Barcelona Cable Car: tickets, price, hours...

Do you want to enjoy Barcelona, literally, in style? I'll show you all the information you'll need to use the cable car!

Ana Caballero

Ana Caballero

8 min read

Barcelona Cable Car: tickets, price, hours...

Montjuïc cable car | ©Alejandro Parsalidis

The Montjuïc Cable Car, better known as the Barcelona Cable Car, is an unbeatable way to enjoy the best views as you head up to Montjuïc Castle. The cable car departs from Avinguda Miramar and climbs up to the castle on a journey of just one kilometre with a 70-metre drop.

If you don't want to miss out on the experience of getting on board (or going to Montjuïc Castle in a more comfortable way), here's everything you need to know. No doubt you'll round off the already extensive list of things to see and do in Barcelona.

The most comfortable

Barcelona Montjuic Cable Car Roundtrip Tickets

Book your ticket to Barcelona's cable car to enjoy breathtaking views.

You will walk a distance of almost one kilometre from the centre of Barcelona to the impressive Montjuïc Castle, a place of great interest to visit and with sweeping views of the city.

Do you want to get to Montjuïc Castle easily and comfortably? Then the best thing to do is to take the Barcelona Cable Car, a comfortable and easy method of transport that will also give you the best views of the city.

Buying your ticket in advance will allow you to optimise your time and save unnecessary waiting times.

Recommended if... you plan to climb Montjuïc while making the most of your time and enjoying a method of transport that is not common in all cities.


How much do tickets to the Barcelona cable car cost?

Cable car and Barcelona| ©Mathieu Marquer
Cable car and Barcelona| ©Mathieu Marquer

As usual, there are two types of prices: one-way and round-trip. The Montjuïc cable car has the following price ranges:

  • Price for one way: From 8 €.
  • Price per round trip: From 15 €.
  • Price per round trip for children: From 11 €.

Book a ticket for the Montjuic cable car

Are there guided tours of the Barcelona Cable Car - is it worth it?

Entering the cable car| ©Mathieu Marquer
Entering the cable car| ©Mathieu Marquer

Due to the characteristics of the cable cars, there are no guided tours. You just take it and that's it. However, there are tours that, in some way, make the cable car a key aspect. Here are the two main options.

Guided tours that include a cable car ride

These are usually tours of Barcelona whose itinerary includes a visit to Montjuïc Castle, which is accessed by the Montjuïc cable car. These are the characteristics of this type of tour.

  • Duration: Approximately 5:30 hours
  • Typical stops: Usually include visits to the centre of Barcelona (places vary depending on the tour) and a visit to Montjuïc Castle.
  • Tickets: Included, both for the cable car and Montjuïc Castle.
  • Prices: From 77 €.
  • Recommended if...: Especially if you want a comprehensive tour of Barcelona that includes a visit to Montjuïc Castle and a cable car ride up to the castle.

Book a tour of Montjuïc

How to get tickets for the Barcelona cable car at the ticket office

View of Barcelona from the top of the Cable Car| ©Mathieu Marquer
View of Barcelona from the top of the Cable Car| ©Mathieu Marquer

Very easy: just go to the ticket office. But in order to do so, you need to know the opening hours for buying tickets. Of course, you can buy them online, but there is one thing you can only buy at the ticket office: a one-way ticket.

This is an important fact that is worth knowing in case you want to design your visit to suit you. The opening hours of the ticket offices, located in Parc de Montjuïc, are as follows. Of course, they vary greatly depending on the months, so what I show you is for guidance only:

  • January and February: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • March, April and May: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:00 hours
  • June, July, August and September: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
  • October: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm
  • November and December: Monday to Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm

However, to avoid unforeseen events (especially those due to the weather), I advise you to check the opening times on the Montjuïc cable car website in case there are any changes.

Book a tour of Montjuïc

Are tickets to the Barcelona Cable Car included in any of the city's tourist passes?

Near a Cable Car| ©Mathieu Marquer
Near a Cable Car| ©Mathieu Marquer

Not all Barcelona tourist passes include a ride on the cable car. The tourist pass that will allow you to go on the Barcelona Cable Car is the 3-day Hola Barcelona Travel Card.

If you are interested in going on the other Barcelona cable car, the one known as the Teleférico del Puerto, it is best to do it in the more conventional way: it is not at all common for tourist passes to include it.

Book your ticket to the Montjuic cable car

How to get to the Barcelona cable car

Barcelona Metro Bagon| ©kentaro inomata
Barcelona Metro Bagon| ©kentaro inomata

It is centrally located, so getting there, even on foot, is very easy. However, if you're staying outside the centre or simply travelling there from a more distant tourist attraction, I'll show you the best methods of transport available to you. You have up to 3 ways to get there, by metro, by tourist bus and by conventional bus. They are as follows:

  • By metro: You will be served by both metro Line 2 and Line 3. You can buy a single ticket from €2.40.
  • By tourist bus: The red route of the Barcelona tourist bus is the one that will drop you off at the cable car. The cost depends on the duration of your access (24 hours to 2 consecutive days). You can buy the most basic (24 hours) from €20.
  • Bus: You have to take either Line 55 or Line 150. The single ticket can be bought from 2,20 €.

By the way, if you want to know more about what the tourist bus option has to offer, I recommend this article on the best tourist buses in Barcelona.

Book your Montjuic cable car ticket

Is it advisable to go to the Barcelona cable car with children?

Montjuïc cable car| ©Mathieu Marquer
Montjuïc cable car| ©Mathieu Marquer

Of course it is! In fact, it may be one of the activities they like the most. Bear in mind that the Montjuïc cable car will take them 70 metres above sea level. An opportunity to see spectacular panoramic views of Barcelona.

In addition, the funicular has very strong security measures, so it does not pose any risk to children or adults.

For more plans with children, I leave you with this article with which you can expand your options on visiting Barcelona with children. Although, without a doubt, the attraction in this case is the Camp Nou and its Camp Nou Experience guided tours.

Book the ticket for the Montjuic cable car

What you can't miss in the Barcelona Cable Car

Mirador del Alcalde Gardens| ©Jorge Franganillo
Mirador del Alcalde Gardens| ©Jorge Franganillo

Of course, the best part of the cable car is enjoying the views of the city, but there are also additional attractions.

If you have time and you're about to take the descent, I recommend you make a stop at the Mirador del Alcalde viewpoint. The stop is optional and is only made on the return journey.

The viewpoint is a very pleasant place with beautiful views of the coastline. It is also embellished with fountains and a mosaic of almost 450 square metres. If the timing of your visit suits you, it's definitely worth a visit.

Book your ticket for the Montjuic cable car

How much time do you need to visit the Barcelona cable car?

Montjuïc Castle| ©Mike McBey
Montjuïc Castle| ©Mike McBey

Actually, as it is a means of transport, it does not require a lot of time. Given that it's less than a kilometre long and won't even take 10 minutes.

However, if you use the Montjuïc Cable Car as part of a guided tour of Montjuïc Castle, the whole visit could take between 2 or 3 hours, depending on how thorough you want to be in your exploration.

Book a ticket for the Montjuic cable car

Tips for visiting the Barcelona Cable Car

Cable Car| ©Ivan Mlinaric
Cable Car| ©Ivan Mlinaric

The first and most important tip is to choose a day with good weather to take the cable car. This can only be done if you buy your tickets directly from the ticket office. To avoid unnecessary journeys, if the weather is bad , you can contact them to confirm if the cable car is operational.

If the trip is included in a tour, everything will depend on the cancellation and refund policy (or not) of the company you have chosen.

I also advise you to remember that if, for whatever reason, you are only interested in a single ticket for the Montjuïc cable car, it can only be purchased at the ticket office. If you do it online, you will buy a return ticket by default.

Book your ticket for the Montjuïc cable car

Another option: the Port cable car

Cable car headquarters| ©Carmelo Peciña
Cable car headquarters| ©Carmelo Peciña

The Port Cable Car is the oldest cable car in Barcelona. Inaugurated in 1929, it connects Barceloneta, from the San Sebastián Tower, with the Mirador de Miramar viewpoint on Montjuïc. It is the steepest (100 metres) and covers a distance of 1,200 metres. The price is approximately €11 each way and a return ticket is available from €16.

The only stop the cable car makes before reaching Montjuïc is at the World Trade Center, a space of approximately 40,000 square metres filled with companies and offices. The buildings are interesting and face the Mediterranean, although I'm not going to kid you, it's not a must-see in Barcelona.

How to buy tickets at the Port Cable Car ticket office

You'll have to go to Sant Sebastià Beach, where the ticket offices are located. The opening times are quite variable, so keep an eye on them. They are listed below as a guide:

  • From 1 January to 28 February: 10:00 to 17:30.
  • From 1 March to 5 June: From 11:00 to 19:00.
  • From 6 June to 11 September: From 11:00 to 20:00.
  • From 12 September to 16 October: From 11:00 to 19:00 hours.
  • From 17th October to 31st December: From 10:30 am to 5:00 pm.

As you can see, it is open every day, with the exception of 25 December. Even so, I advise you to check the opening times on the official website, in case there are any changes or unforeseen events due to adverse weather conditions.

How to get to the Port Cable Car

The Port Cable Car is located on San Sebastian Beach, a busy and well-connected area, so there is no shortage of options:

  • Bus: There are a large number of lines: Line 17, Line 39, Line 59, Line 157.
  • Tourist bus: The Red Route of the Barcelona tourist bus will be the one that will take you the closest.

Book your Camp Nou Experience here