The Lisbon Administrative Court ruled in favour of the German operator, determining that Rede Expressos must grant access to the Sete Rios terminal in Lisbon. The ruling obliges the Portuguese company to specify the actual availability of platforms and parking, and to objectively evaluate each schedule requested by FlixBus.

This March 2026 decision aims to guarantee access to the terminal under conditions of equality and non-discrimination, ending a blockade that had lasted since 2023.

The court established that, once the decision becomes final, Rede Expressos will have five days to prove its full compliance, under penalty of a fine of €92 for each day of delay, in addition to any civil and criminal liabilities.

In response, Rede Expressos emphasised that the ruling does not imply "automatic entry," reiterating that access remains conditional on the terminal's ability to ensure passenger and goods safety. The Portuguese company also recalled that the court did not consider the damages alleged by FlixBus due to a lack of proof of prior access.

This conflict intensified in 2025, following the Mobility and Transport Authority (AMT) 's early 2025 ruling in favour of FlixBus. The AMT held that Rede Expressos had not demonstrated its claimed lack of terminal capacity.

At that time, in early 2025, the German operator even carried out symbolic protest actions in Sete Rios to denounce the continued impediment to the terminal's use.

With the current court decision, Rede Expressos must now technically justify any refusal of schedules. This ruling introduces a new framework of accountability, likely setting a precedent with significant implications for competition and access in Lisbon’s road passenger transport sector.