Lisbon's iconic Gloria funicular crashes, killing 15: Everything we know
What's the story
The Elevador da Gloria funicular in Lisbon, Portugal, derailed on September 3, killing at least 15 people and injuring over 18 others. Among the deceased were foreign nationals. The incident occurred around 6:05pm near Avenida da Liberdade. Emergency services quickly arrived at the scene with over 60 personnel and 22 vehicles. Images from the crash site showed a bright yellow carriage overturned and heavily damaged.
Incident details
Cable may have snapped, causing crash
While officials are still investigating the cause of the crash, reports suggest a cable may have snapped, causing the carriage to lose control and hit a nearby building. The boss of Lisbon's public transport operator Carris visited the scene after the crash and issued a statement, stating that major four-yearly and interim biennial maintenance, as well as daily, weekly, and monthly checks, had been carried out on the funicular, as required.
Witnesses
Eyewitnesses reported that the brake system failed
However, eyewitnesses reported that the brake system on the cable-hauled funicular failed, sending it rushing down the steep roadway and into a structure. "We all started running away because we thought [the carriage] was going to hit the one below," Teresa d'Avó told Portuguese newspaper Observador. "But it fell around the bend and crashed into a building." The Lisbon authorities say it is too early to determine what caused the incident.
Twitter Post
Visuals from crash site
🔴PORTUGAL🇵🇹| #Tragedy in #Lisbon : the derailment of the #GloriaFunicular, a popular tourist attraction in the Capital left at least 15 dead and several injured on Wednesday, Sept 3. The machine, which can carry up to 42 people, is more than a century old, having opened in 1885. pic.twitter.com/xSCK4E81S8
— Nanana365 (@nanana365media) September 3, 2025
Funicular operations
Funicular connects Restauradores Square to Bairro Alto neighborhood
The Elevador da Gloria funicular is one of Lisbon's most popular attractions. Opened in 1885 and electrified in the 20th century, it connects Restauradores Square to the Bairro Alto neighborhood. The funicular has two carriages that run simultaneously on a counterbalanced system. Each carriage can carry about 40-43 passengers, and together they make around 144 trips daily, serving nearly three million passengers annually. The service runs from around 7:00am to nearly midnight with departures every 12 minutes from both ends.
Aftermath
3 days of municipal mourning declared
Lisbon's Mayor Carlos Moedas has declared three days of municipal mourning after the incident. He extended his condolences to victims' families on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also expressed solidarity with affected families, saying he "deeply regrets" the "fatalities and serious injuries" caused by this tragedy.