"We, with the contractor, always agreed that after this point, we would have about six months to complete the work, and when we talk about completing the work, we mean getting it ready to begin commercial operation. I would say that in the first quarter of 2026, we will be able to begin commercial operations," Tiago Braga, president of Porto Metro, told reporters.

The official was speaking in the courtyard of the new Casa da Música station, which will house both the Pink Line (São Bento - Casa da Música) and the Ruby Line (Santo Ovídio - Casa da Música), following the completion of the tunnel between Casa da Música and Galícia station.

Tiago Braga was questioned about the delay in the project, which was initially scheduled for completion in July of this year, but was later also slated for the end of 2025. However, he emphasised that he preferred to see the "glass half full" rather than dwell on the delay.

The official attributed the delay and difficulties in excavating the final tunnel on the Pink Line to the "geological characteristics and geotechnical engineering of the terrain," a factor he acknowledged was not always well understood due to "technical issues."

"We ourselves often had difficulty understanding how, after a project, the buildings and the entire context behaved. And if we ourselves often had to reflect on this, I'm sure others also have difficulty understanding it," he stated.

However, Tiago Braga assured that "everything, everything, absolutely everything possible was done to ensure the project was completed under the best possible circumstances, on time, but fundamentally from a safety perspective, which was a 'red line,'" he emphasised, congratulating himself on the absence of serious accidents.

"The project had to proceed this way because the technical conditions demanded it. There is no one as interested in completing the project faster than the Porto Metro Board of Directors itself," he emphasised.

For Tiago Braga, the opening of a tunnel "is the most important milestone in any geotechnical project," part of a project spanning approximately 3.5 kilometres "100% underground."

"From now on, the project—not that it's simpler—is more controllable, with fewer risks in terms of impacts on the construction process," he predicted.

Also present at the event was the Secretary of State for Mobility, Cristina Pinto Dias, who emphasized that there will only be a "cultural change" and a shift "from individual to public transportation if there is added value, particularly in travel time."

"At the same time, we are working toward the very important decarbonisation goals we must meet. As you know, by 2030, 29% of our energy used in transportation must be renewable energy, and we also have CO2 [carbon dioxide] targets to meet, which, if we fail to meet, we will be penalized," she emphasized

With a cost of €304.7 million, the Pink Line will connect to the current Casa da Música and São Bento metro stations, and will have intermediate stations at Hospital de Santo António and Praça da Galiza.