At least three people have been killed and 20 injured after Lisbon’s famous Gloria Funicular derailed and fell from a great height in a devastating accident that has shocked the Portuguese capital.
The tragedy unfolded at 6.05pm on Wednesday evening when one of the cable cars reportedly came loose, sending passengers plummeting down the steep hillside that connects the lower part of the city to the historic Bairro Alto district.
Emergency services rushed to the scene as footage emerged showing the tram-like funicular practically destroyed, with rescue workers desperately pulling survivors from the twisted wreckage. Two of the injured are in critical condition, according to local reports, with victims suffering injuries including open fractures.
What we can say at this moment is that there are several victims, we are not aware of any fatalities, but we are only now arriving at the scene,” Paulo Sousa, shift chief of the Lisbon Fire Brigade, told Reuters in the immediate aftermath, though casualty figures have since been updated.
The Gloria Funicular, a beloved tourist attraction that has operated since 1885, connects Praça dos Restauradores in the lower city to the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint in the elevated Bairro Alto neighbourhood. The historic transport system, which was electrified in 1915, has retained its original characteristics and is one of three funicular railways operating in the Portuguese capital.
Scenes of Chaos and Destruction
Witnesses described scenes of panic as the accident unfolded on the steep 265-metre route, which has an average gradient of 18 per cent. Footage from the scene showed bystanders crowding around one of the cars with smoke billowing from it, whilst behind lay a twisted mass of metal where another car or part of the same structure had come off the rail and broken into several parts.
Emergency response teams, including the Lisbon Fire Brigade, police, and paramedics, quickly established a perimeter around the crash site as they worked to extract passengers from the wreckage. The funicular, which has a capacity of up to 43 passengers per car, was reportedly well-occupied at the time of the accident.
“The cabin is a wreck,” one official at the scene told local media, describing the devastation as rescue workers used specialist equipment to access trapped passengers.
Investigation Launched
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the fatal derailment, with investigators from multiple agencies expected to examine the scene. The accident represents one of the worst transport disasters in Lisbon’s recent history and has raised immediate questions about the safety of the city’s historic funicular systems.
The Gloria Funicular operates on a cable system where two cars are permanently attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, looped over a pulley at the upper end of the track. Unlike traditional funiculars, the Gloria’s traction is provided by electric motors on the cars themselves, powered through an overhead wire, with each car acting as a counterweight for the other.
Transport operator Carris, which manages the funicular as part of Lisbon’s public transport network, has not yet issued a statement regarding the accident. The company had previously announced maintenance work on the system, though it remains unclear whether this was related to Wednesday’s tragedy.
Tourist Attraction Turned Tragedy
The Gloria Funicular has long been a favourite amongst tourists visiting Lisbon, offering not just transport but a quintessential experience of the city’s historic charm. Operating since 24 October 1885, it was the second funicular installed in Lisbon and has become an integral part of the city’s identity.
The route runs from the bustling Restauradores Square, located next to the main tourist information office in the Palácio Foz, up to the Bairro Alto district. At the top, passengers can access the gardens of São Pedro de Alcântara, which offer spectacular views across the city to the castle.
Local authorities confirmed that unconfirmed reports suggested several people remained trapped in the wreckage as rescue operations continued into Wednesday evening. The steep gradient of the route and the narrow street have complicated rescue efforts, with emergency vehicles struggling to access certain areas of the crash site.
Safety Concerns
The accident has immediately raised questions about the safety and maintenance of Lisbon’s ageing funicular systems. In 2002, the Gloria Funicular was classified as a National Monument, recognising its historical significance whilst also highlighting the challenges of maintaining such vintage transport infrastructure.
The funicular typically operates from 7am to 11pm on weekdays, with slightly reduced hours at weekends and public holidays. It forms part of Lisbon’s integrated public transport system, with many tourists and locals using travel cards that provide access to the city’s trams, buses, metro, and funiculars.
As investigations continue into the cause of this devastating accident, authorities have cordoned off the area around Calçada da Glória, the steep street where the funicular operates. The incident has sent shockwaves through Lisbon’s tourism industry and raised urgent questions about the safety protocols for the city’s historic transport systems.
The Portuguese government is expected to order a comprehensive review of all funicular railways in the country following this tragedy, as the nation mourns those who lost their lives in what should have been a routine journey up one of Lisbon’s iconic hills.
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Image Credit:
Glória Funicular (Elevador da Glória), Lisbon — photo by Sonse, CC BY 2.0
