By car to Gibraltar
 

Holidaying in Chiclana de la Frontera at the moment and thinking of going by car to Gibraltar. Can we cross from Spain into Gibraltar or do we have to leave the car on the Spanish side and cross by foot or coach as someone has told us and have also been told that parking is difficult in Gibraltar.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

We went recently with our visitors, parking isnt too easy but, if you go to the car park by the cable car that is free and you can walk back into town.:D

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Spanish friends of ours are going to Portugal for a holiday and were shocked to find out how difficult it is to get a hire car in Spain that can be taken across the border (they don't own a car).

how does going into £land effect insurances of Spanish registered cars ?

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Crossing into Gibraltar is not difficult but may be time consuming both going in and out.
Also parking can be difficult, If you turn right at the first island ( this is after the runway ) there is a car park £0.50 first hour , £0.40 /hr thereafter. Also Morisson's car park is free for a couple of hours.
Taking a car in has the benefit of cheaper fuel, so you can plan around this.
On the Spanish side there is a car park just before the frontier but you may have to fight your way through the frontier queue to get to it has people will suspect you are queue jumping and many do. This car park is run by the unpaid ayuntiamento workers and the price is what you like, I normally pay €2.
You then cross by foot.

With regards to insurance I have never heard of any problems with Spanish cars and thousands cross each day but check beforehand to be safe.( Gibraltar is part of Spain anyway isn,t it? )

If you are going to use the Jerez to Los Barrios road to get to Gib be warned there are speed radars at some of the tunnels plus radar at the junction at San Roque.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Great information! Gibraltar is still part of the UK, I've learnt not to mention this to my Spansh friends.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Good info from Fred especially about speedcams. Be aware of every single speed limit and stick to it. I'm going in today for our monthly (ish) visit to Morrisons. I wouldn't try to drive in any day but Sunday unless I really had to.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

After all these years of going down to Gib for shopping I had never though of going on a Sunday.

Are the border queues significantly better?

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Thanks very much for all the info, will be taking our own Spanish reg car, must admit hadn't thought about the insurance angle but as has been mentioned, loads of cars cross every day.

Walking across is not an option as my wife cannot walk too far so will take pot luck re queues etc. Will go one day this week.

Following up on suggestions in an earlier thread re our hoiliday in Chiclana de la Frontera we plan to visit most of the places recommended. We went to Puerto de Santa Maria yesterday (Saturday), lovely place but didn't realise the bodegas shut at 1.30 !! and don't open till Monday but will take the round boat trip to Cadiz and back later in the week.

Planning to go to Sanlucar de Barrameda today and sample one of the sea food restaurants.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

if you have to do the queue..avoid Wednesdays, it is market day in La Linea which is not too far from the border and can cause more than the usual traffic chaos.

The majority of planes land and depart between 11 and 1 expect larger queues while the road crossing the runway is closed. 1.30 can be a good time to go in but recently queues have been long at all times of day

Once you are in make sure you leave before 5 as that is when the border pigs are slowing down the frontier nowadays to back the traffic into Gib

If you decide not to go for the queue there is also free parking on the sea front (levante side...ie the one facing the med)

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Escaped!! today for lunch 5 minutes going out, didn't even come to a halt coming in

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Thanks - it's a Sunday trip down next time.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

What shops Fred?

Morrisons shelves are often pretty bleak on a Sunday, especially later in the day

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Yes I wondered about that. I seem to remember someone saying that they stocked up on Tuesdays. Maybe Sunday wasn't a good idea - I would hate them to run out of kippers!

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

I believe they get more than one lorry a day now ( I have personally counted three in one day ) but the frontier is closed to commercial traffic on Saturdays and Sundays and Fiestas and when fishermen demonstrate etc. etc.

I believe some trucks, Continental Express, leave UK Friday to get across France on the Saturday due to French transport laws,then travel through Spain on the Sunday ready to cross into Gib as soon as possible on the Monday

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

My last post was lost:frown:

In - 5 minute queue - at about 10.30

Out - 5 minute queue - at about 13.30.

Morrison's fine except no sausages nor black pudding and the only pork pies were at the deli and you had to queue.

We only ever go to Morrisons and sometimes Ramsons - I think everything else is closed on a Sunday.

However Mrs J forgot to get Marmite and Beanut Butter:frown:

Looks like I'll have to do the shopping myself rather than letting her do it while I have breakfast in the cafe.

She remembered her Bombay Sapphire:sneaky:

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Does anyone know where in Pueto Sta. Maria the ferry departs for Cadiz? We would like to catch the ferry, spend a few hours in Cadiz and then catch the boat back.

Went to the Roman ruins at Bolonia yesterday, fascinating and beautiful scenery but unfortunately the museum is closed on Mondays! Gibraltar today and will take pot luck going across in the car.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Unfortunately, when looking for information to respond to your query I discovered that the El Vapor ferry (which is the one I mentioned in your original thread about things to do in the area) isn't running at the moment following a shipping accident last year (doesn't exactly fill you with confidence, does it!:ohmy:)

However there is a catamaran service, some details and a map can be found here:-

http://el-puerto-de-santa-maria.cost.../es/index.html

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

It was only a slight accident ;)

http://es.video.search.yahoo.com/vid...B+de+El+Puerto

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Lynn R, Fredbargate, hav found a leaflet www.albarco.com which advertizes a ferry service to Cadiz and back which we would like to do. Leaves Puerto Sta. Ma at 1100 and 1345 and Cadiz at 1700hrs which sounds ideal giving us time to look round Cadiz. Not too sure from where it departs in Sta. Ma tho, if any body knows that would be appreciated.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

It's certain to go from somewhere along the quayside beside the river, there's nowhere else it can go from, really! If you start at the top near the railway station and walk down (with the river on your left) I'm sure you will find it.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Michael are you not supposed to be enjoying the delights of Gib and not messing about on this forum :frown:

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

You are quite right, unfortunately my wife is not too well today so we are house bound. However our two friends - being younger and more able -have gone explore Cadiz on their own - they can struggle to find somewhere to park !. All being well we plan to do the ferry trip tomorrow and Gib on Thursday, giving Wednesday a miss as advised because of the market in La Linea.

Have been in touch with the ferry company and with my limited Spanish have found out that the ferry goes from Galleras Plaza if I've spelt it right. Had a look on Google and saw what looks like a jetty and also a car park near by.

I must say thanks to all, we are complete strangers to this area, we live near Gandia, and the helpful tips have been most appreciated. Just like having our own travel advisory service.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

From www.albarco.com

Localización
http://www.albarco.com/index.php?acc...puertostamaria

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

good job you missed Gib today...huge queue today about 90 minutes to get in (3 minutes to get out).

When you do eventually join the queue stay tight to the car in front and watch out for people pushing in.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Many thanks for the link, hope to make it tomorrow and will try Gib on Thursday

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Goldcar do it, I pleaded with them but they recently let me drop a car back from there to Madrid, they charged me 90 Euro but I could not get a cheap flight back, if there close there is either no charge or 30 euro

Can I travel outside Spain with my hire car?

The only cases where travelling with the hire car outside Spain is permitted are the following:
If you collect your vehicle in Gerona, Reus, Bilbao or Barcelona you can travel to Andorra or France when you take out the obligatory additional insurance necessary to travel to these destinations.
If you collect your vehicle in Granada, Sevilla, Malaga, Jerez, Almería or Sancti Petri, you can travel to Portugal or Gibraltar when you take out the obligatory additional insurance necessary to travel to these destinations.
It is not possible to travel outside Spain from other Goldcar offices. It is also not possible to travel to Ceuta and Melilla from any of our offices. For more information about the cost of the additional insurance for travel outside of Spain please see the car hire Terms and Conditions.

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Made it to Gibraltar today, 35 min queue going in and 15 coming out so didnt think that was too bad. There are some crazy people about tho, one guy drove over quite a high kerb from the wrong lane near the entrance just to bodge in the queue, thought there was going to be a riot with everyone blasting there horns at him.

Enjoyed the day tho - well until her indoors spotted Marks and Spencers - but made up for it with some Famous Grouse !!

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Crazy, What is crazy for me in Gibralta was other than the obvious Morrisons,

I had been at the time about a week or so In Jerez, then went to Estepona, then Gib, A fair bit of driving, then In Gibralta past Morrison's and copper with a hand held Speed Gun on me, this was about 20 minutes suffering a traffic jam, I could not believe it, as if you can really do much more than 30, I thought I was back in the UK already.

Then having a meal watching the F1, all I could here was sirens from the Police blasting all over the town centre as if there was a mass murderer on the loose, We decided to drive to the end where the dump was and to my amazement and I really could not believe this but I saw a small cu-de-sac that just amazed me as it looked bricks/tiles/style just like one you would find in England !!

Re: By car to Gibraltar
 

Haha, hope she enjoyed M & S and I bet there is none of that Famous Grouse left x