Monserrat, Barcelona on our own ?

[sddsddean]

In order to have some idea of how much money to exchange, I was wondering if the Trans Montserrat Ticket can be bought with a VISA card.

 

We realize that this ticket should be bought at the first Metro station and I assume that there are ticket windows to do that.

 

I stand to be corrected, but I don't think you can buy them at the metro stations. Easiest place is the Tourist Info office which is under Placa De Catalunya at the top of Las Ramblas and you can certainly use a VISA card there.

 

Simon

[debbymark]

i am also taking the ships excursion on the day we leave the ship. I hope it goes well

[3dogmom]

What is the easiest way to get from the ship to the train station to make the trip to Montserrat? We arrive on a Wednesday and are in port from 9:00 - 5:00, so basically back on board by 4:00. What is the name of the train station?

[YoHoHo]

I stand to be corrected, but I don't think you can buy them at the metro stations. Easiest place is the Tourist Info office which is under Placa De Catalunya at the top of Las Ramblas and you can certainly use a VISA card there.

 

Simon

We lined up in the main tourist office downstairs and eventually were told they were sold out of the type of ticket we wanted and that we can get them from the Tourist stand (also run by them) back upstairs on the Placa itself. The stand is like a small trailer on the edge of the Placa opposite El Ingles Cortes dept. store. Another advantage here is a much smaller queue.

 

When I asked for two tickets, the clerk told us we'd have to get the those tickets downstairs. I replied that we were down there and they said to get them here. He then opened a drawer from behind, rummage through for a certain stack of tickets and handed me two from the stack.

 

I don't know why it worked that way and did not ask but was certainly glad to get the tickets. So if you are told they are sold out, do ask where else they are available.

[sddsddean]

What is the easiest way to get from the ship to the train station to make the trip to Montserrat? We arrive on a Wednesday and are in port from 9:00 - 5:00, so basically back on board by 4:00. What is the name of the train station?

 

You will need all the time you can, so don't muck about. Just grab a taxi and go to Espanya station which is at the Placa d'Espanya. Its a big junction, so there will be several entrances into the station itself. On return, grab a cab back to the port. I would guess its about €15 each way.

 

Simon

[lambs2]

What is the easiest way to get from the ship to the train station to make the trip to Montserrat? We arrive on a Wednesday and are in port from 9:00 - 5:00, so basically back on board by 4:00. What is the name of the train station?

 

 

The fastest way if you are leavng the ship in the early morning (before the port shuttle bus starts operating) is to take a taxi to Dressanes metro station on Las Ramblas where we caught the metro to Placa Espanya for the R5 train to Montserrat. The first R5 train leaves Placa Espanya at 8:36 am and we were on it. We walked from the ship to Dressanes Metro stop because we were doing our Montserrat visit on the changeover day between our two B2B cruises and the taxis we saw were all being used by folks exiting the ship and heading to the airport. It was about a 20 minute walk over the bridge to the Colon Monument at the start of Las Ramblas, and then just a couple blocks up Las Ramblas to the Dressanes Metro stop.

[3dogmom]

The fastest way if you are leavng the ship in the early morning (before the port shuttle bus starts operating) is to take a taxi to Dressanes metro station on Las Ramblas where we caught the metro to Placa Espanya for the R5 train to Montserrat. The first R5 train leaves Placa Espanya at 8:36 am and we were on it. We walked from the ship to Dressanes Metro stop because we were doing our Montserrat visit on the changeover day between our two B2B cruises and the taxis we saw were all being used by folks exiting the ship and heading to the airport. It was about a 20 minute walk over the bridge to the Colon Monument at the start of Las Ramblas, and then just a couple blocks up Las Ramblas to the Dressanes Metro stop.

 

Hopefully we'll be able to leave the ship by 9:30 and take a cab right to the Placa Espanya. Is there a reason you stopped at the Dressanes Metro first? Is that where you have to buy tickets?

[CathyCruises]

Hopefully we'll be able to leave the ship by 9:30 and take a cab right to the Placa Espanya. Is there a reason you stopped at the Dressanes Metro first? Is that where you have to buy tickets?

 

I bet they just wanted to take the metro and save the additional cab fare. We had all day and took the metro to Espanya from our hotel, but if I had limited time I would hop a taxi at the port and go straight to Espanya. You do have to decide beforehand if you want to ride the cable car or the railway--and then buy the right ticket at the station. They do have a little makeshift booth and will help you buy your tickets from the machine.

 

Have fun

 

Cathy

[sddsddean]

Hopefully we'll be able to leave the ship by 9:30 and take a cab right to the Placa Espanya. Is there a reason you stopped at the Dressanes Metro first? Is that where you have to buy tickets?

 

As Cathy says, you can do it this way to be a bit cheaper, but you won't have the time. A cab should only take 10 - 15 mins, whereas the shuttle bus/walking/ metro will take best part of 45 minutes. You have got to aim for the 10.36 train from Espanya, which means you want to be at the station at least 1/2 hour before to give you time to get the tickets and get to the R5 platform 10+ minutes before the train comes in. The train is a commuter type and has lots of standing room, so you want to try and get a seat for the 60 min journey to Monistrol. As soon as the train pulls in, do not be polite. Barge your way on and grab a seat (everyone else will be doing the same, so don't feel bad about it!).

 

Simon

[CathyCruises]

We were fortunate that when we arrived at the station and bought our tickets, the train was already waiting there--for about 15 minutes before it left IIRC. That gives me the peace of mind that I am on the right train, as opposed to running up and hopping on and later finding out I got on on the wrong side of the platform!

 

Cathy

[3dogmom]

Thanks for the replies. Yes, we plan to get off the ship as soon as we're cleared and grab a cab to the station. I've done my share of NYC subways, so I have no problem pushing my way on :)

[lambs2]

Hopefully we'll be able to leave the ship by 9:30 and take a cab right to the Placa Espanya. Is there a reason you stopped at the Dressanes Metro first? Is that where you have to buy tickets?

 

We walked off the ship about 7:15 AM. The taxis were all in use by folks heading to the airport that morning after debarkation. We were on the day between our back to back cruises and had made all arangements with the ship the night before. So we walked from the port, over the bridge, to the Dressanes Metro stop in order to get to Placa Espanya. We had plenty of time once we reached Placa Espanya to purchase our train and cable car tickets for Montserrat from a ticket machine at Placa Espanya. We were there at the end of January and the funiculars were being worked on and NOT operating at that time, so all we needed were the train and cable car tickets. The R5 train is very easy to locate, and did sit and wait for over 10 minutes before departing at 8:36 am for the hour trip to Montserrat.

[3dogmom]

We walked off the ship about 7:15 AM. The taxis were all in use by folks heading to the airport that morning after debarkation. We were on the day between our back to back cruises and had made all arangements with the ship the night before. So we walked from the port, over the bridge, to the Dressanes Metro stop in order to get to Placa Espanya. We had plenty of time once we reached Placa Espanya to purchase our train and cable car tickets for Montserrat from a ticket machine at Placa Espanya. We were there at the end of January and the funiculars were being worked on and NOT operating at that time, so all we needed were the train and cable car tickets. The R5 train is very easy to locate, and did sit and wait for over 10 minutes before departing at 8:36 am for the hour trip to Montserrat.

 

Thanks, now I gotcha;)