Business

AdC recommends opening the railway to competition

The Competition Authority proposes to the Government to allow new operators in the railway sector, limiting the extension of the contract with CP.

20 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: AdC recommends opening the railway to competition — Archive photoPhoto: Arquivo Nacional do Brasil · Flickr · PDM

The Competition Authority (AdC) advocates for opening the railway sector in Portugal to competition. The regulator's pressure includes a recommendation to the Government to extend the public service contract with Comboios de Portugal (CP) only for the "strictly necessary" time needed to amortize the investments made.

This position from AdC arose in response to the need to enhance competition in the railway sector. The regulator argues that this competition is essential for improving the service offered to passengers and increasing efficiency in the sector.

The regulatory body also called for the adoption of measures that would allow the entry of new operators, which, according to the AdC, could contribute to the modernization of infrastructure and the services provided.

AdC's recommendation is another step towards reevaluating the current practices in the railway sector, which have so far been dominated by CP and Fertagus, which operate on the main passenger transport routes.

The European Commission had already expressed similar concerns, reinforcing the idea that market opening could benefit the sector and consumers. The discussion regarding the liberalization of the railway in Portugal is thus on the agenda, with the regulator emphasizing the urgency of concrete actions.

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