Booking choice: The Montjuïc cable car ticket, ★ 4.5 (24,818). Check dates Compare the options below
Montjuïc rises straight from the port, and the easiest way to its top is to let the cable car do the climb. The cabins glide over pine woods while the harbour, the city and the sea open up below, and they set you down a short walk from the castle gate.
This guide explains how the ride works, what each ticket covers, how the cable car fits with the funicular and why the Port Cable Car is a different trip. What to do at the top is in the Montjuïc Castle guide, and the rest of the hill is in things to do in Montjuïc.
The quick answer
The line: Telefèric de Montjuïc, run by TMB, about 750 m from Parc de Montjuïc to the castle, rising about 85 m. Ride up: only a few minutes. Stations: Parc de Montjuïc, Mirador and Castell; the Mirador stop is only on the way down. Ticket: its own ticket, not a metro fare, castle entry not included; online tickets cost a little less than at the ticket office, and one-way tickets are sold only at the office. Hours: from 10:00 to the early evening, later in summer, closing at 18:00 from November to February; check on the day. Annual stop: about a month each year, usually in February; bus 150 covers the route. Getting there: metro L2 or L3 to Paral·lel, then the funicular, or bus 150 from Plaça d'Espanya. A different ride: the Port Cable Car from Barceloneta goes to Miramar, not to the castle. Cancellation: full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours ahead on every tour listed here.
How long is the ride on the Montjuïc cable car?
Only a few minutes up. The line is about 750 m long and climbs about 85 m from Parc de Montjuïc to the castle, with no stop on the way up.
The line has three stations. Going up, the cabins run straight from the bottom to the top; on the way down you can hop off at the middle one for the Mirador de l'Alcalde viewpoint, then walk on through the gardens or take the next cabin.
- Parc de Montjuïc: the base station on Avinguda de Miramar, a short walk from the top station of the funicular and the Jardins de Joan Brossa.
- Mirador: by the Mirador de l'Alcalde, with its mosaic terrace and a wide view of the port. You can get off here only on the way down.
- Castell: at the castle, which stands about 173 metres above the sea, a short walk from the gate.
Queues often take longer than the ride itself, especially on summer weekends around midday. The operator posts its news on the official Telefèric de Montjuïc website.
Is the Montjuïc cable car worth it?
For most visitors, yes. It saves a steady climb, the views over the port are some of the best in Barcelona, and it leaves you fresh for the castle and the walk down.
The ride is short, so judge it by what it saves and what you see. From the cabin you look down on the pine woods, the container port and the sea, and on clear days far along the coast. Reviewers of the Montjuïc cable car return ticket, rated 4.5 from 24,818 reviews and the most booked product on this site, mention the views more than anything else.
If you would rather skip the cable car, bus 150 reaches the same castle stop from Plaça d'Espanya on a regular bus fare, more slowly and without the view from above. Walking up is possible but long and steep in parts. The best plan for most people: ride up, then walk down past the gardens and museums.
A return ride over the pines from Parc de Montjuïc to the castle, with a mobile ticket in the app and the Mirador stop on the way down.
Check dates for the Montjuïc cable car ticketShould you book Montjuïc cable car tickets in advance?
It is not required, but it helps. There are no timed slots, so a ticket bought online simply saves the ticket office queue, and online tickets cost a little less than at the office.
You can buy at the base station or online. Return tickets are sold both ways; one-way tickets only at the ticket office. Booking ahead matters most on summer weekends and public holidays, when queues build at Parc de Montjuïc, and a mobile ticket on your phone takes you straight to the boarding line.
If you want a story with the ride, the cable car ticket with audio guide (4.0 from 367 reviews) adds two self-guided audio tours on your phone; castle entry is not included. For company on the way, the Gothic Quarter walk with a cable car ride (4.3 from 100 reviews) pairs the ride with a guided walk in the old town.
The most booked ticket for the hill: a return ride on the Telefèric from Parc de Montjuïc to the castle, valid for one day, with a mobile ticket and the Mirador stop on the way down. Castle entry is not included. Rated 4.5 from 24,818 reviews.
Explore the Montjuïc cable car ticketHow do tickets work for Montjuïc Castle and the cable car?
They are two separate tickets. The cable car ticket covers the ride only; the castle has its own entry ticket, and guided visits inside the castle have their own ticket too.
Most visitors buy a return cable car ticket and then a castle ticket online or at the castle. The castle ticket covers the permanent and temporary exhibitions; the weekend guided tours, which open the dungeons and the cisterns, are booked separately. The castle sets some admission days each month; check the castle's own website before you go.
If you would rather have everything in one booking, the Old Town walk with castle and cable car (4.7 from 1,085 reviews) includes the funicular, the return cable car and the castle visit with a guide. On the longer evening version, the cable car, castle and Magic Fountain tour (4.5 from 223 reviews) adds the dungeons and, on show evenings, the fountain.
Funicular, return cable car and the castle visit in one booking, with a guide from La Rambla and groups of up to 15.
Check dates for the Old Town walk with castle and cable carWhich is better, the Montjuïc cable car or the funicular?
You usually need both. The funicular is an underground train from Paral·lel to Parc de Montjuïc in about 2 minutes on a metro fare; the cable car continues from there to the castle on its own ticket.
The Funicular de Montjuïc runs inside the hill, so there is no view, but it is fast and counts as a regular metro journey: metro tickets and Hola BCN cards are valid. It stops at Parc de Montjuïc, about halfway up, and does not reach the castle. If you only want the Fundació Joan Miró, the gardens or the Olympic Ring, the funicular alone is enough; for the castle, add the cable car.
Some tours handle both for you. The e-bike, cable car and boat ride (4.6 from 818 reviews) parks the bikes at Paral·lel and includes the funicular and cable car tickets before a sailing trip along the coast.
| Ride | From - to | What it is | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funicular de Montjuïc | Paral·lel to Parc de Montjuïc | Underground TMB train, about 2 minutes, stops halfway up the hill | Regular metro fare |
| Telefèric de Montjuïc | Parc de Montjuïc to the castle | Open-air gondola, about 750 m, only a few minutes up | Its own ticket; castle entry not included |
| Port Cable Car | Barceloneta to Miramar | Vintage cabins high over the harbour | Separate operator and ticket; does not reach the castle |
| Bus 150 | Plaça d'Espanya to the castle | City bus up the hill road, stopping at the main sights | Regular bus fare |
Why was the Montjuïc funicular closed?
For works on a large water collector below the street. The funicular reopened on 13 April 2026 after almost six months of works and runs as normal.
The works were under Carrer de Vila i Vilà, next to the lower station, and a shuttle bus replaced the funicular while they lasted. Older articles and some listings still say it is closed; they are out of date. From 26 October 2026 the funicular switches to its winter timetable and closes earlier in the evening, as shown on the TMB funicular page.
The Montjuïc cable car closes for about a month each year, usually in February, for its safety inspection. In 2026 it stopped from 2 February to 1 March. Bus 150 covers the same route to the castle while it is closed.
By e-bike to Paral·lel, then up by funicular and cable car with both tickets included, a castle stop, the Olympic Ring and a sailing trip.
Check dates for the e-bike, cable car and boat dayWhen does the Montjuïc cable car run, and how do you reach it?
Every day from 10:00 to the early evening, later in summer and earlier in winter: from November to February it closes at 18:00. The base station is a short walk from the top of the funicular.
Hours are shorter on 25 December, 1 January and 6 January, and the schedule can change, so check the official site on the day. If you want to ride at sunset in winter, you will be too late: plan the castle for earlier in the afternoon.
The base station, Parc de Montjuïc, is on Avinguda de Miramar. The simplest way there is metro L2 or L3 to Paral·lel, then the funicular up in about 2 minutes. Bus 150 from Plaça d'Espanya stops by the Jardins de Joan Brossa, near the base station, and continues to the castle.
Is the Port Cable Car the same as the Montjuïc cable car?
No. Barcelona has two cable cars. The Montjuïc cable car takes you from the funicular to the castle; the Port Cable Car crosses the harbour from Barceloneta to Miramar. They are separate rides with separate tickets.
The Port Cable Car, the Transbordador Aeri del Port, uses vintage cabins hung high above the harbour, between the Torre de Sant Sebastià in Barceloneta and Miramar on the side of Montjuïc. It has its own operator and its own ticket, and no product on this site includes it. Miramar is on the lower slope near the Jardins de Mossèn Costa i Llobera, not at the castle: from there you still need the Montjuïc cable car, bus 150 or an uphill walk.
Riding both makes a fine half day: cross the harbour first, walk from Miramar to the Montjuïc cable car, ride to the castle and walk down. For guided options on the hill, see Montjuïc tours compared, and for the evening shows, the Magic Fountain guide.
Afternoon into evening: funicular and cable car tickets, the castle with its dungeons, a wine or beer stop and the Magic Fountain on show evenings.
Check dates for the castle and Magic Fountain eveningFrequently asked questions
Does the Montjuïc cable car ticket include the castle?
No. The cable car ticket covers the ride only. The castle has its own ticket, and some tours include both.
Where is the Mirador stop of the cable car?
At the Mirador de l'Alcalde viewpoint, between the base station and the castle. You can get off there only on the way down.
Can I use a metro ticket on the Montjuïc funicular?
Yes. The Funicular de Montjuïc counts as a regular metro journey, so metro tickets and Hola BCN cards are valid.
Can I cancel a Montjuïc cable car ticket?
Yes. Every product in this guide gives a full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours ahead.
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Montjuïc Cable Car Return Ticket
- Return ride on the Telefèric de Montjuïc
- About 750 m of cable over the pine woods
- Hop off at the Mirador on the way down
Old Town Walk, Montjuïc Castle and Cable Car
- A professional guide, groups of up to 15
- Walk past La Boqueria, the Liceu and Palau Güell
- Funicular ride from Paral·lel to Parc de Montjuïc
E-Bike, Montjuïc Cable Car and Boat Ride
Funicular and cable car up the hill, stops at the castle and a viewpoint, the Olympic Ring, then a sailing trip along the coast
