Gibraltar on Your Own? Taxi to Cable Car?

[lovely_serenity]

On 6/16/2023 at 2:47 PM, John Bull said:

 

IIRC correctly, about 20 minutes at each.

That's plenty of time in St Michael's Cave.

And "sufficient" at the Great Siege Tunnels, though there's a great panoramic view from near the entrance which'd be worth longer.

 

 

Casemates Square is at the bottom (north) end of Main Street.

There's an indoor market opposite the bus station, accessed thro a pedestrian gateway in the rear left corner of Casemates Square and under the main road.. Internet says it's open on wednesdays. 

And some stalls in Casemates Square.

 

 

 

A. No he isn't, he's just been taking in the glorious weather.

B. Yes he is, other than a touch of sunburn 😏

 

Thanks for the update on taxi tour prices.

We've had high inflation in in Europe, currently around 10% p.a.  Much of it due to war in Ukraine and embargos on Russian gas & oil which seem to be hurting Europe as much as (more than?)  Russia.🙄

So price increases are a fact of life.

But from around £30 to £55 ??????????

Cost used to be about the same as return tickets for the cablecar (incl. St Michael's Cave) which is now £37.

Go figure 🙁  

 

JB 🙂 

 

Thank you!

[Malleykatt]

Hi. Just to add for info. The WW2 tunnels and O'Hara's battery are currently closed to visitors. 

We took a taxi tour a couple of years ago, eldest son was History mad (now a first year qualified teacher of history). We wanted longer at the siege tunnels so left the tour. The taxi driver gave us a map and highlighted some other sights to see on the walk down. Entry to the Moorish castle and the 100 tonne gun were all included in our tour price we just showed our tickets. We like walking but we did walk along the road to near the police station and caught a bus back into town.

Will be stopping off again in August.

[Torfamm]

On 5/22/2022 at 2:03 PM, atobols said:

We made a reservation for breakfast at Mons Calpe Suite for breakfast.  Eating a meal there gets free cable car ride up and back.  You also get to skip the line by going in the exit door and getting right onto a cable car.  We plan on buying nature reserve tickets when we get to the top.  I can copy and paste the exact wording from the reservation confirmation email if anyone is interested. Our plan is to do breakfast at 10AM, buy our nature reserve tickets and then walk down the rock seeing sites as we go.  It should only be a little over 5 km walk and take us about 4 hours to do it.  That's our plan based on what I've read and the people I've spoken with.  Having never been there, I'm open to suggestions.

It's possible to buy the tickets for the Nature Reserve ahead of time if you like. Then you just show your confirmation with order number. https://naturereserve.gi/tickets/   

[PacnGoNow]

1 hour ago, Torfamm said:

It's possible to buy the tickets for the Nature Reserve ahead of time if you like. Then you just show your confirmation with order number. https://naturereserve.gi/tickets/   

Be careful if you’re planning on taking the cable up, it was closed when we went due to high winds,  The airport was also closed and flights were being diverted.  Our tour guide said it happens quite often.

 

I was happy we booked the taxi tour ahead of time. 
 

 

[Senga]

4 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

I was happy we booked the taxi tour ahead of time. 

Who did you book with?

[PacnGoNow]

Just now, Senga said:

Who did you book with?

http://www.gibraltartaxiassociation.com/
 

We got 8 together on our roll call and booked the 3.5 hour tour.  We paid after the tour was finished.  Very good.  Luigi was our guide.

 

 

[John Bull]

16 hours ago, Torfamm said:

It's possible to buy the tickets for the Nature Reserve ahead of time if you like. Then you just show your confirmation with order number. https://naturereserve.gi/tickets/   

 

Only those hiking up need to buy the Nature Reserve tickets.

They're included in the price of the cablecar and the taxi tours

 

14 hours ago, PacnGoNow said:

Be careful if you’re planning on taking the cable up, it was closed when we went due to high winds,  The airport was also closed and flights were being diverted.  Our tour guide said it happens quite often.

 

I was happy we booked the taxi tour ahead of time. 

 

 

Yes, the cable car service is quite often suspended (awful pun intended 😏) due to high winds.

But I've never heard of anyone being trapped at the top.

 

And lines to go up can be l-o-o-o-ng after about 9.30 / 10.00 when the coach-borne hordes arrive from the Spanish resorts, so get along there soonest.

 

JB 🙂

[Torfamm]

16 minutes ago, John Bull said:

16 hours ago, Torfamm said:

It's possible to buy the tickets for the Nature Reserve ahead of time if you like. Then you just show your confirmation with order number. https://naturereserve.gi/tickets/   

 

Only those hiking up need to buy the Nature Reserve tickets.

They're included in the price of the cablecar and the taxi tours

The cable car ticket doesn’t automatically include the Nature Preserve. Combination tickets are available for the cable car and Nature Preserve though.

 

The poster I was answering is using the cable car as an inclusion with their restaurant reservation. If they want to enter the Nature Reserve they will need tickets. They are not included with the free “ skip the line” use of the cable car when you make a reservation at Mons Calpe Suite

Edited June 20, 2023 by Torfamm

[John Bull]

2 hours ago, Torfamm said:

The cable car ticket doesn’t automatically include the Nature Preserve. Combination tickets are available for the cable car and Nature Preserve though.

 

The poster I was answering is using the cable car as an inclusion with their restaurant reservation. If they want to enter the Nature Reserve they will need tickets. They are not included with the free “ skip the line” use of the cable car when you make a reservation at Mons Calpe Suite

 

Thanks for that update, Torfamm.

The Nature Reserve admission, which was included with cablecar tickets & taxi tours used to be pennies, but didn't include payable extras like St Michael's Cave, the Great Siege Tunnels, the WW2 tunnels, the Moorish Castle etc  (things like the Apes Den & the Mediterranean steps are free)

For pennies, now read £19 😮.

Probably good value if you visit most of those attractions but expensive if you just want to hike and take in the views.

 

I think this possibly provides an answer to why the cost of the standard upper Rock taxi / van tour has shot up from around £25 / £30 pre-pandemic to £55.

Those taxi tours still include admission to the Nature Reserve, to St Michael's Cave, and to the Great Siege Tunnels, but there's a big difference between the pre-Pandemic cost of just those things and the new much higher inclusive Nature Reserve admission charge,.

 

JB 🙂

[Incognito1]

Worth doing ONCE.  Our experience was that the price is fixed regardless of whether you get it on the ship, taxi tour, or privately.  However, there were two lines at the cable cars - one for the tour groups and the other for everyone else.  This meant a 20 minute wait for tour groups and a 75 minute wait in the heat for the rest of us.  

 

At the top, the macaques were magnificent.  We went early in the morning and they were out on the trails.   As soon as a large group came near, though, the largest of them screeched and shook a tree (the whole thing) and they all left to the eating area (inaccessible to visitors), not returning while we were there.  They are a little scary up close, but wow!  We waited for the fog to clear to have a beautiful view.

 

3 hour leisurely walk down or quick cable car.  Note that the only discounts they offer are 1# off for seniors, and the only military that's free are active duty British (contrary to other info online).  Overpriced cafe at the top with decent food.

 

I wouldn't return, but am glad we did it once.  There is a FANTASTIC expansive botanical garden directly adjacent to the cable cars.  No charge.  We spent an hour there and could have spent more but needed to get back to the ship.

[ollienbertsmum]

17 hours ago, Incognito1 said:

Worth doing ONCE.  Our experience was that the price is fixed regardless of whether you get it on the ship, taxi tour, or privately.  However, there were two lines at the cable cars - one for the tour groups and the other for everyone else.  This meant a 20 minute wait for tour groups and a 75 minute wait in the heat for the rest of us.  

 

At the top, the macaques were magnificent.  We went early in the morning and they were out on the trails.   As soon as a large group came near, though, the largest of them screeched and shook a tree (the whole thing) and they all left to the eating area (inaccessible to visitors), not returning while we were there.  They are a little scary up close, but wow!  We waited for the fog to clear to have a beautiful view.

 

3 hour leisurely walk down or quick cable car.  Note that the only discounts they offer are 1# off for seniors, and the only military that's free are active duty British (contrary to other info online).  Overpriced cafe at the top with decent food.

 

I wouldn't return, but am glad we did it once.  There is a FANTASTIC expansive botanical garden directly adjacent to the cable cars.  No charge.  We spent an hour there and could have spent more but needed to get back to the ship.

 

I did not realise how expensive it is getting - and how long the waits are for some people.  To be honest, if the wait is over an hour, I think skip the queue and get a taxi.   

 

For other times there are the skywalk (Not sure if it is included in the nature reserve cost or if it is only included in the Gibraltar Pass), the Windsor Bridge, Princess Caroline’s Battery.  If you are local you can get into these places by showing your ID.  We do it regularly - when it is not baking hot the Mediterranean Steps are a great alternative to the gym.    If you are fit and your ship is in port for at least 6 hours, that is a great way to visit Gibraltar. 

[Malleykatt]

Hi. One for ollienbertsmum

 

Do you know if the WW2 tunnels will be open by August?  When I emailed they said there was no date available.

 

Many thanks.

 

[ollienbertsmum]

14 hours ago, Malleykatt said:

Hi. One for ollienbertsmum

 

Do you know if the WW2 tunnels will be open by August?  When I emailed they said there was no date available.

 

Many thanks.

 

 

If you have actually emailed them, I would suspect that is a ‘no’.  I don’t go up that side of the Rock to notice.  

[Malleykatt]

Hi.

 

Yes I guess will see what happens when we arrive.

 

Thank you.