How to Get to Montserrat from Barcelona (2026 Train Guide)

⚡️ Quick Summary

• 🚇 Transport: Take the FGC R5 train from Plaça d'Espanya, then connect to the cable car or rack railway at the mountain base.
• 💶 Cost: The R5 train to the mountain base costs €6.90 per direction (train only, Aeri/Cremallera not included). Bundled cards that cover the full trip run from €50.00 (Trans Montserrat) to €71.50 (Tot Montserrat).*
• 🕒 Total travel time: 1 hour 45 minutes each way.
• 📅 Updated: February 2026—post-Millennium season, new entry fees in effect.

Prices are accurate as of February 2026.

✅ Before You Start

• Book your basilica timed entry—mandatory for non-residents, costs €8.00—at montserratvisita.com.
• Book a Black Madonna slot—these run in strict 15-minute windows; book at least 72 hours ahead.
• Buy your ticket at the yellow machines—Apple Pay does not work at the FGC gates.
• Exchange any online voucher before 14:00—the staffed redemption desk at Plaça d'Espanya closes at midday.
• Bring a scarf or jacket to cover shoulders and knees for the basilica.

We made the mistake of getting off at Barcelona-Sants the first time. It felt logical—Sants is the city's main rail hub for regional trains—but the R5 to Montserrat is a separate FGC commuter line that only departs from Plaça d'Espanya. Sants is only two stops back on the L3, so it's not a disaster—but if it means missing your target R5 departure, that's a one-hour wait on an hourly service.

Why the R5 Train Is the Best Way

Two direct options exist for getting to Montserrat from Barcelona:

Autocares Julià bus

Departs Sants Coach Station (Carrer Viriat) at 09:15.It is the only direct option that drives you all the way to the Monastery level (the top)in about 75 minutes, skipping the cable car/rack railway. But there is only asingle daily return at 17:00(winter schedule).

If the Black Madonna queue runs long or you want the 15:15Lux Splendensshow followed by a walk, you risk missing the only bus back and will have to pay extra for the Cremallera and R5 train anyway.

FGC R5 Train

TheR5 (Direction: Manresa-Baixador)is your target. It runsonce per hour, typically departing Plaça d'Espanya at:36past the hour (08:36, 09:36, etc.).

• Only board the train clearly marked Manresa.  You will see other trains (like the S4 or R5/R6 short runs) that terminate at Martorell-Enllaç. Do not take these; they do not go far enough to reach the mountain base.
• On weekend mornings, you might see an R50 train. This is a “fast” version of the R5 that skips several minor stops. If you see it, take it. It’s the same price and will save you about 10 minutes.

The bus works for a simple in-and-out. The R5 works for the whole day.

How to: Step-by-Step

Step 1: Get to Plaça d'Espanya—not Sants

Trains to Montserrat leave exclusively from the FGC station at Plaça d'Espanya. Take theL3 (Green Line) towards Zona Universitàriaand get off at Espanya. Sit in thevery front carof the metro—when the doors open, the staircase leading directly to the FGC transfer gates will be right in front of you.

Once through the exit, look for thegreen FGC signson the ceiling. You're following the ones marked for Manresa or Montserrat, not the Rodalies signs for regional trains to the rest of Spain.

Step 2: Buy Your Ticket at the Yellow Machines

The R5 is operated by FGC, which uses a ticketing system separate from the main metro. Thebright yellow FGC machinesare just before the glass turnstiles. Select your language with the flag icon in the top right corner.

⚠️ Just be sure toskip the red TMB machinesat the main metro entrance and go straight down into the FGC designated area.

Your ticket options in 2026:

Buy at Plaça d'Espanya (R5 train or bundled cards)

⚠️ Heads up: if you bought online and received a voucher, select“Voucher Exchange”at the machine to print a physical card. The staffed exchange desk at Plaça d'Espanya closes at14:00 daily.

If you arrive after that, you'll need to go to thePlaça Catalunya Tourism Office, which stays open until 20:30—or pick up your card there the day before.

Buy at the mountain base (Aeri and Cremallera stations).

You can buy these at the Aeri and Cremallera stations, but I strongly recommend buying yourAeri ticket onlinebeforehand so you can skip the queue at the base.

💡 If you want to go up by cable car and come back down via the rack railway (two completely different views of the mountain) buy the R5 train separately and pay for a one-way Aeri (€10.00) and a one-way Cremallera (€9.00) at each station. Rather than a Trans Montserrat card locked to one route.

Step 3: Board the R5 (Direction: Manresa-Baixador)

Check the departure screens for R5—DirectionManresa-Baixador. The target is the 08:36 departure; it puts you at the mountain base by about 09:40, ahead of the cable car queues that build up after 10:30.

We took the 08:36 on our last visit and were back in Barcelona by 19:30, with enough time for the Sant Joan hike and the Black Madonna.

Sit on theleft sideof the carriage. About 40 minutes into the ride, the Llobregat valley opens up, and the serrated peaks of Montserrat come into full view on that side. Hold onto your ticket, as inspectors check nearly every trip.

💡 The R5 runsonce per hour, not every 20 minutes. That 20-minute figure refers to the Cremallera rack railway frequency at the mountain, not the R5 departure interval from Barcelona. A missed train means a minimum one-hour wait, which can cascade into a missed timed-entry slot at the Basilica.

Step 4: Choose How to Get Up the Mountain

The R5 stops at two different stations at the mountain base—which one you get off at depends on how you want to reach the monastery.

Go up by cable car (Aeri de Montserrat)

Get off at theMontserrat-Aeristop. The ride takes5 minutesand rises roughly500 metersin a standing-only cabin. In February 2026, weekday service runs from09:30 to 17:15.

Each cabin holds35 passengers, so queues build fast—arriving on the 08:36 train puts you there before the first peak. The Aeri isnot wheelchair accessibleand doesn't accommodate large strollers; use the Cremallera instead.

Take this if:You want the fastest ascent, it's not a windy day, and you have no mobility or stroller requirements.

Go up by rack railway (Cremallera de Montserrat)

Get off one stop later atMonistrol de Montserrat. The ride takes15 to 20 minuteson modern panoramic cars with floor-to-ceiling windows. It's fully accessible and significantly more stable during high-wind days, which can cause the cable car to suspend service without warning.

On the return trip, sit on theright sideof the carriage for the best views of the rock formations on the descent. There's also a practical boarding advantage: because the Cremallera arrives at Monistrol station before the R5 continues to the Aeri stop on its way back to Barcelona, you board the return train before the cable car crowd can get on. On busy days, that's the difference between a seat and a 70-minute standing commute.

Take this if:You have accessibility needs, a stroller, or it's a windy day. Also the smarter choice for the return trip—you'll board the R5 before the Aeri crowd.

What's Changed in 2026

The basilica is no longer free for tourists. Since May 2023, an€8.00 entry feehas been mandatory for all non-residents to manage capacity.

• Residents: If you reside in Catalonia, Spain, or the EU, entry is free. You simply present your official ID (DNI/NIE) at the entrance. You can reserve at abadiamontserrat.cat. Note that this exemption applies to independent visitors only, not organized group tours.
• Non-Residents: Must book a timed entry slot in advance at montserratvisita.com.

The Black Madonna has strict 15-minute entry windows.Access to La Moreneta (the Black Madonna statue) in the Cambril chapel runs on timed slots throughout the day. The slots close completely during the 11:00 Conventual Mass. If your booking overlaps with that service, staff will hold you at the gate until the Mass ends. By 14:30, tour groups arrive, and queues extend significantly. Book an early-morning or early-afternoon slot to avoid both.

The Santa Cova funicular is closed on weekdays throughout February.Maintenance runs every weekday from February 3–28.

• Closed: all weekdays
• Open: weekends only—1st, 2nd, 22nd, and 23rd
• Alternative: Camí del Rosari path—2.7 km walk, 118 meters of descent and ascent, add 1 extra hour

The Sant Joan funicular is fully operational.Its own maintenance cycle finished on January 29, so it's running normally through the rest of February.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

Take the Sant Joan funicular up, and walk down.The funicular costs€11.50 returnand departs from the monastery level. Ride to the1,000-meter upper station, then follow the gravel path through Miranda de Sant Joan back down. You get the elevation and the views with almost no uphill effort. The descent trail passes the rock formations at eye level.

• Find the Creu de Sant Miquel detour. On the way down, look for a small path branching left, about 15 minutes before the monastery. That viewpoint frames the whole complex against the peaks in a way you won't see from anywhere else. Continue past it to the Mirador dels Apòstols near the cafeteria for the stairway sculpture overlook.
• Buy water before you board. Pick up a 1.5L bottle at the supermarket in Plaça d'Espanya. Water at the top costs over €4 per bottle.

⚠️ On dates like22 February 2026, mega-ships like theMSC Orchestradock in Barcelona with over 2,500 passengers, and organized tours flood the mountain.
On heavy port days, expect Aeri congestion between 10:00 and 11:30. The 08:36 train gets you there before that window, or you can arrive after 12:00 when the first wave clears.

Sample Day: The 08:36 Departure

The 08:36 R5 gives you a full day and enough time for the Sant Joan hike, the Black Madonna, and the 15:15 Lux Splendens show, with a return to Barcelona by 19:30.

💡 R5 departures are always at:36past the hour. If you miss the 08:36, the next is 09:36—but you'll lose the early Aeri window and may hit the 14:30 tour group wave at the Black Madonna.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly are the ticket machines?They are in the main FGC hall at Plaça d'Espanya, immediately before the glass turnstiles, not on the metro concourse one level above.

Is the basilica free to enter?For residents of Catalonia, Spain, and the EU, yes. But only for independent visitors, not organized group tours. For everyone else, entry costs€8.00and requires a timed-entry booking at montserratvisita.com before you arrive.

Does the R5 run every 20 minutes?No. In 2026, the R5 to Montserrat runsonce per hour. Plan around that before you leave.

What if I can't exchange my voucher at Plaça d'Espanya?Go to thePlaça Catalunya Tourism Office(open 08:30–20:30 daily). It's the best fallback for afternoon or day-before pickup.

Does the R5 run on weekends?Yes, every hour including Sundays. Check the FGC app or turistren.cat before you go for any seasonal changes.

The trip is simpler than it looks once you're on the right platform. The two things most likely to derail the day are forgetting to book the Basilica in advance and missing the 14:00 voucher exchange cutoff. Get those two done before you leave the city, aim for the 08:36 train, and sit on the left.