If the total numbers of users are compared, this Holy Week 2024 the Montserrat Rack Railway accumulates the same influx of visitors as the same period in 2019, the year before the pandemic. With regard to last year, the results are even better with an increase of 18.29% compared to Easter 2023.
The rack and funiculars of Montserrat are the best alternative transport system to the car to access the massif, all while promoting the reduction of environmental impact.
This Holy Week has been very positive for the rack ralway and funiculars of Montserrat in terms of attendance, figures that translate into the best month of March in the history of the Rack of Montserrat.
From March 23 to April 1, the Montserrat Rack Railway recorded a total of 24,261 visitors, which implies an increase of 18.64% compared to the same period in 2023. The Funicular de Sant Joan and the Funicular de la Santa Cova, on the other hand, have also experienced a significant increase in visitors. The former has seen an increase of 14.56% with a total of 11,228 users, while the latter has received 2,677 visitors (an increase of 32.79%). Figures that show a return to pre-pandemic results.
The Montserrat Rack Ralway is the only means of transport that brings visitors to the center of the Sanctuary and, at the same time, takes them to one of the most emblematic places in Catalonia, the Montserrat Mountain Natural Park, as sustainable In just 15 minutes it covers the unique silhouette of the mountain and allows you to enjoy privileged views.
This iconic place is just over an hour and a half away by public transport from the city of Barcelona. The funiculars of Sant Joan and Santa Cova, on the other hand, make the mountain of Montserrat more accessible to its most emblematic corners.
Sustainable mobility
Since the inauguration, once the installation was restored, on June 11, 2003, the Montserrat Rack Railway has proven to be a sustainable means of transport to access the Montserrat massif, being the best alternative to the car. In fact, since 2018 it has been possible to reduce direct emissions by 78%, a figure that highlights its important role in promoting the reduction of environmental impact.
Montserrat’s rack railway and funiculars are public tourist transports that run on 100% solar electricity, thus reducing CO2 emissions to the maximum and improving the conservation of the natural space where they are located. In addition, they have several quality certificates, such as ISO 14001 environmental management, the Applus Quality Seal and the Safe Travels Seal of The World Travel Tourism Council (WTTC), which accredit them as tourist quality spaces.
Accessible transport
Ferrocarrils works hard so that people with reduced mobility can also enjoy a complete railway experience and access the trains in the best conditions and with the greatest possible comfort.
In this regard, a Platform for Persons with Reduced Mobility has recently been implemented on the Sant Joan Funicular. In this way, accessibility and inclusion in this means of transport is expanded. This initiative joins the already existing adaptation of the Montserrat Rack Railway, reinforcing the commitment to equal opportunities for everyone.
A leading role in the territory
Through the operation of its tourist trains, FGC makes available to users an essential service for the creation of a comprehensive tourist proposal, which complements the experience of traveling by train with the approach to person visiting the areas of influence and the nearby natural environment where the transports are located and along the entire route of the trains.
As for the Montserrat zip line and funiculars, they are an excellent access route to a wide range of cultural and natural proposals, such as, for example, the Natural Park of the Montserrat Mountain – Geoparc, an incomparable tourist reference that receives millions of visitors from all over the world. The massif of Montserrat is unparalleled, with its rounded peaks, called needles, making up its most characteristic feature. The Geopark Interpretation Center is located at the Mirador de Sant Joan, at the upper station that bears his name. From this place you can appreciate the geological features of the mountain of Montserrat, as well as the indigenous flora and fauna.
