Gibraltar

[Gilpet]

Has anybody ever crossed the border into Spain from Gibraltar? I've looked up the details and it seems there should be no problem as we have UK passports so that part is ok but does anybody know how far it is - is it walkable distance from the port or do we need to take a taxi? Once across the border how far is it to any bars and restaurants?

 

Thanks

 

Gill

[John Bull]

There's a very frequent bus service to the border, costs just one or two euros. Certainly it goes from the "bus station" behind Casemates Square, but I don't know whether you'd have to first walk from ship to Casemates Square, about a 15 minute walk.

The border is a little too far to walk - and the added complication that the road crosses the middle of the airport runway. Walkers are of course held back sooner than traffic if an aircraft is using the runway so a walker could be in for a long wait - in either direction.

Should be no queue as such to cross the border on foot, though the queue of cars - especially entering Gib can be very long and slow indeed.

After crossing the border, veer leftish to follow the main road & you'll find a few shops, bars etc facing the Bay of Algeciras. And perhaps a few watering holes in the narrow little town centre streets behind the main road.

Don't cut it too fine to return, in case the border crossing is temporarily busy and in case the bus is held up by an aircraft.

But in all honesty, La Linea is a bit of a dump. Personally I wouldn't bother - I'd find a pub along Gibraltar's Main Street.;)

 

JB :)

Edited January 28, 2015 by John Bull

[Gilpet]

Thanks a lot, it's all really helpful. The reason for crossing the border is that we'll be meeting our nephew and his Columbian wife who live in Spain, she will need a visa to cross the border into Gibraltar and she hasn't yet applied for one. Believe me I would be more than happy to walk up to Casements Square and Main Street before having a leisurely lunch in the square lol.

 

Gill

[John Bull]

Reason understood.

 

BTW, forget what I said about finding a bar along the main drag. Just checked it out on Google streetview - right opposite the border exit for pedestrians is a big new complex which includes a McDonald's & a Burger King. Not my preferred dining, but both have big tall signs clearly visible. If you need a place to meet, I'd suggest McD cos its so handy & so easy to find - then go off together to somewhere more "Spanish"- and more palatable. ;)

 

JB :)

[Gilpet]

I hadn't thought about where we'd meet them (but I'm sure I'd have thought of it eventually lol) so thanks for that information. They'll be driving so we can easily go somewhere else after we initially meet up.

 

Gill

[roothy123]

I didn't cross the border but I did take a bus from near the cruise port to the airport ("Frontier") so I could walk across the airport runway. When we neared the airport I got a little scared and wanted to make sure I wasn't headed across to Spain, as I didn't have my passport. The bus driver dropped me off at the stop where at least half the bus cleared out - not far from the runway. It may have gone farther; not sure.

 

Anyway, walking to Casemates and finding the bus to the airport (and presumably over to La Linea) isn't hard, but if you'd prefer to walk less and make things a bit easier, you could probably catch the #5 red bus from a stop that is closer to the port than Casemates. I know it stops near the Evacuation Monument in the middle of a roundabout along the way from the port to Casemates, but I'm not positive it stops there in both directions. I think I caught it at Casemates (since I was there anyway), went to the airport, and then took it back to the location mentioned in my notes below (info is from September 2014):

 

Bus 5 (red, sometimes open topped) goes to airport (“Frontier”). After Frontier it goes to Main, passing circle at North Mole & Europort Rd, close to port – asked to be dropped closest to circle (Evacuation statue).

 

http://www.gibraltarbus.com will give more info. The 5 is a special bus run by a different company. It was fairly crowded when I took it, but I didn't have to wait long for it, either coming or going. I bought tickets on board.