Infraestruturas de Portugal reports 70% railway punctuality

Railway punctuality in Portugal fell to 70% during the first half of the year, representing a 7.4 percentage point decrease compared to the same period last year. According to a consolidated report from Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) submitted to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM), the figure falls significantly short of the 85% annual target.

The decline was particularly noted in medium and long-distance services, including Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Inter-regionais, and Regionais. IP attributed the delays to speed restrictions and ongoing construction work on major railway axes, which have impacted travel times.

While IP plans to prioritize the removal of speed restrictions and improve construction coordination, the company stated it does not foresee improvements in the near term. Additionally, railway circulation decreased by 3%, with a 2% drop in passenger traffic and a 9% reduction in the freight segment. Factors contributing to these changes include modernization works on the Douro Line and extreme weather events, such as Storm Kristin.