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As a country seeped in history, culture, and tourist attractions, there is much to love about Portugal these days. Last month, news broke that growing numbers of home buyers are choosing this nation when purchasing second residences and vacation homes.

Communities like Porto, Lisbon, Cascais, and Sintra have earned favor with overseas investors due to their relaxing atmospheres and enviable tax breaks. Many people also look at Portugal as a great place to escape the chaos in other parts of the world and get their money's worth in the real estate market.

As 2024 gets started, so are certain worker strikes and an overall reduction in access to trains across the nation. In light of the current circumstances, Portuguese authorities warn about delays and other problems emerging with train service.

Here's what's happening right now

Last year, a report from the Mobility and Transport Authority (AMT) documented increasing wait times and fewer operational trains throughout Portugal. Per the AMT, this has been in the making for years, with long-distance transportation taking some of the most prominent hits.

Certain operators in Portugal believe deep-seated problems are driving these issues with train travel. Railway companies Comboios de Portugal and Fertagus maintain that worker strikes adversely impact service, along with railway network restrictions. From 2019 to 2022, both companies also pulled 12,200 trains out of action.

Portuguese residents and visitors who rely on trains for transportation are feeling the pain of these problems.

From 2022 to last year, Comboios de Portugal received thousands of complaints from customers who missed trains, had their trips canceled, and/or struggled to obtain refunds. Hundreds of Fertagus customers likewise submitted complaints within the same timeframe, due to the aforementioned issues.

Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) workers expected to strike

Unfortunately, there is no indication that train problems in the European country will disappear anytime soon. Just this week, Comboios de Portugal revealed as Infraestruturas de Portugal (IP) employees gear up to strike, customers should prepare for delayed or cancelled trips.

Individuals set for trips with Regional, InterRegional, Alfa Pendular, Internacional, and Intercidades will be able to get exchanges or refunds in lieu of their original bookings.