The Lisbon Metro announced on Wednesday that it will suspend operations and close all stations from 8:00 PM today due to a workers’ meeting organized by unions.
In response, the City Council of Lisbon (CML) has announced several alternatives to “mitigate the impacts” of the metro shutdown.
In a press release, CML stated that CP – Comboios de Portugal will provide, during the early hours (a period during which services are usually halted), one train per hour on the Cascais Line and one train every 30 minutes on the Sintra Line.
Trains will depart from Cais do Sodré to Cascais at 2:30 AM, 3:30 AM, and 4:30 AM; and from Rossio to Sintra at 1:30 AM, 2:00 AM, 2:30 AM, 3:00 AM, 3:30 AM, 4:00 AM, 4:30 AM, 5:00 AM, and 5:30 AM.
The Azambuja Line will also be reinforced with two trains during the night, at 1:30 AM and 3:30 AM, departing from Santa Apolónia.
The 14 special trains will offer an additional 21,000 seats compared to the regular service, according to CP’s press release.
For trains operated by Fertagus, the changes are minimal, with the last trains departing from Roma/Areeiro at 12:53 AM (to Setúbal) and 1:23 AM (to Coina). On holidays, the last trains usually leave at 11:33 PM and 12:43 AM, respectively.
Fertagus had already announced on its official Facebook page that it will maintain the usual weekday service on June 13, a municipal holiday in Lisbon.
“The only change to note is the running of single trains (four-car compositions) throughout the day,” it stated.
The river transport service will be reinforced, with departures from Terreiro do Paço to Montijo/Seixal and Barreiro at 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM.
Among other solutions highlighted, the city council mentioned that there will be additional pickup and drop-off points for taxi and TVDE services in the areas of Martim Moniz, Praça da Alegria, and Marquês de Pombal.
Previously, in statements to Lusa, the president of the CML, Carlos Moedas, announced that Carris buses will be free from 6:00 PM today until 8:00 AM on Friday.
The CML recommends that residents and visitors use alternative public transport and walk “whenever possible, especially for those heading to the city’s more central areas.”
Carlos Moedas described it as “unacceptable” that the CML was only notified about the Lisbon Metro shutdown, due to the planned workers’ meeting, on Wednesday night.
The short notice did not allow for the scheduling of “minimum services” and will affect Lisbon residents “on the city’s most important night,” he reacted, calling the stoppage “unprecedented and unusual.”
“This makes no sense, especially on such a significant day for Lisbon. It is the residents who are being affected by political decisions and agendas, and we are compromising an entire city. I find this unacceptable. This goes beyond all boundaries,” he lamented.
Despite the appeal from the company managing the Lisbon Metro to reschedule today’s meeting, workers will proceed with the meeting from 8:00 PM.
“This is neither unprecedented nor unusual. We often hold meetings at night, and regarding the claim that there is no negotiation matter justifying this issue at this time, I remind you that there are 14 issues that, if addressed, would have resolved this meeting,” Sara Gligó from the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions (Fectrans) told Lusa.
