Lisbon metro operating on weekend schedule; secondary atriums closed

The Lisbon metro system is from Monday to operate on a weekend schedule, with trains running with six carriages during the day and three carriages from the evening onwards.

In a statement on Monday, Metropolitano de Lisboa, the company that runs the system, states that the measures are in response to the declaration of a State of Emergency and the March 22nd statute issued by the office of the minister of environment and climate action, aimed at “contributing to reducing the spread of Covid-19.”

“Metropolitano de Lisboa will implement, as of today,  March 23th, some additional adjustments in its level of supply and in the functioning of some services, taking into account the reduction that has been verified in the demand in its network”, the statement reads.

According to the company, the metro will maintain supply adequate for security measures and the physical distance between customers, “continuing to ensure the transport of all those who are working and who need to travel by public transport.”

Other adjustments include the closure of secondary atriums in the following stations on the Blue line: Jardim Zoológico (north atrium), Praça Espanha (north atrium), S. Sebastião I (south atrium), Marquês de Pombal I (south atrium), Avenida (south atrium), Restauradores (north atrium).

The following atriums will be closed on the Yellow line: Odivelas/Átrio Inferior, Senhor Roubado (south atrium), Lumiar (south atrium), Quinta das Conchas (north atrium), Entre Campos (north atrium), Campo Pequeno (south atrium), Saldanha I (north atrium) and Picoas (south atrium).

On the Green line the secondary atriums Rossio (north atrium), Anjos (north atrium), Intendente (north atrium), Roma (north atrium) and Alvalade (south atrium) will be closed.

There is to be no change to metro opening and closing times.

The measures now announced are in addition to those already implemented, such as the opening of all ticket barriers throughout the network, increasing ease of travel for customers and a reduced need for support and intervention by company employees.

Metropolitano de Lisboa is to review the effects of implementing the latest measures by the end of March and continue to monitor developments, according to demand levels and availability of employees.

The new coronavirus responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic has already infected more than 324,000 people worldwide, of whom more than 14,300 have died.

Since the outbreak began in China in December, it has spread worldwide, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a pandemic situation.

In Portugal, as of Sunday there had been 14 deaths and 1,600 confirmed infections.