What to do · Montserrat
Riding the Montserrat Rack Railway from Monistrol
Information
- From
- €15 adult, return
- Duration
- 15 min
- Distance
- 5 km
- Season
- All year
- Who it's for
- Everyone; the option without vertigo for going up to the monastery
- With a dog
- Free, on a lead and muzzled
The rack railway is the way up to Montserrat that makes the journey part of the visit. It leaves from Monistrol, in the Llobregat valley, and in about 15 minutes climbs almost 550 metres over five kilometres of track, four of them rack, with panoramic windows towards the valley and the conglomerate needles drawing closer. It arrives below the Plaça de la Creu, a step from the basilica.
From Barcelona, without a car
It is the complete journey by train: metro to Plaça d'Espanya, the R5 of Ferrocarrils to Monistrol de Montserrat (Monistrol Enllaç), where you change to the rack railway. Allow an hour and a half door to door. The Trans Montserrat ticket, from €50, combines the metro, the R5, the rack railway or the Aeri, the Sant Joan and Santa Cova funiculars when they run and the audiovisual; the Tot Montserrat, from €71.50, adds the museum and lunch at the buffet. They are open tickets: the voucher is exchanged at the Plaça d'Espanya point, from 8:00 to 14:00. The rack railway return is valid for a week, but the funiculars must be used on the day you go up. The T-Mobilitat card is not valid on the rack railway.
By car
Leave the car in the free car park at Monistrol-Vila, the one for rack railway customers, and go up by train. You save yourself the paid parking up top and the bends.
2026 prices
Return: €15 for an adult aged 14 to 65, €7.50 for a child aged 4 to 13 and €13.50 for over-65s. The first two trains of the day have a €12 ticket sold only at the Monistrol-Vila ticket office. Dogs travel free, on a lead and muzzled.
Rack railway or Aeri
The Aeri takes five minutes and hangs over the void; the rack railway takes three times longer and hugs the mountain. With small children or a fear of heights, take the train. Up top, the Sant Joan funicular goes up towards Sant Jeroni and the flat path to Sant Miquel starts a few steps from the station.
Tips
- To go back to Barcelona, minute 15 According to the sanctuary, the rack trains going down at minute 15 of each hour connect with the R5.
- Take the first train At 8:35 from Monistrol-Vila, cheaper and with the mountain empty.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Montserrat rack railway take?
About 15 minutes from Monistrol-Vila.
How much does it cost?
€15 return for an adult and €7.50 for a child aged 4 to 13 in 2026.
What does the Trans Montserrat include?
Metro, R5 train, rack railway or Aeri, funiculars when they run and the audiovisual; from €50.
Can dogs go up?
Yes, free, on a lead and muzzled.
With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
Who runs it
- Turistren FGCMontserrat rack railway, return from Monistrol Visit their website
- Turistren FGCTrans Montserrat: metro, R5 train, rack railway, funiculars and audiovisual from Barcelona Visit their website
