Infrastructure manager will check the feasibility of building a variant of the Alentejo line to the airport (Civil Aeronautical Terminal) Of region. Estimated investment may exceed 100 million.
According to the online edition of "Dinheiro Vivo", to Portugal Infrastructure (IP) will study the connection from Beja airport to the Alentejo railway line. The infrastructure manager published this week in Diário da República an order authorizing the hiring of studies and projects to carry out one of the works foreseen in the National Investment Plan (PNI 2030). The estimated investment in this work may exceed the 100 million.
“This deviation can give the airport increased capacity”, appoint to Dinheiro Vivo the president of that Alentejo municipality, Paul Arsenio. A operate from 2011, Beja airport represented an investment of 33 million, “good part of them” from community funds.
The airport, in the first decade of operation, served mainly for aircraft maintenance: example of this is the opening of a maintenance hangar to Portuguese Hi Fly. For passengers, there is only the ability to check in at 250 people per hour. The reinforcement of commercial aviation will depend on works to expand the infrastructure
An eventual connection between the airport and the railway is included in the studies that IP will launch to modernize and electrify the route between Casa Branca and Beja. Also included is the installation of electronic signaling on the 63,5 kilometers.
These works will be done under the PNI 2030. The plan contemplates a total budget of 230 million euros for modernization, to 2025, the railway lines in Alentejo and also in the South Рon the section between Torre Ṿ and Tunes and with a possible connection to Faro airport.
In 2015, it was estimated that the works between Casa-Branca and Beja could cost between 68 and 94 million, according to a study published at the time by Refer, the former manager of the national rail network.
The most economical version allows trains to reach a maximum speed of 140 km/h. This solution mainly serves the transport of goods: provides for the elimination of level crossings, the renovation of the entire road, installing electronic signage, overhead lines and crossing points to be able to run trains with 750 meters in length.
The more expensive version brings more benefits to passengers: trains can run until 200 km / h e, besides the works of the most economical option, the construction of 12,5 kilometers of variants and the fencing of the entire section.
The variant for Beja airport may cost 20 or 26 million euros and allow a train journey to Lisbon in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The cheapest choice has an extension of 12,8 kilometers; suitable for military installations and the transport of goods by air. The most expensive option is more suitable for passengers and extends close to 17 kilometers.
Beads made, the estimated investment for the modernization of the Casa Branca-Beja section and the variant for the airport may cost between 88 and 120 million.
