One of Barcelona’s most recognisable skyline features is once again in motion. The Montjuïc cable car resumed its normal service on Monday, 2 March, following a month-long scheduled shutdown for comprehensive maintenance and safety inspections.
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Operator Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) confirmed the reopening after successfully completing the annual overhaul of the system. Each year, TMB performs these mandatory technical reviews to ensure all components of the popular attraction meet the highest safety standards for passengers.
The service suspension, which began on 2 February, required thousands of residents and tourists to find alternative routes to reach the summit of Montjuïc hill. During the closure, TMB directed users to the 150 bus route as the primary means of accessing the historic Montjuïc Castle.
A Welcome Return for a City Icon
The cable car’s return restores what is arguably the most scenic mode of transport for ascending the mountain. The Telefèric de Montjuïc provides a spectacular 750-metre aerial journey, offering passengers unparalleled panoramic views across the city, from the port to the Serra de Collserola.
Its performance last year highlighted the attraction’s vital role in the city’s tourism and recreational transport network. For instance, in 2025, the cable car recorded over 1.7 million passenger journeys, cementing its status as a key piece of Barcelona’s infrastructure.
Partial Restoration as Funicular Remains Closed
However, the return to normality on Montjuïc is only partial. While the cable car is now fully operational, the Montjuïc funicular remains out of service, a situation that has been in place since 20 October last year.
Unlike the cable car’s routine maintenance, the funicular’s prolonged closure is due to a major urban infrastructure project. Authorities halted the service to facilitate complex works on a major water collector located beneath Carrer de Vila i Vilà in the Poble-sec neighbourhood.
According to reports in Metrópoli Abierta, initial city council estimates projected a closure of at least five months. These works are part of the city’s wider ‘Pla Clima’, designed to upgrade the drainage network and prevent severe flooding that has historically affected the Paral·lel and Poble-sec areas during heavy rainfall. Authorities expect the funicular to reopen by mid-March 2026.
The closure of the funicular is one of several significant infrastructure projects impacting the city’s transport network, including a major renovation of the Garraf rail tunnels set for March.
Alternative Routes Still in Place
While the subterranean works continue, access to the lower cable car station remains dependent on road transport. TMB continues to operate a special shuttle bus for passengers affected by the funicular’s closure. This service provides a convenient link between the Paral·lel metro station and the Parc de Montjuïc station, which serves as the departure point for the newly reopened cable car.
With one service restored and another still pending, visitors to Montjuïc should check transport options in advance to ensure a smooth journey up the iconic hill.
