At least 15 dead in funicular accident in Lisbon

Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Sep 03, 2025 4:08 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

At least 15 people died and around 18 were injured Wednesday when Lisbon's Gloria funicular railway car, popular with tourists, derailed and crashed, an emergency medical service spokesperson told reporters.

Authorities would not identify the victims or disclose their nationalities, but they said some foreign nationals were among the dead.

"It's a tragic day for our city.… Lisbon is in mourning; it is a tragic, tragic incident," said Carlos Moedas, the mayor of the Portuguese capital.

Footage from the site showed the tram-like funicular, which carries people up and down a hillside in Lisbon, destroyed, and emergency workers pulling people out of the wreckage.

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa lamented the tragic accident in a statement, expressing hope authorities would soon establish what caused the crash.

The line, which opened in 1885, connects Lisbon's downtown area near the Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto (Upper Quarter), famous for its vibrant nightlife.

It is one of three funicular lines operated by the municipal public transport company Carris and is used by tourists, as well as local residents.

Its two cars are attached to opposite ends of a haulage cable, with traction provided by electric motors on the two cars.

Portugal — and Lisbon in particular — have experienced a tourism boom in the past decade, with visitors cramming the popular downtown area in the summer months.