The Elevador da Glória, in Lisbon, will be replaced by a new structure following the accident on September 3, 2025, which destroyed much of the equipment and caused 16 deaths and 24 injuries. Carris will launch an international tender for the design and construction in the first quarter of 2027, expecting the new elevator to begin operating in 2029. The company considers that the project is no longer a simple reconstruction of the previous equipment, but rather the creation of a new installation.
According to Carris's president, Rui Lopo, the damage caused by the accident altered the conditions for recovering the existing equipment. The company intends to maintain the elevator's connection to the identity of the Glória area, but introduce current requirements for safety, accessibility, reliability and technological supervision. The new equipment will be considered a new installation, no longer benefiting from the regime applicable to historical equipment.
Carris intends to preserve the known configuration of Calçada da Glória, considering the continuity of public use of that space as an urban and heritage priority. The new cabin should meet accessibility needs for people with reduced mobility, comfort and adaptation to different passenger profiles. The Lisbon City Council, as sole shareholder of Carris, has defined guidelines for a robust and modern project that preserves the identity of the Elevador da Glória.
The investigation into the accident is ongoing, with the final report from the Bureau for the Prevention and Investigation of Accidents with Aircraft and Railway Accidents now expected only for the end of the first quarter of 2027, due to the complexity of the technical expert assessments. Carris's insurer, Fidelidade, has so far assumed costs of 2.3 million euros, including treatments, hospital admissions, rehabilitation, repatriations, funeral services and four compensation agreements with families of fatal victims.
