Cities Collaborating on Railway Projects
In a move that could potentially reshape transportation in Greater Lisbon, the mayors of Cascais, Oeiras, and Lisbon have expressed their interest in jointly managing the Cascais railway line.
The proposal, which includes the possibility of granting concessions or sub-concessions for the management of railway infrastructure, has been put forth as part of the current reformist government's agenda. However, as of August 2025, there is no explicit evidence or published progress on the specific joint management process for the Cascais-Oeiras-AML partnership.
The mayors of Almada, Loures, Sintra, and the vice-president of the Cascais municipality gathered at the "Greater Lisbon Summit," an event organized by SIC Notícias, to discuss housing, security, and transportation. During the summit, Isaltino Morais, the mayor of Oeiras, confirmed his willingness to manage the line if it was a partnership between the three municipalities.
Meanwhile, Carlos Moedas, the mayor of Lisbon, has challenged the focus on the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) and urged a more balanced approach that considers the needs of the entire Greater Lisbon region. In response, Moedas was urged to lead the process of managing the Cascais line.
Basílio Horta, the current president of the AML and mayor of Sintra, expressed his view that the AML's railway should be metropolitan, not suburban. Horta, who was elected by the Socialist Party but will not run again as the current president of the AML, has previously advocated for a more integrated transportation system in Greater Lisbon.
The redevelopment of the Cascais line is nearing completion, but the question of who will manage the line remains unanswered. While the Portuguese government's reformist agenda and planning tools promote intergovernmental collaboration that could facilitate joint management of entities like the Cascais line, the specific joint management process for the Cascais-Oeiras-AML partnership remains a topic for future discussion.
As the mayors of Greater Lisbon continue to engage in dialogue about the future of transportation in the region, it will be interesting to see how the joint management of the Cascais line unfolds in the coming months. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
The mayors' willingness to jointly manage the Cascais railway line could potentially extend to other areas of transportation in Greater Lisbon, including public-transit and transportation infrastructure. Given Carlos Moedas' call for a more balanced approach in addressing the needs of the entire Greater Lisbon region, it's plausible that the finance sector may be involved in funding such expansive transportation projects.
