Morocco ferry routes & schedules — Tangier & Tanger Med to Spain

The most popular crossings are Algeciras to Tanger Med (about 90 minutes) and Tarifa to Tangier (Tanger Ville, about 1 hour). Longer routes run from Almeria and Motril to Nador in around 5 to 8 hours. Operators include FRS DFDS, Baleària, AML and Armas Trasmediterránea.

The Tarifa to Tangier (Tanger Ville) high-speed ferry is the fastest and most direct, taking about 1 hour and landing you in the centre of Tangier. Tarifa is the only European port with a direct fast ferry to the city centre, operated by Baleària and AML.

Tanger Med is a large modern port about 40 km east of Tangier that handles almost all car ferries and the Algeciras route. Tanger Ville is the original port in the city centre, used mainly by the fast passenger ferry from Tarifa. Foot passengers usually prefer Tanger Ville; vehicles use Tanger Med.

Yes. Most ferries to Morocco, especially to Tanger Med and Nador, carry vehicles, and the routes are heavily used by drivers. Car space is charged by vehicle length and should be reserved in advance, particularly in summer.

Citizens of the EU, UK, US and many other countries can enter Morocco visa-free for up to 90 days with a valid passport. Everyone receives an entry stamp; on some ferry routes, police check and stamp passports on board, so keep your documents accessible.

The Algeciras to Tanger Med ferry takes about 90 minutes and is the busiest crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar, with 30 or more daily departures all year and the largest capacity for cars and trucks.

The fast ferry from Tarifa docks at Tanger Ville, in the heart of Tangier. Ferries from Algeciras arrive at Tanger Med, about 40 km east of the city, connected by shuttle bus and taxi.

Yes. The routes from Almeria and Motril to Nador are often overnight sailings of 5 to 8 hours, and long-haul services from Barcelona, Genoa, Sète and Marseille to Tanger Med and Nador run for 24 to 52 hours with cabins.

Yes. Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) runs long crossings from Genoa and Barcelona to Tanger Med and Nador, and from Sète (France); La Méridionale sails from Marseille to Tanger Med. These take roughly one to two days and carry vehicles, usually with cabins.

Mid-June to mid-September, during Operación Paso del Estrecho (Operation Marhaba), when millions of Moroccans living in Europe return home. In 2025 the outbound phase alone carried over 1.48 million passengers. Ferries run at maximum frequency but sell out early, so book well ahead for July and August.

Fares vary by route, season and vehicle. Short Strait crossings (Tarifa or Algeciras to Tangier) start from around 30 to 45 euro per foot passenger, with cars adding a length-based fee. Long Mediterranean crossings from Italy or France cost considerably more (from about 85 to 170 euro) and usually include a cabin.

The main operators are FRS DFDS, Baleària, AML (Africa Morocco Link) and Inter Shipping on the Strait crossings; Armas Trasmediterránea to Nador and Al Hoceima; and Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) and La Méridionale on the long Mediterranean routes from Italy and France.

No. Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish cities on the North African coast, reached by ferry from Algeciras, Almeria and Málaga. Travellers often use them as a land border crossing into Morocco, but the ferries themselves are domestic Spanish routes.

Ferries from Almeria sail to Nador in eastern Morocco in about 5 to 6 hours, operated by Baleària and Armas Trasmediterránea, often as overnight crossings. Almeria also has ferries to the Spanish city of Melilla.

For foot passengers outside summer, you can often buy close to departure. But for vehicles, for any July to August travel, and for the long Italy and France crossings, advance booking is strongly recommended as space sells out during peak season.