Montjuïc Funicular
TMB funicular that climbs in about two minutes from Paral·lel metro station to Montjuïc park.
About the Montjuïc Funicular
The funicular has two stations and a 0.7 km route. The lower one is built into Paral·lel metro station, where you can change to L2 and L3; the upper one, Parc de Montjuïc, is on Avinguda de l’Estadi, and from there you can take the cable car up to the castle.
The ride takes about two minutes. The average gradient is 10.1 %, rising to 18 % at its steepest, and almost the whole route is covered: only the last few metres are in the open air. The lower station is 4 metres above sea level and the upper one 80. According to TMB, both stations are accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Stations on the Montjuïc Funicular
2 stations, 1 of them with an interchange to another line (marked with a ring and the colours of the other lines).
Timetable and frequency of the Montjuïc Funicular
| Line | Mon–Thu | Fri & eve of holidays | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FM | 07:30 – 19:51 | 07:30 – 19:51 | 09:00 – 19:50 | 09:00 – 19:50 |
Earliest first departure and latest last departure at any station on the line, for a week without public holidays. Each station page has its own times by direction.
| Line | Interval Monday–Thursday, 08:00 | Sunday, 12:00 | Measured at |
|---|---|---|---|
| FM | 15 min | 12 min | Parc de Montjuïc |
Average interval worked out from the trains per hour and direction that the operator schedules at that station.
History
It opened in October 1928, for the 1929 International Exhibition. It was designed by the engineer Emilio Echevarría, with stations by the architect Ramon Reventós, and building it took 14 months. On 23 July 1929 a second section opened, between Avinguda de l’Estadi and Montjuïc castle.
Between 1981 and 1984 a complete overhaul, costed at seventy million pesetas, forced the service to close. In July 1984 the first section, between Paral·lel and the park, reopened; the second, up to the castle, never ran again: the cable car had left it without passengers, and a few years later it was dismantled altogether. The funicular was renovated again for the 1992 Olympic Games, on the lower section only, and further general refurbishment followed in 2005. Since 2002 it has been part of the Barcelona area’s integrated fare system, managed by the Autoritat del Transport Metropolità.
How the service runs
The funicular does not keep metro hours. From Monday to Friday it starts at 7:30, and on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays at 9:00. Closing time depends on the season: in autumn and winter the last trip leaves at 20:00, and in spring and summer at 22:00. There is no night service on Saturdays. Its capacity is around 8,000 passengers per direction per hour, with about 400 per car. To reach the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys or the upper part of Montjuïc, it connects directly with the metro at Paral·lel.
Frequently asked questions
Not with the integrated travel cards: since 2002 the funicular has been part of the Barcelona area’s fare system managed by the Autoritat del Transport Metropolità. The conditions of each ticket are on the fares page.
Not any more. Between 1929 and 1981 a second section ran from Avinguda de l’Estadi to the castle; it did not reopen after the 1981 to 1984 overhaul and was later dismantled. Today, to get up to the castle, you take the cable car from Parc de Montjuïc station.
The funicular’s lower station is part of Paral·lel station, served by L2 and L3.