the Minho Line (LM), to allow the integration of the RB into the High-Speed Link”.

At the beginning of the line, the environmental impact study must consider several hypotheses.

Among them, is the “connection to RB near Tadim Station, in order to make Braga AV Station viable in the location foreseen in the Previous Studies developed by RAVE [Rede Ferroviária de Alta Velocidade, SA.]”.

It should also address the “connection to RB as close as possible to Braga, in order to enable an underground Braga AV station, close to the current station”.

Another hypothesis is the “connection to RB in order to enable an underground Braga AV station at the intersection of LAV and RB”.

In Valença, several alternatives are planned to be studied.