Lisbon’s rickety yellow trams, a long-standing symbol of the Portuguese capital, have become such a magnet for tourists that some locals complain they can no longer ride them.
Lisbon began running trams in the late 19th century to carry passengers through the steep, narrow streets that crisscross the hilly old town.
Today’s visitors travel back in time to admire the wooden floors and ancient appearance of the carriages that offer stunning views of the Tagus River and the picturesque pastel-coloured buildings.
But as visitors flock to the capital in greater numbers – nearly nine million in 2023 – some residents are growing increasingly angry about the effects of mass tourism.
“The tram? It’s not for us anymore, it’s for the tourists!” said Luisa Costa, a resident of the working-class neighborhood of Moraria, who is in her 60s.
With foreign visitors cramming into the carriages, Costa is now waiting at one of the stops of the mini-buses that the Lisbon transport company Caris provides for residents taking the same route.
In central Lisbon’s Martim Moniz Square, passengers sometimes queue for more than an hour at the tram stop on Line 28, the most popular route that passes through the most attractive sites.
Red trams aimed at tourists have also been created but are less popular due to their high costs.
Other tram lines were returned to service after being canceled during the 20th century with the development of the urban bus network.
Fatima Valiente, an 82-year-old retiree, said that despite the measures, “the situation continues to deteriorate.”
The trams have become a “toy” for tourists to fill their Instagram stories at the expense of residents who “really need them,” journalist Fernanda Cancio wrote in the daily Diario de Noticias earlier this month.
Local associations have been demanding for years a more reliable public transportation system for both residents and tourists.
Caresse Secretary General Emma Favela Vieira admitted that reconciling the needs of tourists and residents “could be difficult” because the tram is a “much needed cultural facility.”
Five historic tram routes currently connect Lisbon, with a sixth line equipped with longer, more modern carriages running along the river.
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