Gibraltar ► London

• Day 1, morning, transfer from Gibraltar & La Linea to Algeciras:  Walk (15 minutes), take a taxi (£4-£6) or take one of the frequent buses (£1) from Gibraltar town to the border with Spain and walk through British and then Spanish passport control into La Linea.  In La Linea, you'll find a taxi rank and bus stop right outside the border.  Now either take a taxi from La Linea to Algeciras railway station for a fixed price of €24.75 (taxis don't use the meter on this run) or take an M-120 bus from La Linea to Algeciras bus station.  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.  The fare is €2.45.  In Algeciras, the buses stop just 50 metres away from the railway station.  Alternatively, your hotel may be able to arrange a private transfer direct from Gibraltar town to Algeciras station for around £50 - however, neither Gibraltar taxis nor Spanish taxis will normally cross the border.

  Alternatively, San Roque-La Linea is actually the closest station to Gibraltar.  If you prefer to pick up the train there, you can take a taxi the 16 km (10 miles) from La Linea to San Roque-La Linea station.

• Day 1, travel from Algeciras or San Roque to Barcelona by train.  A regional train leaves Algeciras at 11:24 or San Roque-La Linea at 11:40 for Antequera-Santa Ana, change there onto a high-speed AVE train which by-passes Madrid and arrives Barcelona Sants at 20:22.  You'll see the same wonderful scenery shown in this Gibraltar to Madrid video guide, the train to Barcelona takes exactly the same route as far as the outskirts of Madrid.

• Stay overnight in Barcelona.  Suggested hotels close to Barcelona Sants station with good or great reviews include the Hotel Barcelo Sants (4-star, great reviews, directly above Barcelona Sants station itself, recommended), AC Hotel Sants by Marriott (4-star, just 50m from the station), Hotel Catalonia Roma (3-star), Hostal Baler (2-star), Hotel Transit (1-star), Meeting Point Hostel (inexpensive private rooms & dorm beds).

• Day 2, morning, travel from Barcelona to Paris by double-deck high-speed TGV Duplex, leaving Barcelona Sants at 10:10 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon at 16:46.  Book an upper deck seat for the best views as the train rolls past colonies of flamingos on the étangs in southern France, then speeds along the scenic Rhone Valley towards Paris.  There's a cafe-bar on board.  If you have a 1st class ticket for the TGV you can use the Sala Club at Barcelona, details here.

• Cross Paris by metro or taxi, just 2 stops on RER line D.  Why not have an early dinner in Paris and catch a later Eurostar?  The Brasserie Terminus Nord (www.terminusnord.com) is good and typically French, and it's directly opposite the Gare du Nord.

• Day 2 early evening, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 19:13 arriving London St Pancras at 20:46.

How much does it cost?

• London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £44 one-way or £58 return in 2nd class, £112 one-way or £168 return in 1st class.  Like air fares, the price rises as cheaper seats are sold, so book early for the best price.

• Paris-Barcelona by TGV starts at €39 each way in 2nd class, €59 in 1st class.

• Barcelona to Algeciras by AVE+regional train starts at around €55 each way in Turista.

• Fares for each of these trains vary like air fares, rising as the cheaper tickets are sold.  Book early for the cheapest fares.  You'll find a more detailed explanation for the fares for the TGV on the Paris to Barcelona TGV page.

How to buy tickets online...

• The easiest way to book your London to Gibraltar train journey is online at either raileurope.co.uk or www.trainline.eu.  Both of these sites connect to the Eurostar, SNCF (French Railways) & Renfe (Spanish Railways) rail ticketing systems so you can buy all your tickets in one place at the cheapest price in plain English, in €, £ or $, with international payment cards no problem.  A small booking fee applies.  More about Trainline.  More about Raileurope.

• Step 1, book the London to Paris Eurostar and the Paris-Barcelona TGV following the simple instructions on the London to Spain page.  I recommend using raileurope.co.uk or www.trainline.eu and splitting the journey into London to Paris and Paris to Barcelona, adding each to your basket in turn, making sure you have at least 60 minutes between trains in Paris, ideally more.

  Tip:  If you are returning, Eurostar is best booked as a round trip because with Eurostar a return fare is significantly cheaper than two one-ways.  However, for French and Spanish trains a return trip is usually ticketed as two one-ways, so you can book one way at a time, it makes no difference to the price.

• Step 2, now book the Spanish trains from Barcelona to Algeciras & back, also at either raileurope.co.uk or www.trainline.eu, adding that to your basket.  Important tip:  To force it to find the easy option with 1 change via Antequera (as opposed to multiple changes via Madrid) simply click More options and enter Antequera Santa Ana as a via station.  If necessary, book Barcelona-Antequera and Antequera-Algeciras as separate journeys, adding each to your basket.

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

How to buy tickets by phone...

• It's cheaper and in many ways easier to buy online, as you can see for yourself which departures are cheapest for each stage of the journey and you avoid phone booking fees.  Online booking is possible 24/7, but most telephone booking agencies only work office hours on weekdays.

• However, if you'd rather call someone, here is a list if UK ticketing agencies with phone numbers & opening hours.  For a journey between the UK & Spain I'd call Ffestiniog Travel, International Rail or Trainseurope.  Book early for the cheapest prices, ideally 2-3 months ahead, as prices increase close to departure, just like air fares.  Eurostar, TGV, AVE & other Renfe tickets will usually be emailed to you as e-tickets, so there's no postage cost or delay.

What's the journey like?

London to Paris by Eurostar:  See the Eurostar guide

A Eurostar arrived at Paris Nord...  All you need to know about Eurostar.		Why not have lunch between trains at the wonderful Train Bleu restaurant at Paris Gare de Lyon?  See the Train Bleu Restaurant page.

Paris to Barcelona by TGV Duplex: See video guide

These are impressive 186mph TGV Duplex double-decker high-speed trains.  You board the train through a wide sliding external door into a small hall at one end of the lower deck, where an internal door opens into a lower deck seating area.  A wide, short & easy flight of stairs leads from the entrance door to a landing at one end of the upper deck.  You walk along the train from car to car at the upper level, and the café-bar is also at the upper level.  There are toilets & luggage racks both upstairs & downstairs.  If you have problems with stairs or very heavy luggage, the lower deck might be best.  But for the best views (over the top of the occasional sound barrier along the high speed lines!), definitely choose an upper deck seat.  For couples in first class, an upper deck 'club duo' face to face table for two is easily the best option.  More pictures & an account of what to see on the Paris to Barcelona journey.

TGV Duplex at Paris Gare de Lyon. These 200 mph double-deckers link Paris with Barcelona.  Watch TGV Duplex video.		2nd class table for 4 on TGV Duplex upper deck...

The cafe-bar on the upper deck in car 4, serving tea, coffee, soft drinks, wine, beer, snacks & microwave-style hot dishes....		2nd class seats, this is upper deck seating.  There's a mix or tables for 4 and unidirectional seating.

1st class seats on the upper deck, with a club duo on the left, a club quatre on the right.		A TGV Duplex at Barcelona Sants.  The red near the door indicates 1st class, pale green indicates 2nd class.

Mt Canigou & the Pyrenees...  One of the highest peaks in the mighty Pyrenees, the 2,784m (9,137 feet) high Mt Canigou dominates the skyline on the right all the way from Perpignan to Girona, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canigou.

Barcelona to Antequera by AVE, regional train to Algeciras...

These superb-quality AVE high speed trains are amongst the classiest trains in Europe. They have 3 classes, Preferente (premium 1st class), Turista Plus (1st class seating but without any food) & Turista (2nd class). AVE trains run at up to 186 mph over the Spanish high-speed lines. Most trains between Barcelona and Andalucía are the S102 type shown below, little articulated single-axle Talgo carriages sandwiched between strange-looking duck-billed power cars, hence the nickname 'pato', Spanish for duck. The final destination of the Barcelona-Antequera train will be shown on the departure boards as Malaga.  The train runs to the outskirts of Madrid on the high-speed line, by-passes the city and joins the Madrid-Malaga high-speed line for the journey south...

AVE S102.  Known to staff as pato (duck).  No prizes for guessing why...		AVE Preferente class...  Leather reclining seats, all with power sockets...

AVE Turista class...  Comfortable seats, 2 abreast each side of the aisle, mainly unidirectional but some bays of 4 around a table like this...		AVE Turista Plus...  Reclining seats, power sockets for laptops & mobiles, mainly unidirectional but some tables for 2 and tables for 4...

1st class lounge:  Club & Preferente ticket holders (including Promo+ tickets, but not Promo) may use the Sala Club 1st class lounge at Barcelona Sants, with coffee, juice & beer.		All aboard the train to Andalusia!  All AVE trains have a cafe-bar serving drinks and snacks, or feel free to bring your own food, wine or beer on board.

Don Quixote country...  Arid Andalusian scenery seen from the train to Algeciras.  The line from Madrid to Algeciras, especially the last part from Antequera southwards, is one of my favourite routes, a scenic treat.  Watch the video...

Algeciras to La Linea by bus or taxi, gateway to Gibraltar...

Bus M-120 boarding at Algeciras bus station		Rock of Gibraltar, seen from a taxi near La Linea.

In 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 €2.45, 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 charges a fixed price (non-meter) of €24.75.  There are normally plenty of taxis available when the train from Madrid arrives.

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Gibraltar - Tangier ferries...

A fast ferry occasionally operates from Gibraltar to Tangier, run by www.frs.es.  There were Friday & Sunday evening crossings a few years ago, there may be none now.  At other times, simply take the bus from La Linea (Gibraltar's frontier with Spain) round the bay to Algeciras (every 30 minutes, journey time 30 minutes) for the ferry from there to Tangier.  See www.trasmediterranea.es, www.comarit.com or www.balearia.com to check sailing times & fares.

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See the video:  Gibraltar to Madrid by train...

This video shows the fabulous scenery between Gibraltar and Madrid.  Although the video shows an Altaria train from Algeciras to Madrid, the trains from Algeciras to Barcelona take exactly the same route as far as the outskirts of Madrid.

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In Gibraltar...

The Governor's residence...		Typically British telephone kiosk....

The cable car up to the top of the Rock...		The Rock of Gibraltar viewed from the top cable car station.  It's a cloudy day, and we're above the clouds...

The famous apes.  There's a fine for feeding them, but watch it, they'll pinch your own food right out of your hand!		The Rock of Gibraltar, seen from one of the regular Dolphin safaris leaving from Marina Bay - www.dolphinsafari.gi

European Rail Timetable & map

The European Rail Timetable (formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable) has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus currency & climate information.  It is essential for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair travellers.  Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.  You can buy it online with worldwide shipping at either www.stanfords.co.uk or www.europeanrailtimetable.eu.  More information on what the European Rail Timetable contains.

A Traveller's Railway Map of Europe covers the whole of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south.  On the back are detailed maps of Switzerland, Benelux & Germany, plus city plans showing stations in major cities.  Scenic & high-speed routes highlighted.  Buy it online for £14.50 + postage worldwide (UK addresses £2.80) at www.stanfords.co.uk/Continents/Europe-A-Travellers-Railway-Map_9789077899090.htm or (in the Netherlands) for €13 + €5.50 postage from www.treinreiswinkel.nl.

Find hotels in Gibraltar...

Rock Hotel, Gibraltar...

Opened in 1932, Gibraltar's Rock Hotel nestles under the Rock at the far end of town, with a relaxing pool area across the road, complete with poolside bar.  Many famous people have stayed here, from Winston Churchill to Sean Connery to Errol Flynn.  Don't expect cutting edge design - if anything the rooms are a little tired and in need of refurbishment - but it's one of the classic hotels in Gib, a stone's throw from the lower cable car station and a 10 minute walk from the heart of Main Street.  In the summer, dinner is served al fresco by the pool.  The breakfast buffet is good, but ask for fried egg rather than taste their powdered scrambled egg!

Travel insurance & health card...

Take out decent travel insurance, it's essential...

Never travel without proper travel insurance from a reliable insurer with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover loss of cash & belongings (up to a limit), and trip cancellation.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheapest even for just 2 or 3 trips a year - I have an annual policy myself.  However, don't expect travel insurance to bail you out of every missed connection, see the advice on missed connections here.  Here are some suggested insurers, Seat61 gets a little commission if you buy through these links, and feedback from using insurance for rail & ferry travel is always welcome.

In the UK, use www.confused.com to compare prices & policy features across major insurance companies.

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or are over 65, see www.JustTravelCover.com - 10% discount with code seat61.

        If you live in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct's other websites.

  If you live in the USA try Travel Guard USA.

Get an EU health card, it's free...

If you're a UK citizen travelling in Europe, you should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card, which entitles you to free or reduced rate health care if you become ill or get injured in many European countries, under a reciprocal arrangement with the NHS.  This replaced the old E111 forms as from January 2006.  The EHIC card is available from ww.nhs.uk.  It doesn't remove the need for travel insurance, though.

Get a free Curve card to save on exchange rates & foreign transaction fees...

Banks often give you a poor exchange rate, then charge you a currency conversion fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month as I write this.  The balance goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.  And you can get a Curve card for free.

How it works:  1. Download the app for iPhone or Android.  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to most European addresses including the UK.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, just like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance onto whichever of your debit or credit cards you choose.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself and it's great - I get some commission if you sign up to Curve, but I only recommend such things when I've read up on reviews and tried it myself.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card. Use code MAN61 to get £5 cashback after signing up and using your Curve card the first time.

Get a VPN for safe browsing when you travel.  VPNs & why you need one explained...

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN means your connection to the internet is encrypted & always secure, even using unsecured WiFi.  In countries such as China where access to Twitter & Facebook is restricted, a VPN gets around these restrictions.  And lastly, you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geographic restrictions which some websites apply - for example one booking site charges a booking fee to non-European visitors but none to European visitors, so if you're not located in Europe you can avoid this fee by browsing with a UK IP address using a VPN.  VPNs & why you need one explained.  ExpressVPN is a best buy and I use them myself.