Trans Montserrat
Round-trip metro, train, your choice of Cremallera or Aeri, both mountain funiculars and the basilica. The default for train travelers.
From €50
See Trans Montserrat →How to get to Montserrat from Barcelona — every option compared
The monastery sits 50 kilometres northwest of Barcelona. Three ways to get there: the FGC R5 train, your own car, or an organised tour with everything bundled. Here is which one fits which traveler.
- R5 train + Cremallera or Aeri: 90 minutes, simple, cheap
- Own car: faster, but the cable car or cog railway still needed at the top
- Organised tour: everything pre-booked, voucher in Barcelona, no planning
Timetable updated June 2026
Based on FGC and TMB data
Pickpocket warning included
Three ways to get to Montserrat — pick yours
Each option has a different sweet spot. Travelers with a tight budget go by train; travelers with luggage or kids often drive; travelers who hate planning take the organised tour.
FGC R5 train + Cremallera or Aeri
- Travel time: About 90 minutes door to monastery — 60 minutes on the R5, then 5 to 15 minutes up.
- Cost (round trip): About 25 to 60 EUR per adult, depending on the combined ticket you pick.
- Effort: Low. One train, one change at the foot of the mountain, no driving stress.
- Best for: Solo travelers, couples, anyone without a car. The default for first visits.
Driving yourself
- Travel time: About 50 to 70 minutes from central Barcelona to the upper parking, depending on traffic.
- Cost (round trip): Fuel and toll plus 6.50 EUR upper parking. Car rental from 35 EUR a day if you do not already have one.
- Effort: Medium. The mountain road is narrow, and at peak hours the upper parking fills up. The cable car or cog railway is still needed if you park at the bottom.
- Best for: Families with kids, travelers carrying luggage, anyone visiting nearby Sitges or the Penedès on the same trip.
Organised tour from Barcelona
- Travel time: About 8 to 10 hours total, including the pickup, the ride out and the visit on the mountain.
- Cost (round trip): About 56 to 90 EUR per adult. Often includes a guide, a tasting or a lunch.
- Effort: Lowest. Pickup in Barcelona, voucher already in hand, every transfer pre-booked.
- Best for: Travelers who hate planning, first-time visitors who want context, and anyone short on time.
R5 train timetable from Plaça Espanya
The R5 leaves Plaça Espanya hourly, with extra services in the late morning. Pick the 8:36 or 9:36 to reach the mountain before the crowds. The trip to the foot takes about 60 minutes.
| Plaça Espanya | Aeri stop | Monistrol stop |
|---|---|---|
| 08:36 | 09:37 | 09:41 |
| 09:36 | 10:37 | 10:41 |
| 10:36 | 11:37 | 11:41 |
| 11:36 | 12:37 | 12:41 |
| 12:36 | 13:37 | 13:41 |
| 13:36 | 14:37 | 14:41 |
| 14:36 | 15:37 | 15:41 |
| 15:56 | 16:57 | 17:01 |
| 16:36 | 17:37 | 17:41 |
Return trains run roughly every hour, with the last service around 22:41 from Monistrol.
Add 5 to 15 minutes for the Cremallera or Aeri ride at the top — plan your return accordingly.
Step by step — Plaça Espanya to the R5 platform
Plaça Espanya is on three lines: the red L1, the green L3 and the L8. From central Barcelona it is two to four stops.
The Montserrat train is FGC, not Renfe. Look for the orange FGC logo — different platforms, different signs, different ticket gates.
If you booked through the official FGC site, you collect the voucher here. If you booked through GetYourGuide, collect at the Tourist Information at Plaça Catalunya before you take the metro.
The R5 leaves from the lower FGC concourse. Departure boards list the line and the final destination Manresa. Wait at the marked R5 spot, not on the R6 platform.
There are three Montserrat-related stops on the way. Aeri de Montserrat for the cable car, Monistrol de Montserrat for the cog railway. Do not get off at Olesa.
Three R5 stops — only two reach the monastery
The R5 line passes three stops with "Montserrat" in the name. Travelers confuse them every week. Here is which is which.
- Olesa de Montserrat: do not get off here. It has its own small cable car but it does not lead to the monastery.
- Aeri de Montserrat: get off here for the cable car. Valley station is right next to the platform.
- Monistrol de Montserrat: get off here for the cog railway. The Cremallera waits across the platform.
Heads-up before you travel
- Plaça Espanya station is a known pickpocket spot. Keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket or a zipped bag, especially around the FGC ticket machines and on the platform.
- If you booked the Trans or Tot Montserrat through GetYourGuide, you collect the voucher at Plaça Catalunya Tourist Information, not at Plaça Espanya. Picking it up the evening before saves you 30 to 50 minutes the next morning.
- Be at the platform 15 to 20 minutes early. The R5 fills up at the morning departures and you want a seat for the 60-minute ride.
- The return trains are full in the late afternoon. If you want a seat, take a slightly earlier departure rather than the 17:41.
Driving yourself to Montserrat
The drive is straightforward: 50 to 70 minutes from central Barcelona, mostly motorway. Three things to know before you set off.
Two routes — A2 or N-II
The A2 motorway is faster but has a small toll. The free N-II takes 15 to 20 minutes longer and is more scenic. Sat-nav defaults to the A2.
Mountain road is narrow — drive slowly
The last 15 kilometres climb the mountain in tight switchbacks. Tour buses use the same road, so expect tight passing and the occasional bottleneck.
Upper parking fills up by 10:30 AM
The 6.50 EUR upper parking has fewer than 400 spots. Arrive before 10:30 AM or park at the bottom and take the Cremallera or Aeri up.
You still need the cable car or cog railway
If the upper parking is full, you park at Monistrol or at Aeri valley station and take the Cremallera or Aeri up — same as train travelers. Standalone tickets are sold on site.
Getting to Montserrat — frequently asked questions
The R5 train plus a standalone Cremallera or Aeri ticket bought on site — about 20 to 25 EUR round trip per adult. A combined Trans Montserrat ticket through GetYourGuide is slightly more but bundles the train, the cable car or cog railway, both funiculars and the basilica into one voucher.
About 90 minutes door to monastery by train: 60 minutes on the R5, then 5 minutes on the Aeri or 15 minutes on the Cremallera. By car it is 50 to 70 minutes plus the same 5 to 15 minute climb up the mountain.
At Plaça Espanya station, on the FGC concourse. Follow the orange FGC signs, not the Renfe signs. The R5 platform is on the lower level — look for the destination Manresa on the departure board.
Yes. The train ride is safe and well-policed. The risk is the Plaça Espanya station itself, especially around the FGC ticket machines and the metro platforms — pickpockets work the morning rush. Keep your phone and wallet in a zipped pocket or a bag in front of you.
Take the Aerobus or the R2 Nord train to central Barcelona, then continue with the FGC R5 from Plaça Espanya as above. Allow at least 2 hours from the airport to the monastery. If you arrive late, take a taxi to your hotel and start the Montserrat trip the next morning.
Yes — most travelers do. The classic day takes the 8:36 or 9:36 R5 from Plaça Espanya, spends 4 to 6 hours on the mountain, and returns by 18:00. The Tot Montserrat ticket bundles everything including lunch at the monastery.
No regular public bus. The cheapest direct option is an organised day tour, which doubles as a shuttle. If you prefer the train, the R5 is faster and runs every hour.
Combined tickets — train, ride up and monastery in one voucher
Tot Montserrat
Everything Trans covers, plus the museum and a Catalan lunch buffet at the monastery. The full day in one voucher.
From €71.50
See Tot Montserrat →Mountain Ticket
Train plus Cremallera plus both funiculars at the top — without the basilica fast-track. Cremallera only.
From €46.70
See Mountain Ticket →Want every transfer pre-booked? Pick Trans Montserrat
One voucher covers the metro, the R5, the ride up the mountain, both funiculars and the basilica. No queueing at FGC machines, no separate Cremallera tickets, no pickpocket risk at the Espanya ticket counter. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Book Trans Montserrat