The essentials
The crossing takes 1 h 30 according to Baleària and DFDS. It is run today by Baleària, DFDS and AML (Africa Morocco Link): these are the three companies that appeared on the departures board of the port of Algeciras on the day we checked. FRS no longer exists in the Strait of Gibraltar (it is now DFDS) and the Armas Trasmediterránea routes passed to Baleària in July 2026; if a comparison site still shows you those names, it is an old label.
Between the three they add up to about 15 sailings a day on average in November 2026, according to the comparison site Direct Ferries; the first leaves in the small hours and the last at 23:59. DFDS, for its part, advertises ‘at least 11 crossings a day’ and warns that timetables change in high season. With that kind of frequency, missing a ship usually means waiting for the next one, not losing the day.
The ship does not arrive in the city of Tangier but at Tanger Med, a port about 50 km to the east, linked by motorway. For anyone driving on to Rabat, Casablanca or the south that is an advantage: you join the motorway directly without crossing Tangier. For anyone travelling on foot and staying in Tangier, it is an extra transfer that does not exist with Tarifa – Tangier City.
On foot, by car, motorhome or motorbike, or with a pet
On footAccepted
Accepted by all three companies. At Tanger Med, an internal shuttle takes foot passengers between the ship and the ferry terminal; outside there are buses to Tangier and taxis. The port does not say whether those buses are free.
CarAccepted
Accepted. Baleària asks you to arrive 2 hours ahead with a vehicle, DFDS 90 minutes and AML 2 hours (3 in very busy periods). The number plate on the ticket must match the vehicle's.
MotorhomeAccepted
DFDS accepts caravans and motorhomes and says so explicitly; Baleària mentions cars, motorbikes and vans. AML accepts vehicles but does not publish types or dimensions: confirm with the company before you buy.
MotorbikeAccepted
Accepted by Baleària and DFDS. AML does not specify which vehicle types it accepts.
PetsAccepted
Each company has its own rules. Baleària offers cabins, pet-friendly seats (up to 8 kg, in a carrier) and a kennel area, and forbids leaving the animal in the vehicle. DFDS allows animals under 6 kg in the lounge in a carrier; the rest travel in the luggage area, on the deck terrace or in the ship's cages, booked in advance. AML only allows them in dedicated outdoor areas. To enter Morocco, the ferry companies ask for a pet passport or animal health certificate, a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. What people most often forget is the return: the rabies antibody test has to be done before leaving Spain. We explain it in the pets guide.
Guide prices
- Foot passenger, one way
- from 29 €
- Car + driver, one way
- No reliable figure
Baleària advertises the route ‘from €29’ and gives an average return price of about €62 per adult without a vehicle and about €179 with a car; it adds that booking a return saves 15%. DFDS and AML do not publish fares on their pages. No company publishes a ‘from’ price for a car with driver, which is why that box shows no figure.
‘From’ prices seen on the date we checked. They change with the date, the ferry company and how far ahead you book: use them to compare routes, not as a guaranteed fare. Last checked: November 2026.
Departure: Algeciras
The ferries leave from the Estación Marítima, the ferry terminal of the port of Algeciras. The ground floor has the ticket desks and the ferry companies' offices; upstairs are the café, the luggage and passport checks and the boarding lounges.
There is a long-stay car park with 810 spaces less than five minutes' walk away, and an express car park opposite the terminal. The port authority does not publish the rates. The ground floor of the car park is used to marshal vehicles for boarding.
Check-in: 60 minutes on foot and 2 hours with a vehicle with Baleària; 90 minutes with DFDS; 2 hours with AML. In summer the lead times get longer: in its 2026 peak-period notice, Baleària asked for 5 hours and a dated (closed) ticket to enter the boarding area.
Arrival: Tanger Med
According to the port of Tanger Med, passports are stamped on board during the crossing. On disembarking, foot passengers take a shuttle to the ferry terminal, where the customs check takes place; those travelling with a vehicle go through the customs booths at the ‘Automobile Access’ before joining the road.
By car, those booths are where the temporary import (admission temporaire) of the vehicle is processed. It is worth having it prepared: we explain it in the guide to taking a car to Morocco. In the ferry terminal and the vehicle area there are six bureaux de change run by Moroccan banks.
On the way back, the port says 2 hours ahead for Algeciras, with or without a vehicle. Since 2026 a dated (closed) ticket, with date and time, has been a condition of entry to Tanger Med: an open ticket will not get you in.
By road from Tanger Med
| City | Distance | Driving |
|---|---|---|
| Tangier | 50 km | 51 min |
| Tetouan | 62 km | 1 h 02 min |
| Chefchaouen | 126 km | 2 h 14 min |
| Rabat | 283 km | 3 h 13 min |
| Casablanca | 376 km | 4 h 13 min |
| Fez | 440 km | 5 h 01 min |
| Marrakesh | 608 km | 6 h 44 min |
| Agadir | 831 km | 9 h 04 min |
Distance and driving time without stops, calculated with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (2026-11-10). For guidance only.
Pros and cons
For
- The route with the most sailings: about 15 a day between three companies.
- A short crossing: 1 h 30.
- Tanger Med gives direct access to the motorway to Rabat and Casablanca.
- Less exposed to the levante, the easterly wind, than Tarifa: in the storms of January and March 2026 Algeciras kept its sailings going.
- Accepts cars, motorbikes, motorhomes and pets.
Against
- Tanger Med is a long way from Tangier: on foot you have to add a bus or taxi.
- It is the busiest route of Operación Paso del Estrecho (OPE), Spain's summer Strait-crossing operation: in summer, queues and long check-in times.
- A dated (closed) ticket is compulsory to enter Tanger Med on the way back.
- For anyone coming from eastern Spain, Algeciras means a lot of kilometres: compare it with Almería – Nador.
Who it is the right choice for
It is the right choice if you are travelling by car to Tangier, Tetouan, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech or Agadir, and if you want flexible timings. If you are on foot and heading for Tangier, look first at Tarifa – Tangier City. If your destination is Nador, Oujda or the Rif, compare it with the Alboran Sea routes in the tool.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the ferry from Algeciras to Tanger Med take?
1 hour 30 minutes according to Baleària and DFDS. On top of that comes the check-in time at the port: between 60 minutes and 2 hours depending on the company and whether you have a vehicle.
Which ferry companies sail Algeciras – Tanger Med?
In November 2026, Baleària, DFDS and AML. FRS became DFDS, and the Armas Trasmediterránea routes in the Strait were absorbed into Baleària in July 2026.
Is Tanger Med the same as Tangier?
No. Tanger Med is a port about 50 km east of the city. The port of Tangier City (Tanger Ville), next to the medina, only receives the ferries from Tarifa.
Can I board with an open ticket?
In Algeciras, a dated (closed) ticket is required to reach boarding in peak periods. At Tanger Med, a dated ticket with date and time has been a condition of entry to the port since 2026. If you have an open ticket, ask the company to set a date before you go to the port.
How early do I need to be at the port of Algeciras?
With Baleària, 60 minutes without a vehicle and 2 hours with one. DFDS recommends 90 minutes and AML 2 hours, or 3 in very busy periods. In summer, follow whatever notice your ferry company publishes.
Can I take a motorhome?
Yes with DFDS, which explicitly advertises caravans and motorhomes. With Baleària and AML it is best to confirm the accepted dimensions before you buy.
Sources (12)
Every figure on this page comes from a source consulted on the date shown.
- Baleària · ferry Algeciras – Tánger Med, 2026-11-11
- DFDS · Algeciras – Tánger Med, 2026-11-11
- Autoridad Portuaria Bahía de Algeciras · información al pasajero, 2026-11-11
- Direct Ferries · Algeciras – Tánger Med (comparison site), 2026-11-11
- Baleària · antelación para embarcar sin vehículo, 2026-11-11
- Baleària · antelación para embarcar con vehículo, 2026-11-11
- AML · embarque y formalidades, 2026-11-11
- Baleària · embarque y acceso a puerto, 2026-11-11
- Tanger Med Passagers · preguntas frecuentes, 2026-11-11
- Baleària · viajar a Marruecos con mascotas, 2026-11-11
- DFDS · viajar con mascotas, 2026-11-11
- AML · viajar con animales, 2026-11-11