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Above:  Gibraltar's famous apes.  Watch out - they'll cheekily pinch food right out of your hand!

Gibraltar, named after the Arabic name for the Rock, 'Jebel Tarik', is just across the bay from the Spanish port of Algeciras, the railhead for anyone travelling to Gibraltar.  It's easy to reach Gibraltar by train from London, Paris or Madrid, this page will tell you train times, fares and how to buy tickets:

Train times London ► Gibraltar

• Day 1, afternoon:  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 14:01 arriving in Paris Gare du Nord at 17:17.  Cross Paris by métro to the Gare d'Austerlitz.  By all means book an earlier Eurostar if you'd like to spend some time in Paris.

• Day 1, evening:  Travel from Paris to Madrid overnight on the excellent 'Elipsos trainhotel', leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 18:53 arriving at Madrid Chamartin station at 09:10 next morning.  The trainhotel is a special articulated sleeper train with 4-berth Turista class sleepers, 1 & 2-berth Preferente (1st class) sleepers, and 1 & 2-berth Gran Clase sleepers with private shower & toilet, dinner & breakfast included.  The trainhotel has an elegant restaurant and a vibrant café-bar, see the London to Spain page for more information about this train, or the excellent virtual tour at www.elipsos.com.  On what days does the trainhotel run?  Until 17 October 2011, the Paris-Madrid trainhotel will run every night.  From 18 October to 10 December 2011 it will run every night except Tuesdays & Wednesdays.  From 11 December 2011 to 17 March 2012 it will only run on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights (and additionally on 24, 31 December, 11, 18, 25 February and 3 March, but not on 17 or 25 December or 1 January).  From 18 March to 15 October 2012 it will run every night of the week, except for 31 March, 7 or 9 April, 1, 8, 17 or 28 May.    See the London to Spain page for an alternative via Barcelona for days when it doesn't run.

• Day 2:  Spend the day enjoying Madrid.  There are left luggage lockers at both Madrid Chamartin where you arrive and Madrid Atocha from where you depart.  You can take the metro (www.metromadrid.es) from Chamartin into the city centre, or use a suburban train free of charge to Atocha (show your trainhotel ticket) and deposit your luggage there, then walk into the city centre, a 20 minute walk.  In the late afternoon, make your way by metro to Madrid's Atocha station, or walk there from the city centre.

• Day 2, afternoon:  Travel from Madrid to Algeciras (the Spanish town across the bay from Gibraltar) on the afternoon 'Altaria' air-conditioned 125mph train.  You leave Madrid Atocha station at 15:05, arriving Algeciras at 20:15.  It's a scenic ride, though the last part is after dark.  Altaria trains have 1st class (Preferente) and 2nd class (Turista) and a cafe-bar.  In Preferente, the fare includes an airline-style hot meal with choice of wines.

• Day 2, evening:  Either take a taxi from Algeciras station direct to Gibraltar town for around 24 euros, or for around 2.05 euros take bus M-120 from Algeciras bus station (just across the road from the rail station) to La Linea, 250m from the Gibraltar frontier, then walk into Gibraltar town centre.  The walk from La Linea into Gibraltar takes you across Gibraltar airport's main runway, though they stop cars and pedestrians when an aircraft is landing or taking off!  Bus M-120 runs every 30 minutes Mon-Fri at xx.00 and xx.30 past each hour or every 45 minutes at weekends, taking about 45 minutes to La Linea.   See www.ctmcg.com for bus information.   Map of Algeciras - La Linea - Gibraltar area.

• An alternative if you'd prefer to spend the night in Madrid:  On day 2, stay the night in a hotel in Madrid, then on the morning of day 3 take the 08:35 Altaria train from Madrid Atocha station to Algeciras, arriving at 13:46.  Although a half day slower overall, this option gives you a full day and evening in Madrid, and the morning Altaria train to Algeciras will show you the wonderful mountain scenery in southern Spain in daylight.

Train times Gibraltar ► London

• Day 1, early in the morning:  Walk out of Gibraltar into Spain and take one of the frequent M-120 buses from La Linea round the bay to Algeciras.  On weekdays, buses leave La Linea every 30 minutes at xx.15 and xx.45 past each hour.  At weekends, they run every 45 minutes.  Fare 2.05 euro.  In Algeciras, the buses stop just 50 metres away from the railway station.  Alternatively, take a taxi from Gibraltar town centre to Algeciras station, this costs around 24 euro.

• Day 1, morning:  Travel from Algeciras to Madrid by high-speed Altaria train, leaving Algeciras at 08:45 and arriving in Madrid Atocha station at 14:05.  A cafe-bar is available.  An at-seat airline-style meal with wine is included in the Preferente class fare.  Make your way by metro or suburban train to Madrid Chamartin.

• If you'd prefer to leave Gibraltar the day before (day 0) and spend a day and night in Madrid, there's also an afternoon Altaria train from Algeciras, departing at 15:05 and arriving Madrid Atocha at 20:25.

• Day 1, evening:  Travel from Madrid to Paris on the excellent overnight Elipsos trainhotel (with sleepers, cafe-bar & restaurant, see the London to Spain page for more information or see www.elipsos.com for a virtual tour of this train) leaving Madrid Chamartin at 19:00 and arriving in Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 09:03 next morning.  Take the metro to the Gare du Nord.  On what days does the trainhotel run?  Until 16 October 2011, the Madrid-Paris trainhotel will run every night.  From 17 October until 10 December 2011 it will run every night except Mondays & Tuesdays.  From 11 December 2011 to 17 March 2012 it will only run on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday nights (but it will also run on 17 December, 7 January, 11, 18, 25 February and 3 & 10 March).  From 16 March to 15 October 2012 it will run every night of the week, except for 24 & 31 March, 6, 7 & 8 April, 1, 8, 17 & 28 May.  See the London to Spain page for an alternative via Barcelona on days when it doesn't run.

• Day 2 morning:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 11:13 and arriving in London St Pancras at 12:30.

On board the trainhotel from Paris to Madrid...

Gran Clase sleeper, in evening mode with the seats folded out...		...return from dinner to find the attendant has made up the beds...		Gran Clase sleepers have a private toilet & shower...		Above:  The trainhotels from Paris to Madrid and Barcelona are articulated Spanish 'Talgo' trains, jointly run by French & Spanish railways.

The trainhotel's café-bar serves drinks & food.  Grab a barstool early, it gets crowded later on!		The elegant trainhotel restaurant awaits first sitting for dinner.  The Gran Clase fares include dinner & breakfast.

On board the Altaria train from Madrid to Algeciras...

An articulated Talgo 'Altaria' train at Madrid Atocha station...		Turista (2nd class) seating on an Altaria train...

Preferente (1st class) seating on an Altaria train...		The Preferente fare includes an at-seat meal with wine...

Taking the bus from Algeciras to La Linea (Gibraltar)...

Left:  At Algeciras, the bus station is just across the road (well, around the roundabout) from the railway station.  This is an M-120 bus for La Linea boarding at the bus station.  The bus links Algeciras with La Linea, 250m from the Gibraltar frontier, every 30 minutes on weekdays at xx.00 & xx.30 past each hour, every 45 minutes at weekends, fare 1.90 euro, journey time 45 minutes.  The bus station is directly across the road (well, around the roundabout) from Algeciras railway station, behind the Octavio Hotel. Alternatively, a taxi from Algeciras station to Gibraltar town costs around 24 euros.  There are normally plenty of taxis available when the train from Madrid arrives.

How much does it cost?

See the London to Spain page for fares between London & Madrid.

How to buy tickets online...

The easiest and cheapest way to book your London-Gibraltar train ride is online.  UK residents can buy tickets for all the trains from London to Algeciras and back using www.raileurope.co.uk, as follows:

• Step 1, book the Paris-Madrid trainhotel and then the London-Paris Eurostar, following the step-by step instructions on the London to Spain page.

• Step 2, still on www.raileurope.co.uk, click 'continue shopping' and book the train from Madrid to Algeciras & back.  Remember that the outward date will obviously be the day after your departure from London.  Tip:  If it won't book a return, try booking as two one-ways.

• If you book the Madrid-Algeciras train using www.raileurope.co.uk as suggested above, all your tickets can be bought as one transaction, painlessly, in English.  However, www.raileurope.co.uk only sells the normal flexible fares between Madrid & Algeciras, it can't sell the cheap 'Web' or 'Estrella' fares.  To save money, you can book the Madrid-Algeciras & Algeciras-Madrid trains separately using the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.com, looking for these cheap deals.  You'll need to book in Spanish, but that's no real problem, just follow the step-by step instructions here.

• Step 3, you simply buy the bus ticket from Algeciras to La Linea on the bus.

How to buy tickets by phone...

You may prefer to book by phone.  To book train travel all the way from London to Algeciras, call www.spanish-rail.co.uk on 020 7224 0345 (lines open 09:30-17:30 Monday-Friday), or Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 09:00-19:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays, no longer open Sundays).  See the 'how to buy tickets' section on the Europe page for more info about how to book European trains.

Gibraltar - Tangier ferries...

A fast ferry occasionally operates from Gibraltar to Tangier, run by www.frs.es.  There were no sailings at all in 2007, but Friday & Sunday evening crossings in 2008.  At other times, simply take the bus from La Linea (Gibraltar's frontier with Spain) round the bay to Algeciras (every 30 mins, journey time 30 mins) for the ferry from there to Tangier.  See www.trasmediterranea.es, www.comarit.com or www.euroferrys.com to check sailing times & fares.

The Thomas Cook European timetable has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  Published since 1873, it costs £13.99.  It's essential for any serious traveller and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Still not convinced you need one?  More information on what the Thomas Cook Timetable contains.  You can buy the latest monthly edition online at www.thomascooktimetables.com with worldwide delivery or buy it in person from any UK branch of Thomas Cook (ask at the bureau de change), or from W H Smiths in Victoria or Kings Cross stations in London.  Or buy the twice-yearly independent traveller's edition with laminated cover from Amazon.co.uk:  Winter/Spring 2011/12 edition (Dec 2011 to June 2012) or (when available) Summer/Autumn 2012 edition (June to Dec 2012)

The Thomas Cook Rail Map of Europe is the best and most comprehensive map of train routes right across Europe, from Portugal in the west to Istanbul, Moscow & Ukraine in the east, from Finland in the north to Sicily & Crete in the south.  High speed & scenic routes are highlighted.  Highly recommended!  Buy online at www.amazon.co.uk (worldwide delivery).  See an extract from the map.

Find a hotel in Gibraltar, Algeciras or Madrid...

Search by hotel name  Powered by Hotelscombined.com

◄◄◄◄◄ Search all the major hotel booking websites at once... www.hotelscombined.com is probably the best hotel search system I've seen, a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites (Opodo, Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, AsiaRooms, Travelocity, LateRooms and others) to find the cheapest hotel rates.  Set up in 2005, it's probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.

Also check out Tripadvisor Gibraltar hotel recommendations.

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