The Ferrocarril de Sóller is the island’s favourite day out, and with good reason. Since 1912 its varnished wooden carriages have run about 27 kilometres from Palma to the town of Sóller, a journey of roughly an hour that leaves the city behind, crosses the plain and then climbs into the Serra de Tramuntana through thirteen tunnels and over stone viaducts, with views down into the valley of orange and lemon groves before the descent into town. Sóller itself is a handsome place of stone houses and modernist façades around a big square with cafés under the plane trees. From the square a vintage tram rattles about fifteen minutes down to Port de Sóller, a horseshoe bay ringed by mountains, for lunch by the water. Tiqets sells the trip as a guided island tour that combines coach, train, tram and boat, which takes the planning out of the day.
How it works: the train leaves from its own station in central Palma, close to the Plaça d’Espanya. The Tiqets product is a full-day guided tour, of about eight hours, that links the train and tram with coach travel and a boat leg, with live guiding in English and Spanish. If you prefer to go independently, buy train and tram tickets at the stations and return the same way.
What to expect: from roughly October to March the railway runs a reduced timetable, and in some winters the line has paused for maintenance in the darkest months, so check dates before you plan around it. Trains are busy in the middle of the day; seats on the right-hand side heading north tend to get the best mountain views. The carriages are historic, so there is no air-conditioning or step-free access.
Making the most of it: take a morning train, wander Sóller’s square and the modernist bank and church, then take the tram to the port for lunch and a walk along the bay. In November the valley is green, the oranges are ripening and the crowds are gone, which makes it one of the best times to ride.
What to expect
The experience
A vintage train ride over the mountains to Sóller and a tram to the port, sold on Tiqets as a guided full-day island tour.
Best time
A clear morning in spring or autumn, when the mountains are sharp and the trains are calmer than in summer.
How long
About an hour each way on the train, and a full day with Sóller and the port.
Tips
Check the winter timetable, sit on the right heading north and leave time for the tram to Port de Sóller.
Quick picks
- Best for
- First-timers who want the mountains, a pretty town and a harbour lunch in one easy day.
- Families
- Children love the wooden carriages, the tunnels and the rattling tram, though there is no step-free access.
- Couples
- A slow ride through the orange groves and a long lunch on the bay at Port de Sóller.
- Pair with
- Valldemossa on another day, or a night in Sóller to see the valley after the day trippers leave.
- Time needed
- A full day.
Good questions
How long is the Sóller train journey?+
The line runs about 27 kilometres from Palma to Sóller and takes roughly an hour. It passes through thirteen tunnels on the way.
Does the Sóller train run in winter?+
It runs a reduced timetable from about October to March. In some winters the line has paused for maintenance, so always check dates before you travel.
How do you get from Sóller to the port?+
A vintage tram runs from Sóller town to Port de Sóller in about fifteen minutes. Tickets are bought separately from the train if you travel independently.
What does the Tiqets tour include?+
It is a guided full-day tour of about eight hours combining coach, train, tram and boat. Guiding is live in English and Spanish.
Where does the train leave from in Palma?+
It has its own station in central Palma near the Plaça d’Espanya. It is a short walk from the main bus and metro station.
