According to a report by ECO, during the last week, at least two trains a day have been cancelled because there are not enough staff to check if passengers have a ticket on board.

Of the 30 ticket inspectors in the Algarve region, about a third are unavailable due to sick leave or isolation due to coronavirus, according to the leader of the Railway Union of Itinerant Commercial Review, Luís Bravo.

“Despite little talk, ticket inspectors have been particularly affected by the sixth wave of the pandemic. This has forced the suppression of trains on the Algarve Line”, says the union leader.

To lessen the impact, the carrier has been trying to replace the cancelled trains with buses. For example, on the route between Lagos and Faro, two vehicles are used, both departing from Lagos station: bus 1 goes to Tunes with stops in Portimão, Estômbar, Silves and Algoz; bus 2 goes to Faro, with stops in Portimão, Tunes, Albufeira, Boliqueime and Loulé.