Montserrat Rack Railway: Cremallera de Montserrat
The Montserrat rack railway is a scenic way to get to the top of Montserrat Mountain and a wonderful experience in and of itself.
If you are not planning to drive right up to the monastery, there are multiple ways to get from the base of the mountain at Montserrat to the monastery at the top: the Montserrat rack railway, the Montserrat cable car, or even hiking!
The Cremallera de Montserrat rack railway is a public transport option, a cogwheel train that offers spectacular views as it travels 600 meters (just under 1,970 feet) up the mountain.
The ride from the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat train station in Monistrol de Montserrat to Montserrat Monastery covers 5 kilometers (about 3.11 miles) and takes 15 minutes.
Operational since 1892, the Montserrat Rack Railway went through a rough patch after an accident in the 1950s, and was closed for much of the latter half of the 20th century.
The Montserrat rack railway was modernized and re-opened in 2003. Today it is a popular way to get to Montserrat Monastery from Monistrol de Montserrat.
The ride on the cogwheel train up and down Montserrat Mountain offers spectacular views of the landscape. Expansive windows allow you to take in the views.
You’ll pass tunnels and bridges en route, and you can admire the massive mountain as you make your way up.
Ticket Options for the Cremallera Montserrat Rack Railway
Want to take the train from Barcelona? You can buy a combined ticket that covers both the train journey and the rack railway. Buying the combined ticket is a little less expensive than buying the train and the rack railway individually.
The ToT Montserrat ticket is an efficient overall bundled ticket that combines the return train journey from Barcelona, plus round trip cable car or rack railway, the funicular, entry to the Museo de Montserrat and the buffet lunch at the top of the mountain.
>> Check price and availability for the Tot Montserrat ticket now!
Looking for just a transport bundled ticket for Montserrat? The Trans Montserrat ticket includes the round trip train journey between Barcelona and Monistrol de Montserrat, round trip rack railway or cable car, and the Montserrat funicular.
>> Check price and availability for the Trans Montserrat ticket now!
You can buy the Tot Montserrat ticket (or other type of train ticket for Montserrat) at a ticketing machine at the Plaça España station in Barcelona.
You can also buy a Cremallera Montserrat Rack Railway ticket on its own if you have a rental car and plan to drive to the bottom of Montserrat Mountain. You can park your car at no charge at the Cremallera de Monistrol Vila Rack Railway station.
Buy either a return trip rack railway ticket or a one-way ticket here.
Montserrat Rack Railway Ticket Prices
The general adult fare for the Cremallera Montserrat Rack Railway is 8,70€ one way and 14,50€ round trip.
Kids 4 to 13 years old are charged 4,35€ one way and 7,25€ round trip. Kids under 4 ride free.
Travelers 65 and older pay a discounted rate of 7,80€ one way and 13,00€ round trip.
Cremallera Rack Railway Montserrat Schedule
The Montserrat Rack Railway operates year round, and the schedule varies by season.
During the high season, trains operate from 8.35 a.m. until 7.15 p.m., with trains running every 20 minutes to one hour.
During the low season, trains operate from 8.35 a.m. until 5.15 p.m., with trains running every 30 minutes to one hour.
There may be special schedules on holidays like Christmas, so check ahead of time if you plan to visit on such days.
Guided Tours with Montserrat Cog Railway
Want to leave the logistics to someone else?
This highly-rated guided tour from Barcelona includes the train journey both ways, the Aeri de Montserrat cable car on the way up and the Cremallera cogwheel train on the way down, plus a guided tour at the top with priority access.
>> Check price and availability for this Monterrat Monastery guided tour now!
Or you can choose this popular guided tour, which allows you to ride the rack railway up and down, plus coach transport from Barcelona and the Black Madonna viewing slot.
>> Check price and availability for this Montserrat Monastery tour now!
Things to know about riding the Montserrat Rack Railway
- If you plan to travel by train from Barcelona to Montserrat, alight at the Monistrol de Montserrat station, from where you can catch the rack railway to the top. Usually, there is a rack railway departure that coincides with the arrival of the train from Barcelona.
- If you plan to travel by car from Barcelona, park in the free car park at the Monistrol Vila station and then take the rack railway to the top of the mountain.
- Although the Cremallera Rack Railway is sometimes confusingly called the Montserrat Funicular, note that the cogwheel train or rack railway is distinct from the two funiculars that you can take at the top of Montserrat Mountain: the Sant Joan Funicular and the Santa Cova Funicular.
Planning a trip to the historic mountaintop abbey? Bookmark our Montserrat Monastery website for the complete rundown on visiting Montserrat!
And if you’re just starting to plan your visit to Barcelona, check out the some of the top day trips from Barcelona, which you absolutely don’t want to miss!
Visiting Barcelona? Consider the Barcelona Pass: it includes La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, the Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus, and discounts on other attractions. It is the best value and most well-reviewed tourist pass for the city! Buy your Barcelona Pass now!