Photo :AI-generated. 

September 12, 2025

Anna Murray 

On September 3, the Glória funicular derailed and crashed, colliding with a building near Liberty Avenue. The accident, involving the 140-year-old funicular popular with tourists, left at least 16 people dead and 21 injured.

In operation since 1885, the historic cable railway has carried residents and visitors along a steep cobbled incline for several hundred meters, linking Lisbon’s Bairro Alto district with Restauradores Square, a lively hub commemorating Portugal’s independence from Spain.

The Glória funicular can accommodate more than 40 passengers at a time. It consists of two streetcars connected by a steel cable, with each car serving as a counterweight to the other.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation. In response, Lisbon City Council has suspended all other streetcar services in the city and ordered urgent safety inspections.