Lisbon Route 12: Castelo Circulaca

545 at the Praça da Figueira terminus of routes 12 and 15

Route 12 is Lisbon's shortest - a single direction circular from Praça da Figueira via Martim Moniz, Sao Tomé, Rue. Conceição and back to Praça da Figueira. It is a long established service, for many years running as a single tram shuttle up the hill from Martim Moniz to Sao Tomé and back. In 1999 it was extended to operate as a circular providing better links to the main city centre.

Martin Moniz - 563 arrives at the 12 loading stop with a route 28 car behind

Two cars are provided daily, operating every 13 minutes, or every 12 at peak times. Round trip time is 21 minutes though morning peak journeys are timed as every 19 minutes and early evening journeys at 18 minutes. With a route mileage of 2.5 this gives an average speed of 4.5mph!


The service runs from 0800 to 2045. On departing Praça da Figueira the car runs to Martin Moniz along a single track alignment shared with the tourist tram - the return link via different roads is only used by route 28 cars returning to depot. After Martin Moniz the car turns onto Rue dos Cavaleiros and climbs the steep hill. The tram track is single line though several disconnected passing loops show the legacy of a busier bi-directional service on this route. Parked cars make this road narrower than it should be an progress is often halted while cars travelling in the opposite direction make dramatic avoiding moves.

The Narrow Streets and poor road user discipline cause problems for route 12. Here the second car on the route - supposedly 13 minutes behind has caught up with its sister!

Here Rue dos Cavaleiros  becomes Calçada de Santo André and a disconnect passing loop is visible

Further along Calçada de Santo André where the road becomes R. de São Tomé is the famous 'three wheel corner' where a the track gradient changes on a curve where one wheel often leaves the track as the car deals with the change in track geometry 

In 1984, like a startled horse, car 725 crests the summit at 3 wheel corner before coming down to earth with a bump and running down the hill to the then terminus.

In October 2010 car 543 approaches Three Wheel Corner on a diverted 28 service

543 crests the summit and starts the decent to São Tomé

At São Tomé the 12 meets the 28 route at an interesting junction illustrated later on the route 28 post. The 12 now follows the 28 route to Rue do Conceição then turns up Rue da Prata back to Praça da Figueira.

566 on Rue do Conceição

The turn from Rue do Conceição into Rue da Prata is so sharp that the track eats into the pavement. Here is 548 on another diverted route 28 working cutting the corner.