Travel Guide
Getting to Gibraltar
Gibraltar is well connected by air from the UK, with direct flights from five airports. You can also drive from Spain through La Linea de la Concepcion. Under a historic 2025 UK-EU agreement, Gibraltar is set to join the Schengen area, and land border controls with Spain are expected to be removed in early 2026.
Flights to Gibraltar
Two airlines serve Gibraltar Airport (GIB): British Airways and easyJet. There are approximately 31 return flights per week from five UK destinations.
| Route | Airline | Flight Time | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow | British Airways | ~3 hours | Near-daily |
| London Gatwick | easyJet | ~3 hours | 3–4/week |
| Manchester | easyJet | ~3h 10m | Regular |
| Bristol | easyJet | ~2h 50m | Regular |
| Birmingham | easyJet | ~3 hours | 2/week (year-round) |
Prices start from around £32 return (easyJet, off-peak). British Airways offers the only business-class option from Heathrow Terminal 3.
Driving from Spain
From Malaga Airport
Take the AP-7 or A-7 motorway south for approximately 140 km. The drive takes 1.5–2 hours depending on traffic. Toll charges are approximately €12–€18 each way on the AP-7.
Parking
Most experienced visitors recommend parking in La Linea and walking across the border. Parking in Gibraltar is expensive and scarce. La Linea has 8+ public car parks within 10 minutes' walk of the border, including Parking Santa Barbara (3 minutes from the frontier). If you're staying overnight, consider booking a hotel in La Línea for significantly lower rates than Gibraltar hotels.
Driving in Gibraltar
- •Drive on the right (same as Spain)
- •Speed limit generally 50 km/h
- •Very compact with many one-way streets
- •The Kingsway Tunnel (opened March 2023) now bypasses the famous airport runway road crossing for vehicles
- •Some Spanish rental companies prohibit cross-border driving — always check your contract
The Border Crossing
The land border between Spain and Gibraltar at La Verja is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Approximately 36,000 people, 10,000 vehicles, and 15,000 frontier workers cross daily. You'll need a valid passport (UK/EU citizens) or national ID card (EU citizens).
Current wait times are typically 15–20 minutes under provisional digital clearance systems. Pedestrians usually pass faster than vehicles.
Entry to Gibraltar is free. Be aware of individuals near the border trying to sell fake "entry tickets" — these are a scam.
Schengen Agreement (2025)
In June 2025, the UK, Spain, and Gibraltar reached a historic agreement for Gibraltar to join the Schengen area. Under the deal, physical checks at the land border will be eliminated and replaced with dual-officer checks at the port and airport. The border crossing at La Verja is expected to be physically dismantled in early 2026.
For more about living across the border, see our La Línea de la Concepción guide.
Ferry Services
Gibraltar to Tangier, Morocco
FRS/DFDS operates a limited ferry service from Gibraltar to Tanger Med, running approximately twice monthly (usually Fridays). The crossing takes about 1.5 hours and starts from approximately €37.50.
Via Algeciras (More Frequent)
For more frequent service, take a bus from La Linea to Algeciras (40 minutes, ~€2.50), which has daily high-frequency ferries to Tangier with multiple operators including FRS, Naviera Armas, and Balearia — over 100 departures per week.
Getting Around Gibraltar
Walk
Gibraltar is just 6.7 km². Most residents walk everywhere, and most destinations are within 15–20 minutes on foot. This is by far the most practical option.
Bus
City buses run every 10–20 minutes. A red double-decker operates between the border and town centre every 15 minutes. Day hopper tickets are available for unlimited travel.
Cable Car
The Gibraltar Cable Car runs from the town centre to the Top of the Rock, giving access to the Upper Rock Nature Reserve and its famous Barbary macaques.