Núria Rack Railway car parks

If you go from Ripoll to Núria by car, you do not take it up to the valley: no road reaches the Vall de Núria. The car stays down below, at one of the three stations of the Núria Rack Railway, and the train does the rest of the way. All three have free parking for people going up on the rack railway, so the only decision is which one to leave it at.

The three stations with parking

Ribes-Enllaç is the first station on the line and the first one you reach coming from Ripoll on the N-260, about 14 km and a little over a quarter of an hour away. It is also the interchange stop with the Rodalies R3, so people arriving by car and people arriving by train meet here. Ribes-Vila is inside the town of Ribes de Freser, a short distance from the previous one, and is the rack railway's second stop. Queralbs is the last station before Núria: it is higher up, in the village of the same name, and from here the ticket is slightly cheaper because you save half of the train journey.

Turistren, the brand of FGC's tourist trains, confirms that parking is free at all three stations. Neither Turistren nor the station publishes the number of spaces, the rules for motorhomes or whether there is a maximum stay, so if you are travelling in a motorhome or with a trailer, ask first at the ticket office or by phone.

Which one to choose

If you want to do the complete journey, which has the most scenery, park at Ribes-Enllaç or Ribes-Vila: the train climbs about a thousand metres in 12.5 km up to Núria's 1,964 m. If you are in a hurry or have small children who get tired of the train, Queralbs shortens the climb and makes the return cheaper: in 2026 it is €31 for an adult from Queralbs against €34 from Ribes.

On the busiest days (summer weekends, long weekends and snow days) the car parks fill up before the trains do. Arriving early and taking one of the first trains is the best way to secure a space below and a seat above.

Tickets and practical tips

The ticket is bought on the Turistren website or at the ticket offices at Ribes-Enllaç, Ribes-Vila and Queralbs. Buying online is not compulsory, but it is recommended, because it lets you reserve the time of your ride up and down and go straight to the platform. The outward and return journeys must be on the same day, and the last train down is set by each day's timetable: check it when you arrive at the top, especially in low season.

Dogs travel free, on a lead and muzzled, and the train and stations are adapted for people with reduced mobility. If you would rather not drive, from Ripoll you can take the Rodalies R3 to Ribes-Enllaç when the line is running normally. To combine the day with something else, the Ripoll tourist office can point you to the rest of the Ripollès.