On Thursday, December 11, a general strike is expected to significantly impact the transport sector. However, minimum services have been established for CP – Comboios de Portugal, the company announced on Wednesday.
The operator indicated that minimum services have been set for various train routes, detailed on their website, including the Alfa Pendular and Intercidades, Regional, InterRegional and International services, as well as Porto, Coimbra, and Lisbon urban lines.
CP added that “in addition to the indicated minimum services, other services might also be available.”
What about existing ticket holders?
For customers with existing tickets for Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, International, InterRegional, and Regional services, CP will offer a full refund or a free exchange for another train of the same category and class.
According to CP, refunds or exchanges can be processed through “myCP in the area ‘Your Tickets’ (for tickets purchased online and via the CP app) until 15 minutes before the train’s departure from the client’s original station, or at the ticket offices.”
CP has alerted to potential disruptions starting today due to the general strike scheduled for Thursday and has published the list of minimum services for urban, regional, and long-distance trains.
Lusa | 14:10 – 10/12/2025
If this deadline is missed, and up to 10 days after the strike ends, “a refund can be requested through the online contact form ‘Refund for Delay or Cancellation’, sending a scan of the original ticket.”
The general strike on Thursday against the Government’s draft labor law reform will be the first to unite the two major unions, CGTP and UGT, since June 2013, when Portugal was under the ‘troika’ intervention.
Which sectors are covered by minimum services?
The Labor Code currently mandates that during a strike, minimum services should be ensured in enterprises or establishments that fulfill essential social needs, including postal and telecommunications services; medical, hospital, and pharmaceutical services; public health, including funeral services; energy and mining services, including fuel supply.
Also included are water supply; fire services; public services essential to the State’s duties; transport services, including ports, airports, bus and railway stations concerning passengers, perishable foodstuffs, and essential goods for the national economy, covering their loading and unloading; and the transport and security of monetary values.
The expansion of services covered by minimum services is, incidentally, one of the measures proposed in the Government’s draft labor law reform.
CGTP and UGT have called a general strike for Thursday against the Government’s draft revision of labor laws, currently debated in the Social Dialogue, targeting areas such as parenthood and contract durations.
Lusa | 09:01 – 10/12/2025
