Lisbon’s Historic Funicular Turns to Tragedy: The Elevador da Glória Derailment

Published: 04 September 2025 | The English Chronicle Desk

Lisbon, a city renowned for its charm, history, and breathtaking hillside views, is reeling from tragedy after a catastrophic accident on one of its most iconic landmarks. At least fifteen people were killed on Wednesday evening when the Elevador da Glória, a funicular railway that has carried millions of passengers since the 19th century, derailed during its downhill journey and crashed into a building near the curve of a steep street. The accident occurred shortly after 6pm, during the bustling rush-hour period when both tourists and residents frequently rely on the line.

The Elevador da Glória, a yellow-and-white cable-driven streetcar, has long been celebrated as one of Lisbon’s most recognizable attractions. Beyond its postcard beauty and nostalgic charm, the funicular has also served a vital purpose for locals who use it daily to navigate the capital’s steep hills. Opened in 1885 and later electrified in 1915, the railway forms part of the city’s transport network operated by Carris, the Lisbon municipal transport company. Its unique mechanism relies on two parallel streetcars connected by steel cables: as one car climbs uphill, the other descends, the weight of each balancing the system in motion.

Witnesses to Wednesday’s disaster described a horrifying scene as one of the cars appeared to lose control, accelerating rapidly down the incline. Bystanders reported the driver’s apparent struggle before the vehicle careened out of control and slammed into a building at the bend of the road. The impact was devastating, leaving wreckage scattered across cobbled streets that usually echo with the sound of tourists taking photographs and locals hurrying home. Emergency services rushed to the site, cordoning off the area and working into the night to retrieve victims and treat the injured. While authorities confirmed that some foreign nationals were among the dead, the identities and nationalities of the victims have not yet been disclosed.

The Elevador da Glória has always been more than just a transport link. Connecting Lisbon’s downtown Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto, or Upper Quarter, the funicular provides not only a practical route but also a cultural experience. Its short, steep ride of around 260 metres has long attracted visitors eager for sweeping views of Lisbon’s terracotta rooftops and narrow streets. For locals, it remains a dependable way of traversing the city’s challenging terrain. Designated as a national monument, the railway has carried around 3 million passengers annually, cementing its place in both the practical and symbolic life of the Portuguese capital.

The sense of loss following the derailment has been profound. Portugal’s President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, expressed deep sorrow and offered his condolences to the families of the victims, calling the event a moment of national mourning. Lisbon’s mayor, Carlos Moedas, echoed the sentiment, describing the accident as “a tragedy of the like we’ve never seen.” Flags across municipal buildings were lowered to half-mast, and vigils were expected to be held in the coming days as the city attempts to come to terms with a disaster that has shaken its identity.

Investigations into the cause of the derailment are now underway. While the funicular has undergone regular maintenance and modernisation over the years, authorities are under increasing pressure to explain how a system with more than a century of safe operation could suddenly fail so catastrophically. Safety inspectors and engineers will be tasked with uncovering whether mechanical failure, cable malfunction, or operational error played a role. For Lisbon, the answers will be crucial—not only to restore public trust but also to ensure that such a calamity can never happen again.

For now, the streets of Lisbon’s Bairro Alto, usually filled with music and laughter spilling from cafés and bars, are silent with grief. The Elevador da Glória, once a symbol of Lisbon’s enduring charm and ingenuity, has become the centre of one of Portugal’s darkest transport tragedies in modern history.