Transtejo Sophlusa wants to raise price between Cais do Sodré and Cacilhas

“ More than 90% of the occasional tickets that I see in the crossing between Cais do Sodré and Cacilhas are tourist service and therefore it does not make sense that the ticket remains two euros for a tourist service, the State Budget does not have to finance tourism, tourism has to pay the price and has to finance the public service”, defended the chairman of the Board of Directors of TTSL, Rui Rei, who was heard this morning at the Mobility and Transport Commission of the Lisbon Municipal Assembly (AML).

The head of the Board of Directors who took office in October last year, said that the company will ask permission for the ticket price on that link to rise above the price of inflation, keeping the same price in case of passes.

“ We have to update the revenues, because we depend on 68% of the state budget and we have to reach 50%”, said Rui Rei, also revealing the desire for the company to provide tourism service again.

The idea, detailed, is not to compete with the private in this area, but also to provide “good tourist service”, in the near future, “and generate interesting and important recipes from there”, and for this end the study of tourism offer.

TTSL restored the public service offer in November, having reduced the daily suppressions by more than 90%.

This contributes to the entry into operation of 10 electric boats, which add up to 20 diesel boats, after an investment of 7 million euros in maintenance since the beginning of this administration's mandate, the person responsible has advanced.

For the future, the link to Moita, on the south bank of the Tagus, and to Parque das Nações, in Lisbon is under study.

“ We are finishing a protocol [with the House of Lisbon] so that the Park of Nations becomes effective”, Rui Rei said, without wanting to go further details, but advancing that, “basically, it will not be much different from what is there today, but with the possibility of providing quality service to people”.

The company also intends to present the fleet renewal plan to the Government by the end of the first quarter of next year, defending the use of smaller, up to 300 and more flexible vessels. “Preferably electric, electric operation is in fact much cheaper and more efficient,” he said.

Transtejo Soflusa SA is responsible for the river connection between Seixal, Montijo, Cacilhas, Barreiro and Trafaria/Porto Brandão, in the district of Setúbal, and Lisbon, and transported 21 million passengers in 2025.

The company expects to end this year with a slight increase in this indicator compared to the previous year, which, if confirmed, will represent a reversal of the downward trend in recent years.

“ There is nothing miraculous, what we need is to give confidence and consistency to public transport users, if we lose confidence in transport, we find another solution, whether the car or another”, said Rui Rei.