Transit Disruptions Expected in Lisbon Due to Rail and Metro Strikes

Travelers in Lisbon are facing potential transportation disruptions this week as railway employees prepare for a nationwide strike on Friday, October 30, 2026. The action by CP – Comboios de Portugal workers, called by the Sindicato Ferroviário da Revisão Comercial Itinerante (SFRCI), is expected to affect train circulation not only on Friday but also potentially on the preceding and following days.

The railway strike involves ticket office workers, onboard commercial staff, and supervisory personnel. According to the union, employees are demanding better working conditions and the enhancement of transportation and travel allowances with retroactive effect to July 2026, aiming to offset soaring costs for fuel, housing, food, and utilities.

Union representatives explained that because of irregular work schedules and a lack of public transit options at certain hours, workers are frequently forced to drive personal vehicles and even pay for parking out of pocket. CP warned passengers that the stoppage could create widespread delays and cancellations across the rail network.

Meanwhile, the public transit landscape saw a significant development regarding the Lisbon Metro. Labor organizations decided to call off partial strikes that had been scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, and Friday, October 30, between 5:00 AM and 10:00 AM. The decision came in response to minimum service levels decreed by an Arbitration Tribunal, which unions argued compromised the safety of both passengers and workers.

Sara Gligó, a representative for the federation of transport unions Fectrans and STRUP, criticized the tribunal's ruling. She stated that the decision permitted the replacement of striking workers by unqualified personnel and went against established legal precedents, thereby jeopardizing operational safety.

Despite canceling the specific partial walkouts, union leaders emphasized that their broader labor dispute remains active. Workers are planning to meet in plenary sessions to organize new forms of protest and future actions to press their demands regarding staffing shortages and working conditions.

Following the union's announcement to call off the strikes, the Lisbon Metro administration welcomed the decision and expressed its ongoing commitment to maintaining constructive dialogue with labor organizations. The company confirmed that normal network operations would proceed without the anticipated disruptions.

The Arbitration Tribunal had initially established that during the planned metro strike windows, only 26 specific stations across the Blue, Yellow, Green, and Red lines would open at 7:00 AM with heavily reduced service, while remaining stations would stay closed until 10:00 AM. With the strikes now called off, the metro network is set to operate under normal schedules starting at 6:30 AM.