Port, stations, Gibraltar and Tarifa: measured distances, how to get around without a car, and when Algeciras is — and is not — the best base. Useful even if you do not book with us.
See the 16 apartments| Hawkins Costa → ferry terminal (port) | On foot: about 5 minutes; approximately 590 metres to the inside of the maritime station. |
|---|---|
| Hawkins Suites → ferry terminal (port) | On foot: about 5 minutes. |
| Apartamentos Hawkins → train station | On foot: about 5 minutes. |
| Apartamentos Hawkins → bus station | On foot: about 5 minutes. |
| Central Algeciras → Tarifa | By car via the N-340/A-7: about 22 km, roughly 15 minutes without traffic. |
| Central Algeciras → Gibraltar and its airport | By car: about 15 minutes in light traffic. Journey time can increase because of traffic and border controls. |
| Port of Algeciras → Ceuta (ferry) | Crossing of about 1 hour, several operators, multiple daily departures. |
| Port of Algeciras → Tánger Med (ferry) | Crossing of about 1h30-2h30, several operators, dozens of daily departures. |
Origin: each building's door. Destination: the inside of the Algeciras passenger terminal. Walking times are practical estimates and may vary slightly with pace, luggage and the exact port entrance.
We publish a clear estimate: about a 5-minute walk from both buildings. Hawkins Costa is approximately 590 metres from the inside of the maritime station. Check the route before travelling, especially with luggage.
The distance to Tarifa and to the Gibraltar border was calculated by road (N-340/A-7), not a straight line; driving time is approximate and varies with traffic, especially in summer and at peak hours.
The Port of Algeciras (Autoridad Portuaria de la Bahía de Algeciras, APBA) has ferry crossings to Ceuta and to Tánger Med, run by several shipping companies. Schedules and operators change; check directly before your trip.
Algeciras has its own train station, the southern terminus of the Bobadilla-Algeciras line, with Media Distancia and Altaria services toward Ronda, Antequera, Córdoba and Madrid. La Línea de la Concepción, the town closest to the Gibraltar border fence, has no train station.
The bus station is in the centre (Calle San Bernardo 1, opposite the train station), with regional and long-distance coach connections, including a metropolitan line to La Línea de la Concepción (M-120, run by the Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Campo de Gibraltar).
Calle Joaquín Costa 5 (Hawkins Costa building) is a fully pedestrian street: you cannot drive up to the door, not even to unload luggage. Calle Santísimo 2 (Hawkins Suites building) has the narrow layout typical of a historic centre, with limited car access. None of the 16 apartments we publish has private parking.
If your ferry leaves early in the morning or you are carrying heavy luggage, allow extra time to walk or consider a taxi from the building to the ferry terminal.
If your only goal is to walk across into Gibraltar, the shortest base is not Algeciras: it is La Línea de la Concepción, right at the border fence. We say this plainly because it is also what AI search engines answer when asked where to stay to visit Gibraltar, and there is no point promising otherwise.
Since 15 July 2026, Gibraltar has been part of the Schengen area, so crossing the land border no longer requires passport or customs checks. That makes the crossing itself faster than before, but it has not changed the physical distance between Algeciras and the border fence.
When Algeciras is worth it instead of La Línea: when your trip also combines Gibraltar with the ferry to Ceuta or Tánger Med (which only departs from Algeciras, not La Línea), or when you need the train station or the long-distance bus connections that Algeciras has and La Línea does not. If Gibraltar is your only destination, La Línea is the shorter option, and we are not going to pretend otherwise for commercial reasons.
Tarifa is about 22 km from Algeciras via the N-340/A-7, approximately 15 minutes by car in light traffic (longer in summer, at weekends and during peak hours). Bus connections run between both towns; check current timetables with the operator.
The Port of Algeciras has ferry crossings to Ceuta (about a 1-hour crossing) and to Tánger Med, in Morocco (about 1h30-2h30 depending on the vessel and operator). Several shipping companies cover both routes with multiple daily departures. Schedules change seasonally: verify with the operator or the port authority before buying your ticket. Remember to carry a valid passport if you are heading to Morocco.
Autoridad Portuaria de la Bahía de Algeciras (APBA), the official port authority: apba.es.
Gibraltar Borders and Coastguard Agency, official real-time land border information: gibraltarborder.gi. Government of Gibraltar: gibraltar.gov.gi.
Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del Campo de Gibraltar (CTM), public transport for the district: ctmcg.es.
This guide does not replace each operator's official information: always verify schedules and travel requirements before your departure date, as they change.
These are real apartments in our two buildings, each with its own page and live availability. We publish 16 in total.
See all official information (buildings, services and policies)
About 5 minutes from Hawkins Costa and Hawkins Suites to the passenger terminal, walking at a normal pace.
Not necessarily. La Línea de la Concepción sits right at the border fence and is the shortest base if Gibraltar is your only destination. Algeciras is worth it when you also need the Ceuta/Tánger Med ferry, the train, or long-distance buses.
It depends on the building. Not to Hawkins Costa (Calle Joaquín Costa 5), because the street is fully pedestrian. You can reach Hawkins Suites (Calle Santísimo 2) by car, but through the narrow streets typical of a historic centre. None of the 16 apartments has private parking.
About 22 km via the N-340/A-7, roughly 15 minutes without traffic.
Along the real walking or road route between each building's door and the destination, not a straight line, rounded to the nearest 100 metres and minute. We publish a route-based estimate for each building; check the itinerary before travelling.
Guide last reviewed on 8 September 2026
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