Lisbon, Sept. 1, 2026 (Lusa) - The future Gloria funicular in the Portuguese capital will feature a «new system» that will ensure «complete safety»; an international public design competition is expected to be launched by the end of March 2027, with the new funicular due to open in 2029.

«We can no longer have a historic lift that operated without substantial modifications until 1 January 1986 and, therefore, we are facing a new solution in terms of the construction process», said municipal transport operator Carris chairman, Rui Lopo during the presentation of the solution and the technical concepts underpinning the design of the future Glória Funicular, which took place in the auditorium of the Order of Engineers in Lisbon on Monday evening.

Rui Lopo emphasised that the project does not involve a reconstruction of the previous funicular system – which derailed on 3 September 2025 in an incident that left 16 dead and 24 injured – not least because one of the two carriages was destroyed. Nevertheless, despite the announcement of a «new model», the new funicular will be «similar to the previous one».

«It is safe equipment, it is modern equipment, a cabin similar to the previous one, but it will not be made of wood; it will be made of materials that are more resistant to any impact, under any circumstances,» he stated.

Before discussing the proposal, he began by addressing the victims, the survivors and their families, noting that nothing that might be presented «can, nor does it seek to, diminish the human dimension» of an accident that «has left a deep mark on the city, on Carris and its staff».

Also present at this meeting was the Deputy Mayor of Lisbon, Gonçalo Reis (PSD), who praised the council's work «following the tragic accident» in supporting the victims and their families, in «investigating all the causes of the accident» through internal and external audits, and in developing a future replacement for the Glória funicular and for Carris's historic rolling stock.

Regarding the future funicular, the deputy mayor emphasised the commitment to a «technically robust» model, which guarantees «full efficiency and safety, and which follows global best practice».

«It is also a design that combines a sound solution in terms of transport mobility with the enhancement of public space; it is a modern, advanced design, yet one that respects the identity, character and history of this very special area,» he noted.

As the sole shareholder of Carris, Lisbon city council has approved the plan for the future Glória funicular and emphasised the importance of an international public tender for its design, «with complete transparency, to attract the best technological partners», said the deputy mayor.

«The tender will be launched in the first quarter of 2027 and, as Carris's management states, the implementation of this project will take place by 2029,» declared the mayor, without revealing the amount of the planned investment, explaining that the figure «depends on the final technical solution that is developed».

Noting that the Glória funicular «is in high demand» – according to figures prior to the fatal derailment – Reis said that city council would have no difficulty in finding financially sustainable solutions for the project's development.

Rui Lopo, who has been chairman of Carris since January – following the resignation of the previous chairman, Pedro de Brito Bogas, in the wake of the derailment – emphasised that the future of the Glória funicular, classified as a National Monument, lies in «a new system» of public transport, featuring a range of safety mechanisms that were not previously envisaged.

For example, the new system ensures that «if someone steps in front of the cabin, it brakes automatically», said the Carris chairman, adding that the structure will be fire-resistant.

Lopo explained that the funicular is set to ensure accessibility for all citizens, including wheelchair users, which is «a completely new feature» compared to the previous one.

The design also safeguards the preservation of Calçada da Glória and its archaeological heritage.

The presentation of the future lift also featured contributions from Carris's director of new developments, Luís Gonçalves, architect Ricardo Bak Gordon and archaeologist Leonor Medeiros.

SSM/AYLS // AYLS

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