Ferry from Algeciras to Tanger Med

This site helps travellers to Morocco find their way on the busiest crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar, so you can choose between the operators with the facts in hand. We are independent: you book with the operator itself or through Direct Ferries. See also contact and the disclaimer.

Algeciras sits at the southern tip of Spain, facing Morocco across the Strait of Gibraltar. Ferries to Tanger Med run almost around the clock: around forty sailings a day in summer, twenty to thirty in the rest of the year. You rarely wait long for the next boat, although in summer a fixed ticket is the rule rather than a choice.

Tanger Med is a port complex about forty kilometres east of the city of Tangier, right on the motorway. After customs you drive to Tangier or Tétouan within the hour, to Rabat in a little over three hours and to Casablanca or Meknès in a little over four. Anyone heading for the west coast, the centre of the country or the south takes this crossing.

In July and August this is the heart of Operación Marhaba: hundreds of thousands of travellers in a few weeks, waiting areas in Algeciras and full boats. Book early and stick to the sailing on your ticket. How to get through those weeks is on the summer crowds page.

In short: this is the quickest way into Morocco and the best choice for Tangier, Tétouan, Rabat, Casablanca, Fez and Marrakech. Going to Nador, the Rif or Oujda? Almería-Nador saves you a day at the wheel. Not sure? See which crossing fits your destination.

Four operators sail the route: Baleària, DFDS (FRS until 2024), Africa Morocco Link and the Moroccan Inter Shipping. Armas Trasmediterránea is leaving the route in 2026: its ship Ciudad de Málaga went to Baleària and the Volcán de Tamasite is going to DFDS. The sailings stay, under a different name.

The differences are in the ships and their crossing time, the departure times and the price. The booking module at the top of this page compares the operators on price for your date. What to expect from each operator is on their own pages.

You drive on board yourself and park on the car deck; during the crossing you cannot get to the car. Take what you need up with you: passports, medicines, something to drink. At check-in you show the registration document, and the car must match the dimensions you booked. A roof box, bike rack or trailer counts; book too small and you may be refused at the quay or asked to pay extra. Running on LPG? Say so when booking and at check-in. Pets can travel, but the rules differ per operator. Most rental companies do not allow their cars into Morocco.

Leaving Algeciras, the Spanish police check your passport in the port. The Moroccan passport control happens on board: you fill in an entry card, an officer stamps your passport and with that stamp you leave the boat at Tanger Med. Then customs for the car: the temporary import (admission temporaire), valid for up to 180 days per calendar year, fastest with a D16 ter form filled in beforehand on the Moroccan customs site. Customs looks at the car and the luggage, and you drive into Morocco. For the car you need the registration document, your passport, driving licence and insurance that covers Morocco (a green card with MA not crossed out, or border insurance bought on arrival). Everything on one page: documents and customs.

An indication, not a live price. Fares differ per operator, per date and per ship; outside summer they are close together, and comparing on your date pays off most.

More expensive in summer. In July and August prices rise sharply and the popular sailings fill up fast.

The earlier, the cheaper. The cheapest sailings go first; whoever books months ahead pays the least. You only see the live price when booking, on your date.

All prices and ways to save