Lisbon’s new Gloria funicular expected to enter service in 2029

Tuesday 01 September 2026 - 08:00

By: Azzat Manal

Lisbon’s new Gloria funicular expected to enter service in 2029

Lisbon is preparing to replace its historic Gloria funicular with a completely new system, with the new service expected to begin operating during the first half of 2029, according to the city’s public transport operator Carris.

The project was presented by Carris president Rui Lopo, who said an international tender for the design of the new funicular is expected to be launched during the first quarter of 2027. The new installation will be designed around modern standards for safety, reliability, accessibility, sustainability and technological monitoring.

Rather than rebuilding the previous vehicle, authorities plan to construct an entirely new funicular while preserving the familiar appearance and identity of the Gloria route. More resistant materials will be used, replacing the wooden elements that formed part of the original structure.

The project aims to maintain the historic character of the Gloria slope, whose distinctive funicular has been part of Lisbon’s urban landscape for around 140 years, while introducing modern safety and control technologies.

The announcement comes shortly before the first anniversary of the fatal accident that occurred on September 3, 2025, when the Gloria funicular derailed. The incident killed 16 people and injured 24 others of several nationalities.

Following the accident, Lisbon authorities established a working group to examine the possibility of introducing a new technological system. The group included representatives from Portugal’s National Laboratory for Civil Engineering, the Engineers Association and the Instituto Superior Técnico.

Meanwhile, the country’s aviation and railway accident investigation authority has postponed publication of its final report into the disaster. The report had initially been expected in September, but the complexity of the technical investigations has delayed the process, with publication now anticipated by the end of the first quarter of 2027.

An initial report released in October 2025 pointed to maintenance shortcomings, inadequate staff training and weaknesses in the supervision of work carried out by the company responsible for maintaining the funicular.

The planned replacement is intended to preserve one of Lisbon’s best-known transport landmarks while addressing the safety concerns exposed by the 2025 tragedy. If the timetable remains unchanged, the new Gloria funicular will return to service in 2029 with a design combining the historic appearance of the route with modern engineering and safety standards.