Funny how this big accident in Lisbon now has anything with a cable being inspected and upgraded. If it hadn’t happened, then everything would have just carried on.
In 2026, the company Teleféricos da Madeira will move forward with a modernization and requalification project valued at around four million euros.
The announcement was made this afternoon by administrator Ricardo Pinto Correia, on the sidelines of the Municipal Tourism Distinction award ceremony, promoted by Funchal City Council as part of World Tourism Day.
According to the official, the infrastructure shutdown is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026, between January and April, and will last approximately three months. “It’s a planned intervention, the first of this magnitude in 25 years of operation, which will focus primarily on the Funchal station, replacing the cable, and updating the system’s technology,” he explained, emphasizing that it will be the longest shutdown ever for this mode of transport. “With the exception of a few occasional shutdowns due to bad weather, we’ve never been out of service for so long,” he emphasized.
While emphasizing that the current cable “is in good condition,” Ricardo Pinto Correia emphasized that the company conducts monthly magnetic inspections to ensure its safety, but that it will opt to install a more modern model, “which will provide greater comfort and confidence to passengers.” Furthermore, the project will also include improvements to the cable car’s energy efficiency and environmental sustainability.
“Technology has also evolved significantly in cable cars. There are now new products, new materials, and new components available in this cable car, which will not only make it more comfortable, but also safer and more environmentally friendly, as it requires less energy consumption. We’re also going to address this issue,” he said.
The Teleféricos da Madeira company, inaugurated in 2000, was distinguished this afternoon by the Funchal municipality for its “contribution to mobility, economic dynamism and promotion of tourism” in the Region.
Safety, infrastructure quality, and employee appreciation were highlighted as the main pillars of the company’s operations, which currently employs 32 people. “It’s important that we have a clear conscience that we have done and are doing our best to ensure that the Funchal Cable Car is a first-class facility and a benchmark nationally and internationally,” he emphasized.
In his activity review, Ricardo Pinto Correia revealed that last year the infrastructure transported 1.1 million passengers, with growth expected to be between 5 and 10% in 2025.