We will be traveling to Barcelona in mid March. We were thinking we’d arrange our own day trip to Montserrat so we have time to do a couple hikes. Is it best to go on the first train of the day? Are there long lines for the gondola? Any recommendations? Thanks so much!
Posted by
Chicago
1398 posts
I was there mid-March 2024.
I took an early train. I don't know if that is "the first" train you are considering, but as I recall, it was somewhere between 8 - 9 AM.
I took the cog railway, not the gondola, both ways. (not a gondola fan.....) Most people seemed to depart the train at the gondola station, I suspect there are lines given all the departures, but don't know how fast they move. When I was ready to leave, I walked past the descending gondola - that wasn't busy at the time I walked by, probably mid-afternoon. (Obviously, a one off observation is not definitive!)
I did some hiking. As for recommendations, I thought I had studied where to find trails and info, but once there, I was quite confused. Much of what I had read said that there were signposts - I failed to find them. (that could well be me - others may say signs are obvious) If I ever returned again, I would make sure I had studied some online maps and info so I felt better acquainted with the area. There is a tourist office - I went there for help. They were helpful, but there was a long line and I was tired out by the time I understood things better.
The train is about 2 hours one way as I recall. It is slow with lots of stops. I didn't manage my energy levels very well - after leaving the hotel early to get to the station, then the long slog train ride, I was burned out by the time I arrived. Sadly, I didn't enjoy my time as much as I'd expected to - I'm not sure if that is "advice", but just personal commentary. Despite my unexpected reaction, I wouldn't discourage anyone from going - I hope you have a great time.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
1450 posts
nancygore1959
It is very easy to buy a ticket for Montserrat. The price includes the train ride and the gondola or train up the mountain. We also bought the version which included the lunch. However, I didn't think the lunch was very good.
It is always best to catch an early train to make the most of your day, but it is not s big deal. We missed our train by a few minutes, so we caught the next one. Everything happens for a reason. We met a nice Ukraine refugee girl who also missed the train. She lives in Ireland and grabbed a cheap Ryanair flight to Barcelona for the weekend. We took the R5 which was only about 90 minutes to the stop where the gondola is. If you wish to take the train up the mountain, you have to ride for another one or two stops.
March is low season so you shouldn't have very long lineups for the gondola. Exploring the Basilica and viewing the Black Madonna does not take a lot of time. I'm not sure if you need to book timed entries or not. When we went 2 years ago, we did not do so. You do need to check if the choir is performing on the day of your visit.
You ride the Sant Joan funicular further up to the top of the mountain. The trails are very obvious. Some people will hike for hours up there. We spent about 40 minutes.
Posted by
Used to be Steilacoom, now it’s Las Vegas
2362 posts
Ditto on the lunch. We missed the early train, so waiting for the next one took time off our visit, but they let us on the train so we had seats. It was full by departure time, however, the wait for the gondola didn’t take long and we were there in early May. We went further up the mountain for hiking and the trails close to the funicular were busy, but not sure what they looked like farther out. We did get a trail map but I can’t vouch for its accuracy. It was very easy to do on our own.