Lisbon’s Iconic Glória Streetcar Derails: 16 Dead, 21 Hurt—Tourists Among Victims

A packed Glória funicular—one of Lisbon’s postcard attractions—jumped the tracks around 6 p.m. Wednesday and slammed into a building on the steep Calçada da Glória. The yellow-and-white car was left crumpled on the cobblestones. Emergency crews say 16 people were killed and 21 injured. Officials are calling it one of the capital’s worst tragedies in recent memory.

Authorities say at least half of those killed were foreigners. Among the dead are nationals from Portugal and multiple countries; injured passengers also include visitors from across Europe and beyond. Five of the wounded remained in serious condition.

Multiple agencies are on the case. The government’s Office for Air and Rail Accident Investigations was expected to publish a preliminary technical report Friday, while police say a broader preliminary report is due within 45 days. Overnight, crews cleared the wreckage and placed the streetcar under police custody. Witnesses told local media the car appeared to be out of control as it barreled downhill before toppling.

Lisbon is observing three days of mourning. A somber Mass drew Portugal’s prime minister, the president, and the mayor, as makeshift memorials grew near the crash site.

Technically a funicular, the Glória has ferried locals and visitors up one of Lisbon’s steepest hills since 1885. Two cars counterbalance each other via steel cables, carrying more than 40 people per car on a short, curved, traffic-free climb from downtown to a scenic overlook. It’s also a national monument—one more reason this loss hits so hard.

Investigators are working to determine exactly why the car derailed—and whether maintenance, mechanical failure, or other factors played a role. For now, the focus is on families, survivors, and getting answers about how a beloved piece of Lisbon’s identity turned into a scene of catastrophe.

With input from the Associated Press, BBC, CNN, and the Guardian.