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Montserrat Monastery is a convenient and welcoming place to visit if you are a limited mobility traveller hoping for good disabled access. As far as is possible the Montserrat team have facilitated accessibility throughout the Monastery. There are only a few places in Montserrat that are not accessible for limited mobility travellers.

This page will provide detailed explanations of the accessibility of Montserrat if you are a limited mobility traveller: accessibility of the transport to Montserrat; help that you can receive at Montserrat as a limited mobility traveller; access to the Black Madonna as a disabled visitor; access to Montserrat's facilities including restaurant, shops, toilet and areas of Montserrat that are not accessible as a limited mobility traveller.

Book tickets for your half day tour to Montserrat from Barcelona with return journey

There are two organized tours that save you the time and trouble of organizing your own trip to Montserrat. They include return journey from Barcelona to Montserrat in an air conditioned bus. You can choose either a half day morning tour or half day afternoon tour.

Morning Tour

Click here to book your tickets online for the Montserrat Morning guided tour leaving from Barcelona

Getting to Montserrat with limited mobility

Montserrat Rack Railway

Travelling to Montserrat by train

The most important thing to remember is that when you are at Plaça España station you need to buy the ticket that is for the rack railway rather than the cable car. The cable car to Montserrat does not have disabled access. For full advice on buying the correct ticket, see our Train to Montserrat page.

The lift at Montserrat rack railway station

Travelling to Montserrat by Car

Travelling to Montserrat by Coach

Help if you are a limited mobility visitor to Montserrat

Once you are in Montserrat you will find that the majority of the areas of the Monastery are available to you (see below for the areas that are not). For example, if you look at the Montserrat map, there is a gradually inclining slope that will take you from the rack railway station to the Basilica.

Montserrat's train service

However, if you would like extra assistance in making your way around the Monastery, there is a small green train that is a service particularly suitable for those with limited mobility. It is a free service and travels continuously from the Mirador dels Apostols to just outside the Basilica. Functioning times for the train vary. In general, it is runs throughout the day during the summer but not always in the winter months. To check whether the train will be running during your visit, it is best to contact Montserrat Information.

Montserrat Tourist Information:
Tel: +34 93 877 7701

Access to the Black Madonna for disabled visitors

Unfortunately, if you are a wheelchair or scooter user, you will not be able to get right up to the Black Madonna, that is located inside the Basilica. However, you will be able to see the statue from a distance of two metres. For details on the disabled entrance route to the Black Madonna, plus information on what you will be able to see, see our Black Madonna page.

Access to the facilities at Montserrat if you are a disabled traveller

Disabled access to the restaurant facilities: All of the restaurants at Montserrat are fully wheelchair and scooter accessible. They are all located on the ground floor and have wide doors at their entrances.

Toilets at Montserrat

Disabled access to the toilet facilities: There are two sets of toilets open to the public at Montserrat (see our Montserrat map for exact details of where you will be). They both offer disabled toilets. There are also disabled toilets inside the two restaurants and the two self-service cafes (see above).

Disabled access to the museum: Both museums at Montserrat are fully wheelchair and scooter accessible. See the Montserrat Museum page and the Espai Audio Visuals page for further details.

Other facilities in Montserrat, including the shops, post office, hotel and apartments are all fully accessible.

Areas of Montserrat that are not accessible if you are a limited mobility traveller

Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Montserrat Basilica is wheelchair and scooter accessible, the Black Madonna is not (see above for more details).

The other main attractions at Montserrat that are not wheelchair or scooter accessible are the two funiculars: Funicular de Sant Joan and the Funicular de Santa Cova (not to be confused with the rack railway to Montserrat that is accessible). These two small funiculars travel up and down very steep inclines and do not have sufficient space for wheelchairs or scooters.

There are a total of five walks that start at Montserrat. Depending on your level of mobility, there are some walks that it might be possible for you to do. See our page on Walks in Montserrat for details of the walks or sections of the walk routes that you may be able to do.

Montserrat is an impressively accessible tourist destination if you are a limited mobility traveller. Do some advance research to decide on the method of transport to Montserrat that most suits your needs. Once you are at the Montserrat Monastery itself you will find that practically everywhere is accessible to you.