Portugal Rail Strike Trims Long-Distance Service Through November 13

Published on Nov 7, 2025, 9:03 am CST

4 min read

Key points

SFRCI has called a partial strike affecting CP long-distance services from November 3 to 13
CP flags rolling disruptions and asks travelers to check train status the day before travel
Intercidades is most exposed with knock-ons possible to Alfa Pendular and connections at Lisbon Santa Apolónia and Oriente
Portuguese media highlight November 10 as a high-impact day and report targeted Intercidades cancellations
CP offers fee-free refund or exchange options for affected long-distance tickets via myCP

Impact

Expect Rolling Disruptions: Long-distance routes between Lisbon and Porto, Coimbra, the Algarve, and Alentejo may see targeted cancellations or shortened consists
Protect Key Connections: If you need to connect at Lisbon Santa Apolónia or Oriente, choose earlier trains and allow extra time for platform changes
Rebook Or Refund: If your Intercidades or Alfa Pendular is canceled, use myCP to exchange or request a refund without fees per CP's strike notice
Watch November 10 Closely: Local reporting points to heavier disruption on Monday, November 10, so shift critical trips outside peak windows if you can
Check Status The Day Before: CP asks passengers to confirm specific trains the day before travel because pairings and consists may change late

Portugal's national operator Comboios de Portugal (CP) is warning of continued disruptions to long-distance rail through Thursday, November 13, after the Sindicato Ferroviário da Revisão Comercial Itinerante (SFRCI) called a partial strike that targets long-distance services. CP's advisory covers Intercidades and indicates possible knock-on effects to Alfa Pendular where crew and consist changes ripple across the network. The operator asks passengers to verify specific train numbers the day before travel and confirms fee-free refund or exchange options for affected long-distance tickets via myCP.

Comboios de Portugal's advisory, what it means for your trip

The strike window runs from Monday, November 3, through Thursday, November 13. CP's warning explicitly ties the disruption to long-distance services and points travelers to myCP for exchanges or refunds when their booked trains are canceled or materially changed. Because long-distance diagrams interlock with regional and urban feeders, CP also advises checking status the day before departure in case rolling stock or crew pairings are reshuffled late in the day.

On corridors linking Lisbon with Porto and Braga via Coimbra, with the Algarve via Faro, and with Alentejo cities such as Évora and Beja, Intercidades will carry the most risk of targeted cancellations or shorter consists. Alfa Pendular, which shares crews and platform windows at Lisbon's main terminals, can see secondary effects. Plan for full platforms at Lisbon Santa Apolónia and Oriente, and allow extra time for platform changes and longer queues at information desks.

Latest developments

Portuguese outlets reporting on the first days of action note that November 10 is expected to be a high-impact day and that at least two Intercidades departures from Lisbon Santa Apolónia were suppressed on day two of the stoppage, with the union alleging reduced carriage counts on some trains to limit exposure. Those reports match CP's framing of rolling, day-by-day impacts on long-distance routes. If your itinerary touches Santa Apolónia or Oriente, favor earlier departures and keep an eye on mid-afternoon services where cancellations have clustered.

Analysis

This is a partial strike focused on long-distance work by CP's traveling revenue-control staff. The union cites unfulfilled parts of a 2023 agreement on duty rosters and raises safety concerns; CP, in turn, has publicly rejected claims that operations are unsafe and says maintenance and inspection plans are followed. Practically, inspectors stepping back from selected duties can force CP to trim long-distance frequency or shorten consists on specific days, especially when trains are diagrammed with "Arco" coaches that require particular staffing. Expect the operator to prioritize first-wave departures each morning, with trims or suppressions more likely on later rotations when crew and rolling-stock imbalances accumulate.

Background

Long-distance in Portugal is split between Alfa Pendular, the tilting express linking Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Aveiro, and the Algarve, and Intercidades, which covers many of the same city pairs with more intermediate stops. When one set of services is pared back, missed connections can cascade into regional and urban lines around Porto and Lisbon, which is why CP is urging travelers to reconfirm trains the day before departure and to use the self-service channels for exchanges and refunds where eligible.

Final thoughts

If you are booked between now and November 13 on Intercidades, build slack into your plan, shift to earlier trains where possible, and use CP's myCP tools to manage changes quickly. If your trip is time-critical, consider moving to dates outside the peak disruption window flagged by local media, especially November 10.