Are you planning to travel from Estepona to Gibraltar?
This article has been written by a local expat and has all the detailed information that will save you a lot of time and money.
Are you ready to dive in?
What Do You Need to Know Before Traveling to Gibraltar
- Gibraltar was annexed to the UK by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, following the end of the war. It is considered a British territory abroad, most often referred to locally as ‘the Rock’ (no, not the actor).
- As a British territory, the same rules will apply as if you’re visiting the UK. These rules have changed a little since the UK left the EU.
- Before you plan your trip, please make sure that you check the legal requirements for entry to this UK territory on the official Gibraltar government website, where you will get advice for every nationality
- As of spring 2023, you can enter Gibraltar with a valid EU passport without any additional paperwork, or even a valid national ID card (EU citizens only).
- If you’re not from the EU, VISA requirements may apply – check the link above for more details
- There are some restrictions on how much good you can bring to Spain from Gibraltar and another way around, you can check the HM Customs page which has more details. The customs check is both on entry to Gibraltar and also exit.
- There are direct flights from the UK to Gibraltar (London Gatwick and London Heathrow), but you cannot fly here from any other country. Cruise ships also arrive here.
- Allow plenty of time for the border crossing, especially if you’re travelling by car
- To make sure you don’t have to wait for the runway crossing too long, you can check in advance at what time the planes are landing or taking off, to avoid extra waiting time – check at the official airport site here. At the moment, the planned departures and arrivals are at 10.40 am, 16.50 pm (arrivals) and 11.15 am and 17.40 pm for departures.
- The buses from the Spanish side will not cross over to Gibraltar, you can cross on foot from La Linea de la Conception bus station
Estepona to Gibraltar: Distance
The distance between Estepona and Gibraltar is around 50km (31 miles).
Estepona to Gibraltar: Travel Options
- by car: 50 minute drive (50km) with 2 euros to pay for toll fees
- by bus: 45 minute journey, with 8-10 connections per day and tickets from 4.85 per person.
- by train: no train connections are available
- by taxi: Uber option for 50 euros per ride, depending on demand
- day trip: three options in various duration with pick up from Estepona, starting at 28 euros per person (see below for details)
Day Trip Options from Estepona
- Estepona to Gibraltar Day Tour – transport to Gibraltar from Estepona, free time to explore or do some shopping, an option to book the tour of the nature reserve, and return from Gibraltar in the afternoon around 3pm. From 28 euros per person.
- Estepona to Gibraltar Sightseeing Day Tour – full-day sightseeing with a minibus around Gibraltar, discovering all the major sights and finishing the day with free time for shopping. From 64 euros per person.
- Estepona to Gibraltar Sightseeing and Dolphin Watching Tour – experience Gibraltar and dolphins in their natural habitat all in one day trip. From 48 euros per person.
1. Estepona to Gibraltar by Car
Travelling to Gibraltar by car is one of the most convenient and easiest ways to reach the destination, however, there is one major disadvantage you should consider.
Once you get to the border crossing at Gibraltar, the lines and waiting times for crossing by car can be very long, in the summer months easily around an hour.
As a workaround for the problem, you can park the car by the borders at La Linea and walk through the border using pedestrian security checks, which is much faster. You will find more details on this option below.
- Total Distance: around 50km (31 miles)
- Journey Time: 50 minutes, depending on traffic
- Tolls to Pay: 2.10 euros (check toll calculator)
- Estimated Fuel Costs: 5 euros
- Route: via AP-7 and A-7 as shown on the map below
Crossing the Gibraltar Borders
As I mentioned earlier, you can cross the borders in Gibraltar in two ways – on foot or in your car. The pedestrian crossing is way less busy and much faster than the long lines of cars waiting to cross.
The additional delays for the cars also come from the fact that the border control has to check the car and all travellers, and you have to declare any goods where customs may be due.
Below are all the details you need in case you would like to leave your car on the Spanish side and cross on foot.
Once you go through the security and passport check, you need to cross the runway to get to the town. On foot, the walk to the town takes about 20 minutes, depending on where you’re heading.
Parking in La Linea
The closest parking to the border crossing is behind Burger Kind and McDonalds which are opposite the border crossing. There is a large underground parking area.
The other option is at Sta Bárbara Car Park which is near the Marina, but this option is not recommended in the summer as the road leading to it is used for the border queue cars, and you can spend hours waiting there if you get caught in the traffic.
Parking in Gibraltar
If you’ve decided to drive to Gibraltar and park there, that’s certainly an option but be prepared to spend a lot more time on the border crossing as the lines can get quite long, even in off-season months.
Once you get through the border crossing, you need to drive across the runway to get to the town.
From there, you have a number of parking options available depending on where you’re going.
Remember that once you’re ready to head back, you have to queue up again for border control and declare any goods at customs.
2. Estepona to Gibraltar by Bus
There are no buses that will take you directly to Gibraltar, unless you book one of the organized day tours I linked above.
The standard national bus services only run to La Linea de la Conception, which is right next to Gibraltar. The best option to get to Gibraltar is to book the bus to La Linea, and then walk from the station to the border crossing (it’s only about 10 minutes walk).
Bus Tickets Estepona to La Linea de la Conception
- Journey Duration: 45 minutes
- Ticket Prices: from 4.85 euros one way, per person
- Departures: see the list below
- Connections per Day: up to 8/10 connections per day
- Where to buy Tickets: directly at Avanza website
If you’re checking the times and prices, it’s best to put in your destination and dates on the Avanza website, to get the most accurate information.
I found the other local timetables to be very unreliable.
Head over to the Avanza website and enter your destination and dates, and a few bus options will pop up. You can buy the tickets in a few clicks and just show the QR code from your phone to the bus driver.
Please remember you have to take your ID with you, they will ask to see it along with your ticket.
Estepona to La Linea Bus Departures
Below are the current departure times for La Linea, from the main bus station in Estepona (the buses only stop there). Please note these are subject to change, so head to Avanza.com to check the most accurate departure times.
- 10.05 am departure – arrival 10.50 am
- 13.30 pm departure – arrival 14.15 pm
- 14.55 pm departure – arrival 15.40 pm
- 16.40 pm departure – arrival 17.30 pm
- 17.15 pm departure – arrival 18.00 pm
- 18.55 pm departure – arrival 19.40 pm
- 21.50 pm departure – arrival 21.40 pm
Buses Back from La Linea to Estepona
- 7.45 am departure – arrival 8.30 am
- 11.05 am departure – arrival 11.55 am
- 12.35 pm departure – arrival 13.25 pm
- 15.30 pm departure – arrival 16.15 pm
- 16.30 pm departure – arrival 17.15 pm
- 19.25 pm departure – arrival 20.10 pm
- 20.15 pm departure – arrival 21.15 pm
Estepona Bus Station
Estepona has a very small bus station at the beginning of the town, it’s quite far off from the centre alongside a long stretch of the highway. I would imagine it’s probably 15 – 20 minute walk if you want to go there on foot.
Just behind the bus station is a taxi rank, almost hidden behind the bushes, where you can get a local taxi to your hotel or the old town.
The taxi from the old town to the station would cost under 10 euros.
There is very limited Uber service in Estepona, so I was able to get an uber to the bus station when there were no taxis available once we arrived.
The terminal building is small, but there are toilets, ticket machines and a small vending machine. A short walk away from the bus station towards the city centre is a big supermarket where you can get some sandwiches for your trip and other necessities.
3. Estepona to Gibraltar by Train
Unfortunately, the train network doesn’t run any further south of Fuengirola, and the only way to get to Gibraltar is by car or bus.
4. Estepona to Gibraltar by Taxi
When I visited Gibraltar, we booked a big van via Uber app which cost around 90 euros one way, so a standard car would be somewhere around 50 euros, depending on availability. It’s still very cheap compared to a standard taxi which will cost around 70 euros for the same trip.
Getting Around Gibraltar
Exploring Gibraltar is best on foot, or with a local guide. If you’re planning to see the nature reserve with monkeys, caves and other sights, keep in mind that normal cars are not allowed to drive within the reserve.
There are only a few authorised tour companies which can drive minibuses there, saving you a lot of time and hassle while navigating between the sights. This is a big plus, especially in the summer heat.
I used one of these companies on my trip in November and I couldn’t recommend it more – the price worked out to around 35 euros per person, which would be the same price you would pay to enter the natural reserve and use the cable car.
The cable car also only goes to about halfway point, so you have to do the rest of the journey on foot. You will find their office right by the exit of the passport control on the pedestrian crossing.
The other option is to use local transport from Casemates Square, the traditional red buses, or the local taxis.
Estepona to Gibraltar: Frequent Questions
How far from Estepona to Gibraltar?
The distance between Estepona and Gibraltar is around 50 km (30 miles)
How much is a taxi from Gibraltar to Estepona?
Uber will be cheaper than a standard taxi, and you can get one for 50 euros one way, but it will drop you off only at the border crossing. You will have to cross on foot and take a local Gibraltar taxi from there, or walk to the town (about 20 minutes).
How to get to Gibraltar from Estepona?
The most convenient way is by car, but that can cause delays when crossing the border as the car security lines can get quite long. The other option is by a local bus with tickets from 4.85 euros one way and 45 minute journey time. You can also take a day trip with pick up and drop off in Estepona, starting at 28 euros per person. I have added details for these in this post.
Can you get a train from Estepona to Gibraltar?
No, there are no train connections available.
How far is it from Estepona to Gibraltar?
The distance between Estepona and Gibraltar is around 50 km (30 miles)
