42.30° N · 2.17° E · Ripoll
The only way to reach the Vall de Núria, at almost 2,000 metres, is this rack railway that leaves from Ribes de Freser, a quarter of an hour from Ripoll. It covers 12.5 km and a 1,000-metre climb in about 40 minutes. At the top you will find the sanctuary and the Coma del Clot cable car, both included in the ticket.
Part of RipollCatalan Pre-PyreneesPyreneesScenic train journeys in Spain
Who offers it
Independent companies: you book with them, on their terms. Prices are as they publish them and may change.
Step by step
Park for free at Ribes-Enllaç station, or get off the R3 train, and board the rack railway with your ticket already bought.
Stops at Ribes-Vila and Queralbs, then on up to Núria, at 1,964 m.
The basilica, the exhibitions and the Coma del Clot cable car, all on the same ticket.
Last train down according to the day's timetable: check it when you arrive at the top.
From Ripoll, the most complete excursion in the Ripollès fits into a day and needs no car beyond Ribes de Freser.
For more than ninety years the Núria Rack Railway has been the only way into the Vall de Núria, a mountain resort in the municipality of Queralbs, in the eastern Pyrenees. The train leaves from Ribes-Enllaç, stops at Ribes-Vila and Queralbs and ends at Núria, at 1,964 metres. Along the way the track climbs a thousand metres in 12.5 km, and at the end the valley opens up around the sanctuary.
The good thing is that the ticket is not just the train. It includes one ride on the Coma del Clot cable car, entry to the Núria basilica, the exhibitions on the history of the rack railway and of snow, and the audiovisual show at the interpretation centre. On Saturdays and Sundays some trains stop with a guide at Fontalba, a viewpoint over the valley.
Almost everyone. Children under 4 travel free and children aged 4 to 13 have their own fare. The train does the hard work: at the top you can stay around the sanctuary and the exhibitions or head out on one of the hiking routes the resort offers. Dogs travel free, on a lead and muzzled; if you do not have a muzzle, you can buy one at the ticket office for €5.
By car it is 14 km along the N-260 to Ribes de Freser, about 16 minutes. There is free parking for customers at the Ribes-Enllaç, Ribes-Vila and Queralbs stations. Ribes-Enllaç is also the interchange stop with the Rodalies R3 line, so you can also get there by train from Ripoll when the line is running normally. If you want to skip half of the rack railway journey, go up from Queralbs: the ticket is a little cheaper.
The rack railway runs all year. From spring to autumn is walking season; in winter Núria works as a ski and mountain resort. Before you go, check the timetable finder on the website: in low season there are days with fewer trains.
In 2026, the Ribes – Núria return costs €34 for adults aged 14 to 64, €22 for children aged 4 to 13 and €29 for over-65s. From Queralbs, €31, €20 and €25. Single from Ribes, €23.50 for an adult. The outward and return journeys must be on the same day. Large families and single-parent families get a 20% or 50% discount depending on their category. Buying online is compulsory to guarantee your place.
Who it's for
You want to see high mountains without a long hike, you are travelling with children or grandparents, or you like trains.
You are after a day of complete solitude on a summer weekend, or you do not like depending on a train timetable.
What to bring
More to do
Itineraries
Tips
The Queralbs – Núria stretch is the most spectacular and the ticket is cheaper.
Mas el Mir, the eco-hotel in Ripoll, offers it in summer, for four people or more, with a 4x4 to Fontalba, at 2,000 m, and the descent on the rack railway included.
The return depends on the last train of the day, which changes with the season.
Questions
In 2026, €34 return from Ribes for an adult, €22 for children aged 4 to 13 and free for under-4s. From Queralbs, €31.
The train, one ride on the Coma del Clot cable car, the basilica, the exhibitions and the audio guide.
About 40 minutes from Ribes to Núria, for 12.5 km and a 1,000 m climb.
Yes, free, on a lead and muzzled.
Yes. In low season there are fewer trains: check the timetable finder.
Yes, the Turistren website requires online purchase to guarantee your place.
Geocaliahttps://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/ripoll/things-to-do/nuria-rack-railway
