Lisbon Metro Set to Close Completely on Thursday and Next Tuesday — No Minimum Services Ordered

Lisbon's metro system is expected to shut down entirely on Thursday, April 10, after five trade unions called a 24-hour walkout that will proceed without minimum services. A second stoppage is scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, under the same conditions.

The Arbitral Tribunal of the Economic and Social Council ruled on Monday that no minimum services would be imposed for the two stoppages, meaning the network's four lines — Blue, Yellow, Green and Red — could be completely paralysed on both days.

What Is Behind the Walkout

The dispute is not primarily about pay. According to Anabela Carvalheira, a senior official at Fectrans, the Federation of Transport and Communications Unions, the action centres on what she describes as a fundamental lack of respect for supervisory staff and the erosion of their job descriptions.

"This is a question of demanding respect for those who hold supervisory roles and ensuring their job descriptions are maintained," Carvalheira told RTP Antena 1. She accused the Metropolitano de Lisboa management of "forcing some employees to take on functions across more than one post," a practice the unions say compromises both working conditions and passenger safety.

No Trains Expected

Under the Arbitral Tribunal's decision, only three employees are required to remain on duty at the Central Command Post to ensure the safety and maintenance of equipment and installations. No passenger services will operate.

This follows the same legal precedent set during the general stoppage of December 11, 2025, when the tribunal also declined to impose minimum metro services — a decision that Metropolitano de Lisboa contested at the time.

The five unions behind the action are Fectrans, STTM (Union of Metro Transport Employees), SINDEM (National Union of Metro Employees), SITRA (Union of Employees in Rail and Related Activities), and SITESE.

How to Get Around Lisbon

Commuters and visitors should plan alternative routes for both days. Surface transport options include:

• Carris buses and trams — These are operated by a separate company and are not affected. Key routes such as the 28 tram and major bus corridors will run as normal, though overcrowding is likely.
• Fertagus and CP trains — Suburban rail services connecting the south bank (Almada, Setúbal) and the Sintra/Cascais lines operate independently of the metro.
• Ride-hailing and taxis — Expect surge pricing and longer wait times, particularly during morning and evening rush hours.
• River ferries — Transtejo/Soflusa ferries between Cacilhas, Montijo, Seixal and Lisbon's Terreiro do Paço terminal remain unaffected.

Door Still Open for Resolution

Despite the formal notice, Fectrans signalled that the unions remain willing to call off the action if management addresses their demands. Carvalheira appealed directly to the Metropolitano de Lisboa board to "find the solution that is within their responsibility, so these employees can see their needs reflected and potentially still call off the walkout."

The metro carried approximately 178 million passengers in 2025, making it the backbone of Lisbon's public transport network. A full shutdown on two days within a single week — one of them a Thursday, when tourist footfall is typically high ahead of the weekend — will put significant pressure on the city's already congested road network.