Cable Car in Montserrat: The Aeri de Montserrat Cable Car
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This page will provide you with the following information about the cable car: the history of the cable car and what the experience of the journey is like, ticket options and prices for travelling on the cable car, where to catch the Aeri de Montserrat and disabled facilities on the service.
Book tickets for your half day tour to Montserrat from Barcelona with return journey
There are two organized tours that save you the time and trouble of organizing your own trip to Montserrat. They include return journey from Barcelona to Montserrat in an air conditioned bus. You can choose either a half day morning tour or half day afternoon tour.
Morning Tour
The History of the Aeri de Montserrat
The cable car from the bottom of Montserrat mountain to Montserrat monastery first started running in 1930. It travels at a speed of 5 metres per second and at a gradient of up to 45%.
What's it like travelling on the cable car to Montserrat?
Taking the cable car to Montserrat is not just a means of transport - it is an experience in its own right. It is worth mentioning that this is a trip that is not for the faint-hearted - you will be travelling 1350 metres up the mountain in a small hanging car! However, if you are not afraid of heights, you should be in for a really exhilarating experience.
The cable car journey lasts exactly five minutes. You will be inside the cable car with approximately 20 other people (this will depend on the time of day - the cable car has a maximum capacity of 35 people, so sometimes there will be more, and sometimes there will be less than 20 people). Your ears will pop, and you will feel a rush of excitement as the car races up the side of the mountain and the ground below drops away.
Whilst you are in the car, take the opportunity to enjoy your surroundings - you will be passing over the River Llobregat, the village of Monistrol and even the famous Santa Cove shrine. On arriving at Montserrat, you will need to walk about 3 minutes up a slope and a set of stairs to reach the heart of Montserrat Monastery.
Ticket options for cable car
The price of your cable car ticket will depend on if you are coming on the train from Barcelona. If this is the case, you are most likely to want to buy a combined ticket. A combined ticket will allow you to travel on the train and then the cable car on one ticket. For full prices, times and ticket options for the combined ticket, see our Guide to getting the train to Montserrat from Barcelona.
If you are getting the train followed by the cable car to Montserrat it is essential that you get off the train at the right stop. This can be confusing as there are two train stops for Montserrat: Montserrat Aeri and Monistrol de Montserrat. Montserrat Aeri is the first of these two stops, and this is where you need to get off to catch the cable car to Montserrat.
It is also possible to buy a ticket that covers only the cable car. This is an option for you if you are driving to Montserrat (for details of how to get from Barcelona to Montserrat by car see our driving instructions page). There is a free car park at the Montserrat Aeri station. See below for the ticket prices for the cable car journey on its own.
Prices of Aeri de Montserrat
Normal ticket:
Single: €8.60
Return: €13.00
Over 60s ticket:
Single: €7.50
Return: €10.80
Children (aged 4 - 13):
Single: €4.50
Return: €6.50
Running times of the Aeri de Montserrat
The running times of the cable car vary depending on what time of year you go to Montserrat. During running hours the cable cars run every 15 minutes.
| Month | Day | Time |
|---|---|---|
| January - February | Monday - Friday | 09:30 - 17:15 |
| Saturday - Sunday | 09:30 - 18:15 | |
| Public Holiday | 09:30 - 18:15 | |
| March - October | Monday - Sunday | 09:30 - 19:00 |
| Public Holiday | 09:30 - 19:00 | |
| November - December | Monday - Friday | 09:30 - 17:15 |
| Saturday - Sunday | 09:30 - 18:15 | |
| Public Holiday | 09:30 - 18:15 |
It is important to remember that if you are catching the train back to Barcelona at the end of your trip to Montserrat, there is only one train per hour (as opposed to cable cars every 15 minutes). Therefore, if you don't want to be waiting at Montserrat Aeri train station for too long, keep an eye on the train times back and catch a cable car that coincides with a train back to Barcelona (see our Barcelona to Montserrat train page for train times).
Where do I catch the cable car?
If you are catching the cable car from the bottom of Montserrat mountain to Montserrat monastery you will need to head to Montserrat Aeri train station. If you are getting the train from Barcelona the train will drop you at the station. If you are coming by car, see the Official Aeri de Montserrat website for driving instructions. Once you have arrived at Aeri de Montserrat you will see the cable car station building directly in front of you.
Map showing the train from Barcelona, cable car up to the mountain (Aeri de Montserrat) and Cremallera de Montserrat.
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Aeri de Montserrat (Montserrat Cable Car) |
Train | Funiculars |
Disabled facilities on the Aeri de Montserrat
Unfortunately, the cable car service has not been adapted to the needs of limited mobility travellers. There is not enough space for wheelchairs in the cable car. There is also a large set of stairs from the cable car station to Montserrat monastery on arriving at the top of the mountain.
If you are travelling to Montserrat by train from Barcelona it is best to opt for the rack railway option if you are a limited mobility traveller. It has been fully adapted - for details see our Barcelona rack railway page.
The Aeri de Montserrat is one of the most exciting ways of getting to Montserrat from the bottom of the mountain.