Montjuïc is the hill that watches over Barcelona's port, with the Castle at the top, museums, gardens and the 1992 Olympic venues scattered across its slopes. The question that comes up most isn't what to see, but how to get up there: there are several ways, with different prices and hours, and it's easy to mix up the Montjuïc cable car with a completely different one.
This guide covers the practical side: how to get up, how much the castle costs and when it's free. At the end you'll find a local guide's audio tour to explore the hill at your own pace.
At a glance
- Castle ticket
- €12 general / €8 reduced
- Free entry
- Under-16s always; Sundays from 3pm and the first Sunday of the month
- Castle summer hours
- 1 Mar-31 Oct: 10am-8pm
- Castle winter hours
- 1 Nov-28 Feb: 10am-6pm
- Montjuïc cable car
- €12 one-way / €19 round trip (10% off online)
- Funicular
- Included in a normal metro/bus ticket
Everything to get up Montjuïc
How to get up there, the castle's price and when it's free.
Funicular + cable car: the most common combination
The Montjuïc Funicular leaves from Paral·lel metro station and climbs to the middle of the hill. It's part of the TMB network, so it costs the same as a normal metro or bus ticket (T-casual, Hola BCN, etc.), with no separate fare.
From the funicular's upper station, the Montjuïc Cable Car (Telefèric de Montjuïc) departs, a gondola ride that climbs 750 metres through the air up to the Castle itself, with views over the city and the port. This one is a separate paid service: €12 one-way, or €19 round trip (€17.10 if bought online, with a 10% discount). The one-way ticket is only sold at the ticket office, not online.
- Funicular: Paral·lel → the middle of Montjuïc; same price as the metro.
- Cable car: 750 m up to the Castle; €12 one-way, €19 round trip (€17.10 online).
- Hours: They change by month; last access is 15-20 minutes before closing.
Tip: Buy the cable car ticket online to save 10% and skip the ticket-office queue, unless you want a one-way ticket only.
By bus or on foot
TMB's bus 150 climbs from Plaça Espanya to the Castle in about 20-22 minutes, stopping along the way at the Fundació Miró, Poble Espanyol, the Olympic Stadium and the funicular-cable car station itself. It's the cheapest option (same fare as the rest of public transport) if you don't mind going slower and seeing other spots on Montjuïc on the way.
You can also walk up from the Poble Sec neighbourhood, though it's a real climb; if you have time and feel like walking it's an option, but if you want to get there quickly, the funicular+cable car or the bus are more comfortable.
- Bus 150: From Plaça Espanya, ~20-22 min, stopping at several Montjuïc sights.
- Same fare: A normal public transport ticket, same as the funicular.
- On foot: Possible from Poble Sec, with a real climb; for those in no hurry.
Tip: Bus 150 is a good choice if you want to combine the Castle with other Montjuïc stops on the same trip.
The castle ticket: price and when it's free
The general ticket costs €12, and there's a reduced one at €8. Hours also change by season: from 1 March to 31 October it's open 10am to 8pm (ticket office until 7:30pm), and from 1 November to 28 February, 10am to 6pm (ticket office until 5:30pm). It's open every day except 25 December and 1 January.
Under-16s get in free at all times. And for any age, entry is free every Sunday from 3pm, and on the first Sunday of every month all day. If you go during one of those windows, though, expect more people than on a regular day.
- General: €12.
- Reduced: €8.
- Free: Under-16s always; Sundays from 3pm; first Sunday of the month, all day.
Tip: If you want to see it free and with fewer crowds, a regular Sunday from 3pm tends to be better than the first Sunday of the month, which usually gets busier.
Heads up: it's not the same cable car as the port one
There's another cable car in Barcelona that a lot of people mix up with the Montjuïc one: the Transbordador Aeri del Port (Port Cable Car), which crosses over the port from the Torre de Sant Sebastià, in Barceloneta. It's a different company, with its own ticket, and it doesn't go to the Castle — it drops you at Miramar, a different spot on Montjuïc.
If your goal is Montjuïc Castle, the one you want is the Telefèric de Montjuïc from the section above (the one leaving from the funicular station), not the one that crosses the port.
- Telefèric de Montjuïc: Climbs to the Castle from the funicular station.
- Transbordador Aeri del Port: Crosses the port from Barceloneta to Miramar; doesn't reach the Castle.
- Different companies: Each one has its own ticket; they're not interchangeable.
Tip: If you see 'Barcelona cable car' in a search, check first whether it's the Montjuïc one or the port one: they don't go to the same place.
Explore Montjuïc with an audio tour
Montjuïc is one of the stops on local guides' Barcelona tours, with the story of the hill — from the castle to the Olympic venues — as you walk through it. It's a way to add context without depending on a group tour's schedule.
You buy the audio tour once and listen whenever you arrive, at your own pace.
- At your own pace: You start when you arrive, no waiting on a group or a fixed schedule.
- With context: Montjuïc's history as you walk through it, not just before or after.
- Bought once: And listened to in the app whenever suits you.
Tip: The audio tour is a companion: the cable car and the castle ticket are bought separately.
See Montjuïc's audio tourExplore Montjuïc with an audio tour
With a self-guided audio tour you explore Montjuïc at your own pace, with a local guide's story in your ear, without depending on a group's schedule. You buy it once and listen in the app whenever it suits you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Montjuïc cable car cost?+
The Telefèric de Montjuïc costs €12 one-way or €19 round trip (€17.10 if bought online, with a 10% discount). The funicular that gets you to the cable car station is included in a normal metro and bus ticket.
Is the Montjuïc cable car the same as the port one?+
No. The Telefèric de Montjuïc climbs from the funicular station to the Castle. The Transbordador Aeri del Port is a different attraction that crosses the port from Barceloneta to Miramar, without reaching the Castle.
When is entry to Montjuïc Castle free?+
Under-16s get in free at all times. For any age, entry is free every Sunday from 3pm and on the first Sunday of every month, all day.
How much is the ticket to the Castle?+
€12 for the general ticket, €8 for the reduced one.
Can you get up Montjuïc by bus?+
Yes, TMB bus 150 climbs from Plaça Espanya to the Castle in about 20-22 minutes, at the same fare as the rest of public transport.
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