The Valley of Cuelgamuros is the site formerly known as the Valley of the Fallen, a basilica cut into the rock beneath a 150-metre cross, near San Lorenzo de El Escorial. For anyone on a US, UK, Canadian or Australian passport, the day you pick matters more than the €9 ticket. On Wednesdays and Sundays the afternoon from 3pm is a free slot open only to EU citizens, residents and Latin Americans, and the only direct bus from San Lorenzo de El Escorial arrives right in that window. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays Patrimonio Nacional sells paid slots until 4.30pm from October to March and 5.30pm from April to September, so those are the days to plan around.
How do you get to the Valley of the Fallen from Madrid without a car? Take a bus from the Moncloa interchange to San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 55 minutes, then the special 660 service from San Lorenzo bus station at 3.15pm, or 4pm on weekdays from April to September. It comes back at 5.30pm or 6pm. The Valley of Cuelgamuros charges €9 and is closed on Mondays.
Which day works if you don’t hold an EU passport?
On a non-EU passport, go on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday and pay €9. Wednesdays and Sundays suit only visitors who qualify for the free afternoon, and Mondays are out because the site is closed.
| Who you are | What you pay | When it works |
|---|---|---|
| US, UK, Canadian or Australian visitor, adult | €9, plus €0.77 online | Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday |
| Aged 5 to 16, over 65, or a student up to 25 with ID | €4, plus €0.77 online | Same days |
| EU citizen, EU resident or work permit holder, Latin American | Free, ticket office only | Wednesday or Sunday afternoon |
| Anyone | Free | 18 May and 12 October |
On Wednesdays and Sundays the paid slots stop at 2.30pm, according to Patrimonio Nacional, and the afternoon is the free slot sold only at the ticket office. Arriving on the afternoon bus on those days, a non-EU visitor has no paid slot left to buy, so ask at the desk or move the trip. The free afternoon ends at 7pm in summer and 6pm in winter, and you need a passport, national ID card or driving licence to prove nationality. The same nationality rule runs at the Royal Palace, covered in free entry to the Royal Palace.
How to do it as a day trip by bus from Madrid
The bus day runs backwards from what most visitors expect: El Escorial in the morning, the Valley after lunch, because the only direct bus goes up in the afternoon. Allow a full day from Madrid, with the monastery and lunch fitted in before 3pm.
- Get to Moncloa. Moncloa is on Metro lines 3 and 6; a single ticket and how it is priced are covered in Madrid Metro ticket prices.
- Bus to San Lorenzo. Line 664 leaves the Moncloa interchange and takes about 55 minutes to San Lorenzo de El Escorial, according to the Consorcio Regional de Transportes.
- Monastery in the morning. Last entry and prices are in El Escorial tickets and last admission.
- Eat early. Spanish lunch usually runs from around 2pm, which collides with a 3.15pm bus, so aim for a table at 1pm.
- Special 660 to the Valley. It leaves San Lorenzo bus station at 3.15pm at weekends and on holidays, and Tuesday to Friday at 3.15pm from October to March or 4pm from April to September. There is no Monday service.
- Back down. The bus returns at 5.30pm, or 6pm on summer weekdays, leaving about two hours for a 30-minute visit.
Stay on the special service: the regular line’s stop at the M-600 junction leaves you 6.3 km from the basilica up the access road. With a hire car, take the A-6 and turn off onto the M-600; from San Lorenzo it is 9.4 km. Other half-day pairings are in day trips from Madrid and the royal sites around Madrid.
How to get there from Madrid airport
From Barajas, Metro line 8 runs to Nuevos Ministerios, where line 6 continues to Moncloa for the 664 bus. Metro rides from the airport stations carry an extra €3 supplement on a single ticket, explained in the Madrid airport Metro supplement. With luggage, drop your bags in Madrid first and do the Valley on another day, as this is a full day on buses.
Is the Valley of the Fallen worth visiting?
It is worth it as the second half of an El Escorial day, not as a trip on its own, and it does not suit wheelchair users.
You see the underground basilica and the esplanade at the foot of the cross, with the abbey alongside, and on the Patrimonio Nacional booking platform it averages 4.3 out of 5 from more than 1,800 reviews. It will disappoint anyone hoping to ride up to the cross, since the funicular is closed indefinitely, and the site has no accessible route at present. Photos are fine without flash, but tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed. Until 12 October 2026, your Valley ticket also gets you into the Brambila exhibition at the Royal Collections Gallery in Madrid for free.
Frequently asked questions about visiting the Valley of the Fallen
Is the Valley of Cuelgamuros the same as the Valley of the Fallen?
Yes. Patrimonio Nacional, which runs the site near San Lorenzo de El Escorial, describes it as formerly called the Valley of the Fallen, and tickets are sold under the name Valle de Cuelgamuros. Search for that name when booking; the Consorcio Regional de Transportes bus timetables still label the stop Valle de los Caídos.
Is the Valley of the Fallen free to visit?
Only for some visitors. On Wednesday and Sunday afternoons entry is free for EU citizens, residents, EU work permit holders and Latin Americans, with proof of nationality, at the ticket office. Everyone else pays €9, and on 18 May and 12 October it is free for all.
Is the Valley of the Fallen open on Mondays?
No. The site closes every Monday and there is no special bus that day. In 2026 it also closes on 1 and 6 January, 1 May, 13 September and 24, 25 and 31 December.
Can you go up to the cross at the Valley of the Fallen?
Not by funicular, which Patrimonio Nacional has closed indefinitely. The standard visit covers the basilica and the esplanade and takes about 30 minutes, with no step-free access at present.
Do you need to book Valley of the Fallen tickets in advance?
You can buy a timed slot online for €9 plus a €0.77 booking fee, or pay at the single ticket office on arrival. Free tickets, including the Wednesday and Sunday afternoon slot, are sold only at the ticket office, which closes an hour before the site.
Book the Valley for a Tuesday to Saturday afternoon, after El Escorial, and let the bus set the day.