Ferries to Tangier
Tanger Ville and Tanger Med: routes and arrival
Tangier has two ferry ports. Tanger Ville lies in the city's bay, between Cap Spartel and Cap Malabata, and takes only cruise ships and the fast ferries from Tarifa. Tanger Med, about 40 km east of the city, handles the lines from Algeciras, Barcelona, Sète, Marseille and Genoa.
On this page
Two ports: Tanger Ville and Tanger Med
Tangier has two ports for passengers, and which one you arrive at depends on where you sail from.
- Tanger Ville: the port in the city of Tangier, in a bay between Cap Spartel and Cap Malabata, where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. Between the end of 2008 and the end of 2010, almost all of its traffic moved to Tanger Med. Since 15 December 2010, Tanger Ville has been closed to merchant ships and takes only cruise ships and the fast ferries from Tarifa.
- Tanger Med: the newer port about 40 km east of Tangier. The ferry lines from Algeciras, Barcelona, Sète, Marseille and Genoa use it.
Which port for which departure point
From Tanger Med, five ferry lines run to Spain, France and Italy:
| Line | Crossing | Frequency | Shipping companies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeciras | about 1 h 30 | daily | AML, FRS, Trasmediterranea, Baleària |
| Barcelona | about 24 h | weekly | Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) |
| Sète | about 36 h | weekly | Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) |
| Marseille | about 40 h | weekly | La Méridionale |
| Genoa | about 48 h | weekly | Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) |
The crossing from Algeciras is the shortest of these lines and the only one with daily departures. The crossing, documents and the way into the city for this route are on the page Algeciras - Tanger Med ferry.
From Tarifa to Tanger Ville
The fast ferries from Tarifa in southern Spain are the only ferries that still dock at Tanger Ville. You arrive in the city's bay rather than at Tanger Med.
Arriving at Tanger Med
On ferries to Tanger Med, Moroccan police officers travel on board and stamp your passport during the crossing. Every passenger has to appear in person, as no travel document is processed without its holder. Once in port, foot passengers take a shuttle from the ship to the gare maritime, where customs checks take place, and taxis and city buses leave from there for Tangier. With a car, you drive to the customs booths in the Automobile Access zone and then join the RN16 towards the city. How to continue by train, coach or car is on getting to Tangier.
Before departure from Tanger Med
You book your crossing on the websites of the shipping companies. At the port, the shipping company's counter hands out your boarding card once your booking is confirmed, and it shows your boarding time and quay. Be at the port in good time, on foot or with a vehicle:
- Algeciras: 2 hours before departure
- Barcelona, Sète, Marseille and Genoa: 5 hours before departure
At peak times, the boarding time depends on traffic in the port. After police and customs checks, foot passengers reach the quays by port shuttle, while cars drive there on a separate route. From Tangier, a taxi takes you from Tanger Ville railway station to the port; by car, you take the RN16 or the motorway, where the Tanger Est junction is 35 km and about 20 minutes from the port. If an early departure means a night in the city, see where to stay.
With your boarding card number you can follow waiting times and quay changes on the Tanger Med Passagers website, and free SMS alerts keep you informed about crossings on the way home. If a departure to Algeciras is cancelled, Tanger Med helps you board a ship of another shipping company after 2 hours of waiting from the time on your boarding card.
Documents
With a British passport, you can visit Morocco without a visa for up to 90 days. The passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the day you arrive and must not be damaged, and it is stamped on entry, on the ferries to Tanger Med during the crossing. Children who travel with adults other than their parents also need a parental authorisation. More on entry rules is in our travel tips.