Lisbon, April 22, 2026 (Lusa) – Portugal's Secretary of State for Mobility said in parliament on Wednesday that constraints on the Lisbon-Setubal commuter railway result from a lack of trains, but assured that the government is working to improve the service.
"This is a problem of lack of trains due to decades of underinvestment. It is true. But it is also true that there are no trains on the shelf to buy," said Secretary of State Cristina Pinto Dias during a hearing requested by the Chega parliamentary group regarding safety, capacity, and service quality of the commuter line between Lisbon and Setúbal.
"The problem is solved with trains, and I do not have trains on the shelf to buy. We are working to find compatible rolling stock on the market to meet this need," she said. Pinto Dias said that any purchase of used trains would likely involve Spain, due to the constraints of the Portuguese railway's Iberian gauge and the predicted eight-to-ten-year delay for new train deliveries.
She said that technical studies guided changes to the service operator, Fertagus schedules and frequencies, which established a 20-minute interval at the end of 2024.
Chega MP Patrícia Carvalho, whose party demands an immediate government response to overcrowding on Fertagus trains, was among the most critical voices. She accused the government of creating "operational chaos" by increasing the frequency to Setúbal while simultaneously reducing capacity on the most used section [Coina-Lisbon].
Carvalho, who held successive PS and PSD governments responsible for decades of underinvestment, questioned who would pay for new trains acquired by Fertagus. She further raised concerns about safety given the frequent peak-hour overcrowding, saying that a complaint has been filed with the European Commission.
Livre MP Paulo Muacho criticised the concession contract for failing to protect the public interest. He questioned why schedules were altered without ensuring sufficient resources to meet the increased demand.
PCP MP Paula Santos said that government intervention is necessary to ensure more rail supply. In her view, this could involve "extending passenger train operator CP (Comboios de Portugal) operations to the south bank of the river Tagus".
The IL Party considered the need for more rolling stock evident, given population growth and the increasing pressure on public transport.
Responding to the Infrastructure, Mobility, and Housing Committee, the Secretary of State for Mobility denied any safety issues in the Fertagus operation. She said that, according to available information, no safety breaches have been recorded. However, she dismissed the possibility of CP moving onto this line immediately, citing Fertagus's exclusivity contract and the general lack of rolling stock.
GR/RYOL // AYLS
Lusa
