Lisbon, Sept. 1, 2026 (Lusa) - Safety inspections of the Bica and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Junta funicular in the Portuguese capital, historic pieces of infrastructure in Lisbon that have been out of service for around a year following the derailment of the Glória funicular – are still ongoing, according to the municipal transport company, Carris.
Speaking to journalists on Monday evening after the presentation of the design for the future Glória funicular, Carris chair, Rui Lopo, said that the Bica and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Justa funicular are still undergoing «a rigorous technical assessment, carried out in great detail and with great care», with no estimated timeframe for when they will resume operation. He added that, regarding the Santa Justa funicular, «the assessment is more advanced than at Lavra, but it will still take some time».
«Safety is non-negotiable and, therefore, these matters cannot be rushed; everything must be examined with great care,» he stated.
Following the derailment of the Glória funicular on 3 September 2025, which resulted in 16 deaths and 24 injuries among Portuguese and foreign nationals of various nationalities, Lisbon city council «immediately» suspended the operation of Carris's historic transport systems so that they could be inspected, namely the Bica and Lavra funiculars, the Santa Junta funicular and the Graça funicular, which reopened on 30 April.
Around a year on, the Bica and Lavra lifts are still undergoing assessment, as «there are a number of technical factors that must meet safety requirements», said Carris chair, Rui Lopo, who has held the post since January following the resignation of the previous managing director, Pedro de Brito Bogas, in the wake of the derailment.
Stating that the Lavra funicular operates on the same system as the Glória funicular, because «Glória is Lavra's twin», he noted that, «regardless of this, there is an Independent Technical Commission currently working» on assessing the safety of the Lavra funicular.
«It is still too early for us to assess what actually needs to happen» for the Lavra funicular to resume operations, he explained, noting that «there is a broad framework, but it must be analysed in great detail and with a high degree of responsibility», emphasising that «these are time-consuming processes».
The operation of this historic Carris equipment depends on various factors, including delays in the supply of equipment and safety subsystems, which «take an extremely long time».
«Therefore, we must assess conditions with great responsibility and take as much time as necessary to ensure that, when it is brought back into service, it is done so under safe conditions, thoroughly tested and thoroughly checked,» he argued, explaining that «the operation of these systems is not all that different from one another.» Noting that all this historic Carris equipment «is part of our national heritage», Lopo said that, «if all safety conditions can be guaranteed, even on older equipment», the municipal company must ensure a full technical assessment is carried out, which is being conducted by «a wide range of bodies», including the Independent Technical Commission and international experts.
This technical assessment will determine whether the vehicles can operate as they are, whether changes need to be made, or whether they require «a completely new design», he noted.
The Independent Technical Commission, established by a resolution of Lisbon city council and chaired by Carlos Moedas (PSD), following the accident involving the Glória funicular, comprises specialists appointed by the Order of Engineers (OE), the National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC) and the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), as well as representatives from the municipal companies Carris (public transport) and EMEL (parking and mobility).
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