The alteration was motivated by the Lisbon Underground works. A new crossing had to be built at Largo de Santos (the "X" of Santos).
At the usual 25E stop in Largo Vitorino Damásio, on Tuesday, two ladies were waiting for the streetcar to arrive. On their backs, a notice discreetly posted on paper read as follows: "Due to works on the streetcar line at Av. Dom Carlos I that make it impossible for the streetcar line to circulate in this zone, as of May 30, 2023 (Tuesday), the 25E streetcar line will circulate between Cais do Sodré and Prazeres via Av. 24 de Julho and Lg. Santos (where it resumes its route). This stop is provisionally suppressed." They hadn't noticed, and if it hadn't been for our warning, there they probably would have stayed.
Due to the expansion works of the Lisbon Metro, the Since May 30th, the 25E streetcar was deviated to the waterfront, circulating between Cais do Sodré and Prazeres through Avenida 24 de Julhotram lines 15E, 18E and 24E. This is yet another change in the route of this historic tramway, which, with the forced closure of Rua da Prata In December, it stopped going to Praça da Figueira, and started stopping at Corpo Santo.
The alteration of the 25E route led to the deactivation of all the stops made by this line between Corpo Santo and Largo Vitorino Damásio, including those at Largo Conde Barão and Rua de São Paulo. The 25E will circulate on 24 de Julho until the end of the Metro works.
For this route change, foreseen in the construction constraints, to be possible, The Santos "X" had to be restored, that is, the crossing of the streetcar lines that existed in other times in Largo de Santos, allowing the services of the past to circulate between the waterfront and the interior of the neighborhoods in that area. The "X" will remain when the Metro works are concluded, which will allow, for example, the deviation of streetcars if there is any impediment on the railway track, either on Avenida 24 de Julho or on the internal streets.
According to the site Buses from Lisbon, a the circulation of streetcars on the "X" implies some care by the brakemenBefore crossing the 24 de Julho into the interior of Largo de Santos, they will have to manually change the needle and then reset it so that streetcars continuing on the 24 de Julho (such as the 15E) can pass smoothly. Streetcars have to circulate at a maximum speed of 10 km/h in this area and the brakemen will also have to check the position of the points in time (perhaps because it is a temporary crossing and should only be used in sporadic situations in the future, an automated point change system like the one that exists in Largo da Estrela, for example, was not installed).
Autocarros de Lisboa also says "the existence of three routes (15E, 18E and 25E) serving the same terminal at Cais do Sodré will also require some care, particularly in the event that several streetcars accumulate".. The new intersection of lines in Santos will also serve the pickups of routes 12E, 24E, and 28E.
