At Least 15 Killed and 18 Injured as Lisbon’s Gloria Funicular Derails

LISBON, Sept. 3, 2025 - A tragic accident struck one of Lisbon’s most iconic tourist attractions on Wednesday evening, when the city’s historic Gloria funicular railway derailed, killing at least 15 people and injuring 18 others.

Emergency services rushed to the scene near Restauradores Square, where the bright yellow funicular car was found mangled off its tracks. Witnesses described hearing a loud screech before the car plunged off the rails, sending passengers tumbling and scattering debris across the steep incline toward Bairro Alto.

Carris, the municipal transport authority that operates three funicular lines in Lisbon, confirmed that the casualties included both local residents and international visitors. “It is a heartbreaking day for our city,” said Mayor Carlos Moedas, expressing his condolences at a press briefing. “Our priority now is to care for survivors, support families of the victims, and determine the cause of this tragic event.”

Video footage shared by CNN Portugal showed emergency responders carefully extracting survivors from the wreckage, while bystanders offered blankets and water. Among the injured, several remain in critical condition at Lisbon’s main hospitals.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa issued a statement extending his “deepest sympathy to those affected” and calling for a swift, thorough investigation. The funicular line-operational since 1885-connects the downtown Baixa district to the Bairro Alto neighborhood, climbing the city’s famed steep hills and offering panoramic views.

Transport experts noted that the system relies on a haulage cable linking two counterbalanced cars. Preliminary reports suggest a mechanical failure may have caused the derailment, but authorities stressed it was too early to rule out other factors. Carrera officials have suspended funicular services pending a full safety review.

As Lisbon reels from this calamity, investigators from the judiciary police’s homicide brigade have been dispatched to the site to collect evidence and interview survivors. The city has also deployed grief counselors to assist those traumatized by the ordeal.

The Gloria funicular’s derailment marks one of the worst transportation disasters in Portugal in recent memory, casting a pall over the bustling tourist season and prompting questions about the maintenance of the city’s venerable cable railways. Further updates are expected as the investigation unfolds.