点评:The Gibraltar Nature Reserve is beautiful and absolutely worth visiting. Unfortunately, our experience with the shuttle system was extremely disappointing and, in my opinion, very poorly organized — particularly for older visitors or anyone with limited mobility.
We were a group of four and purchased tickets at Market Place for both the Nature Reserve and the shuttle service. We took the shuttle to the top and got off near St. Michael’s Cave, which is spectacular and probably one of the best attractions in the reserve.
The problem begins once you get off the shuttle.
There is very little clear information explaining how visitors are supposed to reach the other major attractions. There are no useful signs showing walking distances, estimated walking times, or the difficulty and elevation changes between sites.
If you want to visit two of the reserve’s main attractions — St. Michael’s Cave and the World War II Tunnels — you should be clearly informed BEFORE purchasing your shuttle ticket that you may have to walk several kilometres through steep, mountainous terrain.
The shuttle map gives the impression that transportation is provided to help you visit the reserve. In reality, our experience was essentially transportation to the top, followed by a considerable amount of walking.
What made the situation even more frustrating was the return journey. After visiting the World War II Tunnels, the shuttle pick-up point required us to walk back uphill. By that point, we were simply too tired to do so. Instead, we continued walking downhill all the way back to Market Place.
This is particularly concerning for elderly visitors. A shuttle service inside a mountainous tourist attraction should not leave people wondering how they are going to get back down after they have already walked several kilometres.
I understand that the transportation system is operated in connection with the local taxi association, but I would strongly encourage those responsible for managing this service to reconsider how it is organized. Not every tourist can afford to hire a private taxi tour simply to move comfortably between the reserve’s major attractions.
If you sell a ticket as a “shuttle” service, visitors reasonably expect a genuine shuttle system — one that allows them to move between the principal attractions and return to Market Place without having to walk several kilometres down the mountain.
At a minimum, there should be clearly identified stops serving St. Michael’s Cave and the World War II Tunnels, with frequent transportation between them and a reliable return service to Market Place. Walking distances, estimated times, elevation changes and difficulty levels should also be clearly communicated before tickets are sold.
The Nature Reserve itself deserves to be visited. The current shuttle system does not deserve the same praise.
Until a proper transportation system is put in place, I would strongly recommend that visitors — especially seniors or anyone with mobility concerns — think twice before purchasing the shuttle ticket. Either arrange a taxi tour or be prepared for a long and demanding walk.
A world-class attraction like Gibraltar deserves a world-class visitor experience. Unfortunately, the current shuttle system falls far short of that standard.
翻译:直布罗陀自然保护区景色迷人,绝对值得一游。遗憾的是,我们对接驳车服务的体验极其糟糕,在我看来,这项服务组织得十分不力——尤其是对于年纪较大的游客或是行动不便的人士而言。
我们一行四人,在市场广场购买了前往自然保护区的门票以及接驳车服务。我们乘接驳车上到山顶后,在圣迈克尔洞穴附近下车。这一景点是非常壮观的,很可能也是保护区内最值得一看的景点之一。
问题出现在你下了接驳车之后。
几乎没有清晰的信息来说明游客该如何前往其他主要景点。也没有任何有用的标识来标明步行距离、预计耗时,或是各景点之间的难度与海拔变化。
如果你想参观保护区内的两个主要景点——圣……迈克尔洞穴与二战地道——在购买穿梭巴士票之前,您应当清楚了解:您可能需要沿着陡峭的山路步行数公里。
穿梭巴士路线图给人的印象是,这种交通服务是为了方便游客游览保护区。事实上,我们的体验仅仅是被送到山顶,之后便需要步行很长的距离。
更让人沮丧的是返程过程。参观完二战地道后,乘坐接驳车的地点需要我们再往山上走一段。那时我们已经筋疲力尽,实在走不动了。于是我们决定继续沿着下坡路走,一直回到了购物中心。
这种情况对年迈的游客来说尤为令人担忧。在一个多山的旅游景点里,接驳车服务绝不应该让游客在已经走了数公里之后,还为如何下山而发愁。我明白该交通系统是与当地出租车协会合作运营的,但我强烈建议负责管理此项服务的人士重新考虑其组织方式。并非每位游客都有能力专门租用私人出租车,只为了舒适地往返于保护区的各个主要景点。
如果您将票务宣传为“班车”服务的话,游客们理所当然地期望能有一套真正的接驳系统——能让他们在各个主要景点之间往返,并能顺利回到市场广场,而无需沿着山路步行数公里。
至少,应当设有明确标识的停靠点来连接圣迈克尔洞穴与二战地道,两地之间应有频繁的交通服务,同时也要有可靠的交通方式将游客送回市场广场。步行距离及预计耗时也需予以说明。在售票之前,地形起伏情况及难度级别也应予以明确说明。
这片自然保护区本身值得一游,但目前的接驳车系统则不值得夸赞。
在完善的交通系统建立之前,我强烈建议游客——尤其是老年人或行动不便的人士——在购买接驳车票前三思。要么安排出租车游览,要么做好进行一段漫长且辛苦的徒步旅行的准备。像直布罗陀这样世界级的旅游胜地,理应为游客提供世界级的体验。遗憾的是,目前的班车服务远未达到这一标准。