Trains would have eight carriages. On the opening morning, at rush hour, they had four: “They are all packed. I didn’t even try to get in.”
Several users of the railway service provided by Fertagus have been denouncing that, since December, when they were changed os schedules, os Trains departing from Setúbal fill up quickly. Passengers are left outparticularly at Pragal station, in the municipality of Almada.
The trains started to have a frequency of 20 minutes in both directions. Until December, Fertagus trains ran between Setúbal and Lisbon (Roma-Areeiro) stations every 30 minutes on weekdays and every 60 minutes on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
However, users complained that the change introduced in December was not accompanied by a reinforcement of carriageswith reports from passengers at stations in the municipalities of Almada and Seixal (Coina, Fogueteiro, Foros de Amora, Corroios and Pragal) not being able to get a seat at the time they normally used to use.
Changes
From today, Monday, rail connections between the south bank and Lisbon at peak times will be made with double trains and simple.
In a note addressed to users of the service on the Fertagus website, the company concessionary of the railway service that connects the south bank to Lisbon guarantees that there will not be two single trains in a row on the stretch between Coina (municipality of Barreiro) and Lisbon.
But for now…
…you don’t notice anything. On Monday morning, I went to take a look at the situation and, until 8 am, during rush hour, no double train had passed.
Passengers were disappointed and frustrated to see the train with only four carriages, not eight: “Horrible. I don’t like it at all. If there are changes, they should comply with: I’ve seen three trains and they all had four cars. They’re all packed. I didn’t even try to get in“, said Sara Castanheira, who was unable to get on any of the trains – and was still waiting, in Foros de Amora.
And there was no guarantee that the next train (8:09 am) would be different, according to a Fertagus employee.
