Day trip Barcelona to Montserrat

We stayed overnight but it was very easy just via train ( it's a commuter line) if you don't want a tour. I remember the RS book had info but also the online website explains which stop(s) to use depending if you want the funicular.

We had a very bad experience using Viator, so I would suggest you stay away from their tour from Barcelona to Monserrat.

As recently as last spring, tour buses depart and arrive in front of the Deutsche Bank on the southern side of Placa de Catalunya. I do not recall the cost, but it was a round trip and a tour guide. A nice cafeteria style lunch can be found on the top floor of the Corte Ingles department store, located a two minute walk from the tour departure point. When we were there, reservations were not necessary. There are probably many other options, and, frankly, a tour guide is not needed. Next time, I'd take the train....it looks like a fun ride.

We did a tour with Castlexperience Winetours
(castlexperience.com) that included a half day at Montserrat and a half day winery visit.
We really enjoyed it and the guides were great.

No tour needed. We did this on our own by train. It took a couple of hours to get there, but was well worth it. After seeing the monastery, we found a trail and went on a very easy hike and discovered some very beautiful views. Took the trains back to Barcelona. No worries.

It is easy to do on your own. We did. It is well detailed in Rick's guidebook. Couple of points, buy the train tickets the night before. We showed up fairly early in the morning at the station but the lines were massive. Took over an hour to buy the train ticket. It can be an all day adventure with lots of hiking trails on top so plan accordingly. But it is well worth it.

With regard to the Viator comment up thread. Viator is a consolidator or third party seller of tours. The bad experience comment was with the tour company and not Viator. Viator just sold the ticket.

You really do not need a guide to see Montserrat. We followed the outline in Rick’s Guide Book and did it ourselves. We bought a combo train and cable car ticket at the Pl. Espanya station. Took the R5 train to the Montserrat-Aeri station and the Cable car from the station to Montserrat. You can buy the combo ticket at the machines in the station.

Doing my research for our trip in September 2020. This will be my first time to Spain.
What train station did you take the train from? I am guessing there is only one train station:
Barcelona-Sant?

*Reply from Ed:
"Took the R5 train to the Montserrat-Aeri station and the Cable car from the station to Montserrat. You can buy the combo ticket at the machines in the station."*

No, Espanya station (41.374708, 2.148463). This is a train line from a different company, called FGC (run by the Catalan government)

For more info on Montserrat see an old post of mine: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/spain/a-visit-to-montserrat-the-holy-mountain-near-barcelona-in-catalonia

The train starts at the Plaça d'Espanya station. The train number is the R5, commences at that station and terminates in Manresa Baixador, then reverses course. You need to get off at Aeri de Montserrat if you do the cable car route. There is a different stop for the rack rail route. We did the cable car both directions.

Another suggestion --- IF you do the cable car (we did - great views) both ways, at the end of the day the train car coming from the Montserrat stop will be packed and maybe hard to get on at the cable car stop. So when the trains stops going to Montserrat (and nearly empty) get on and ride it to the next stop so that you have secured a seat for the return to Barcelona. We did not and it was standing room only on the return for us.