✅ BORDER & TRAVEL GUIDE

1. Border Opening Hours (2025)

The border is open 24/7 for:

pedestrians
cars & motorbikes
bicycles
buses & taxis

There is no closing time, but queues vary throughout the day.

2. Live Border Cameras (NEW – 2025)

To check real-time queues before entering Gibraltar or Spain, use:

📹 Live Cameras – Gibraltar Frontier

Official Frontier Queue Cameras:
https://www.frontierqueue.gi

Shows:

pedestrian queue
vehicle lane
Spanish side congestion
estimated waiting times

Updated every 15–30 seconds.

3. Best Times to Cross (Late 2025)

Worst times (heaviest queues):

07:30–09:15 (workers entering Gibraltar)
16:30–18:30 (return to Spain)
Fridays after 15:00
Spanish long weekends / holidays
Bad weather (reduces lanes)

Best times:

11:00–15:00
After 20:00
Weekdays (except Friday)

Pedestrian crossing is almost always faster.

4. Documents Required (November 2025)

Entering Gibraltar from Spain

Passport (mandatory for all nationalities)
EU citizens: free movement
UK citizens: passport only
Non-EU: passport + visa if your nationality requires one

Entering Spain from Gibraltar

EU citizens: ID/passport
UK citizens: passport
Non-EU: passport + Schengen visa (if required)

Keep documents ready — checks are stricter since 2024.

5. EES (Entry/Exit System) – ACTIVE IN 2025

Since 2024–2025, Spain applies the EU EES biometric system, meaning:

first-time non-EU visitors have fingerprints + photo taken
data stored for 3 years
faster crossings after first registration

This applies at the Gibraltar–Spain border too.

6. ETIAS (Important 2025 Update)

ETIAS is NOT active yet at Gibraltar land border in November 2025.
Expected: mid-2026.

Visitors do not need ETIAS at this moment.

7. Special Situations (Cars, Luggage, Work)

Cars

Police may check boot & luggage randomly
Cars with Spanish plates usually pass faster returning to Spain
Parking in La Línea (Spain) is recommended to avoid queues

Luggage

Alcohol & cigarettes: strict limits when entering Spain
Food/meat/dairy limits may apply under EU rules

Workers (Cross-Frontier Workers)

Have your Frontier Worker ID ready (if applicable)
Queues are worst at worker hours (07:30–09:00)

8. Tips to Avoid Border Stress

✔ Check live cameras before leaving
✔ Walk if queues look heavy—walking is much faster
✔ Avoid entering/exiting at worker peak times
✔ If flying to/from Gibraltar, add 20–30 min extra, as runway crossings may pause traffic
✔ Always carry passport (photos or scans are NOT accepted)

9. Useful Links (Official)

Frontier Cameras: https://www.frontierqueue.gi
Gibraltar Gov Travel Notices: https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi
La Línea Bus & Parking Info: https://lalinea.es/
EES/ETIAS Technical Notice (Gov of Gibraltar):
https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/press-releases

Crossing the Gibraltar–Spain Border