Trans Montserrat
Adds the metro and lets you choose between the Cremallera and the Aeri cable car. Includes both mountain funiculars but skips the museum.
From €50
See Trans Montserrat →Montserrat Mountain Ticket — The Cultural Day Out from the Monastery Itself
Sold directly by the monastery: train from Barcelona, cog railway up the mountain, museum, audio guide in eight languages, liqueur tasting and a guaranteed time slot for the Throne of the Black Madonna.
- FGC R5 train + Cremallera cog railway, round-trip
- Museum + audio guide in 8 languages (English, German, French and more)
- Pre-booked time slot for the Throne of the Madonna
Free cancellation up to 24h before
Sold by Monestir de Montserrat itself
Instant voucher by email
What's included in the Mountain Ticket
The Mountain Ticket is the monastery's own package: it skips the metro and the Aeri cable car, but adds the full cultural programme on the mountain — museum, audio guide, liqueur tasting and a guaranteed time slot for the Throne of the Madonna.
FGC R5 train, round-trip
Direct train from Plaça Espanya to Monistrol de Montserrat and back. Roughly one hour each way; runs hourly with extra services in the morning.
Cremallera cog railway
The 15-minute seated ride up the mountain. Wheelchair-accessible, panoramic windows. The Aeri cable car is not part of this ticket.
Audiovisual exhibition
Entry to "Montserrat Portes Endins" — the multimedia exhibition on the history of the mountain and the monastery.
Basilica + Throne of the Madonna
Entry to the basilica with a pre-booked time slot for the Throne of the Black Madonna — no queueing at peak times.
Museum of Montserrat
Entry to the museum with 1,300 works including Picasso, Caravaggio, Monet, El Greco, Dalí, Tàpies and Miró. One of Catalonia's most important collections.
Audio guide in 8 languages
A full audio guide for the basilica and the Black Madonna in English, German, French, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, Japanese and Russian.
Liqueur tasting at La Botiga
Try the monastery's own herbal liqueurs at the on-site shop — a small but distinctive touch you won't get with the other tickets.
Map and information brochure
A printed map and brochure to plan your day on the mountain, included with your voucher pickup.
Not included
- Barcelona metro (you'll need a separate metro ticket or T-casual card to reach Plaça Espanya)
- Aeri cable car (the Mountain Ticket uses the Cremallera only)
- Funiculars Sant Joan and Santa Cova (separate tickets on the mountain)
- Food and drink on the mountain
- Escolania boys' choir performance (free to attend, separate ticket recommended for seating)
Why the Mountain Ticket — and who it's for
The Mountain Ticket is offered by the monastery itself, which is why it's slightly different from the Turisme de Barcelona tickets (Trans and Tot). It's built around the cultural visit on top — the museum, the audio guide and the guaranteed entry to the Throne — rather than maximum transport flexibility.
Good fit if you...
- are staying near Plaça Espanya (or don't mind buying a metro ticket separately)
- want the audio guide in your own language — eight options including German, French, Dutch, Japanese and Russian
- want a guaranteed time slot for the Throne of the Madonna instead of waiting in line
- enjoy small cultural extras like the herbal liqueur tasting at the monastery shop
Pick a different ticket if you...
- want the metro included (choose Trans or Tot Montserrat instead)
- want to ride the Aeri cable car (Mountain only covers the Cremallera; the Aeri is sold separately)
- want unlimited rides on the Sant Joan and Santa Cova funiculars (covered by Trans and Tot)
- want a sit-down lunch at the monastery buffet (covered by Tot only)
How it works — step by step
Pick your travel day and book online. Your voucher arrives by email — and you'll choose your time slot for the Throne of the Madonna during checkout.
Go to the FGC counter at the Plaça Espanya station — that's where the R5 train leaves from. Open daily 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Show your voucher and you'll get printed tickets for the train and the cog railway, plus your audio guide and brochure.
Board the R5 towards Manresa and get off at Monistrol de Montserrat (the Cremallera stop). Do not get off one stop earlier at Aeri de Montserrat — the cable car is not part of this ticket. Do not get off at Olesa de Montserrat — that's a different line.
Visit the basilica at your time slot, see the museum, watch the Portes Endins exhibition, try the liqueurs at La Botiga, then take the same tickets back to Barcelona.
Morning trains from Plaça Espanya (Mon–Fri)
Aim for an early train — the FGC counter at Plaça Espanya closes at 2:00 PM, so you'll want to pick up your tickets and be on your way well before then.
| Plaça Espanya | Monistrol de Montserrat |
|---|---|
| 08:36 | 09:41 |
| 09:36 | 10:41 |
| 10:36 | 11:41 |
| 11:36 | 12:41 |
| 12:36 | 13:41 |
| 13:36 | 14:41 |
A relaxed day on Montserrat
One sample itinerary that uses everything the Mountain Ticket covers — the Throne, the museum, the audio guide and a stop at the liqueur shop.
- 8:00 AM Pick up your tickets at the FGC counter at Plaça Espanya station. The counter is open from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
- 8:36 AM FGC R5 from Plaça Espanya towards Manresa. Get off at Monistrol de Montserrat.
- 9:45 AM Cremallera cog railway up to the monastery. Pause for a coffee and your first view of the sandstone peaks.
- 10:00 AM Visit the basilica and the audiovisual exhibition. The Throne of the Black Madonna closes between 10:30 AM and 12:00 noon, so plan your time slot before or after that window.
- 12:00 PM Time slot at the Throne of the Black Madonna. No queue — your spot is reserved.
- 12:30 PM Lunch at one of the cafés near the monastery square or bring a picnic.
- 1:30 PM Visit the Museum of Montserrat — Caravaggio, Picasso, Dalí, the archaeological wing. Plan around an hour.
- 3:00 PM Stop at La Botiga for the liqueur tasting — try the monastery's herbal blends.
- 3:30 PM Optional walk to the Sant Joan funicular (separate ticket) or quiet time at the basilica.
- 4:30 PM Cremallera back to Monistrol.
- 4:41 / 5:41 PM R5 back to Barcelona Plaça Espanya. You're back in town for the evening.
Ready to book?
Reserve now, pay later. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
What travellers say about the Mountain Ticket
4.3
·
274
reviews
★★★★★
Easy access to Montserrat with the audio guide. Very impressive, a great experience for the whole family. Being able to skip the queue at the Throne was a real bonus.
★★★★★
Good value when you factor in the museum and the audio guide. The Cremallera ride was spectacular. Just keep an eye on the time — the FGC counter closes earlier than the other tickets.
★★★★★
Loved the audio guide in our own language. The museum was a highlight, and the liqueur tasting was a nice unexpected touch. Felt like a real cultural day out, not just a transport ticket.
A few things worth knowing
- The FGC counter at Plaça Espanya closes at 2:00 PM — earlier than the Trans/Tot pickup point at Plaça de Catalunya. Pick up your tickets early in the day.
- The Mountain Ticket uses the Cremallera (cog railway) only — there is no Aeri cable car option. Get off at Monistrol de Montserrat, not at Aeri.
- The Throne of the Black Madonna closes between 10:30 AM and 12:00 noon. When you book, choose a time slot before or after that window.
- There's no metro included. If you're staying further from Plaça Espanya, plan a separate metro ticket or a T-casual card.
Mountain Ticket — frequently asked questions
They're built differently. Trans Montserrat is built around transport flexibility — it includes the Barcelona metro, lets you pick between the Cremallera and the Aeri cable car, and gives you unlimited rides on the Sant Joan and Santa Cova funiculars. The Mountain Ticket skips all of that and instead adds a museum entry, an audio guide in eight languages, a pre-booked time slot for the Throne of the Madonna and a liqueur tasting. Pick Mountain if you're focused on the cultural visit; pick Trans if you want flexible transport and the views from the funiculars.
At the FGC counter at Plaça Espanya station — that's the same station the R5 train leaves from. Open daily 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. This is different from the Trans/Tot Montserrat tickets, which are picked up at the Tourist Information at Plaça de Catalunya. Don't go to Plaça de Catalunya with this ticket.
No. The Mountain Ticket includes the Cremallera (cog railway) only — get off the R5 at Monistrol de Montserrat. If you want the Aeri cable car, you'll need a separate Aeri ticket, or pick the Trans or Tot Montserrat ticket where you can choose between the two.
The audio guide is available in English, German, French, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, Japanese and Russian — eight languages in total. It covers the basilica and the Throne of the Black Madonna.
You pick your entry time for the Throne of the Black Madonna during checkout. Show up at that time and you skip the line — instead of waiting up to 30 to 40 minutes at peak hours, you walk straight to the Throne. The Throne is closed between 10:30 AM and 12:00 noon, so choose a slot before or after that window.
No — only the Tot Montserrat ticket includes the lunch buffet at the monastery restaurant. With the Mountain Ticket you bring your own food or eat at one of the cafés on the mountain.
Yes. Cancellations up to 24 hours before your booked time are fully refunded.
Plan for a full day. Travel time from central Barcelona to the monastery is about 1.5 hours each way, including the train and the cog railway. Most visitors spend 4 to 6 hours on the mountain — enough for the basilica, the time slot at the Throne, the audiovisual exhibition, the museum and the liqueur tasting at La Botiga.
Looking for something slightly different?
Tot Montserrat
The full all-inclusive day: everything Trans covers plus the museum and a Catalan lunch buffet at the monastery.
From €71.50
See Tot Montserrat →Museum & Monastery Ticket
Just the on-site visit — museum, basilica, Throne of the Madonna and the audiovisual exhibition. No transport included. For travellers who are already at the mountain.
From €23
See Museum Ticket →Ready for your day on Montserrat?
Book your Mountain Ticket and get the train, the cog railway, the museum, the audio guide and a guaranteed slot at the Throne — straight from the monastery itself. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Book Mountain Ticket