The essentials
The benchmark operator is Baleària, which took over the Alboran Sea routes of Armas Trasmediterránea in July 2026. Its published timetable shows one sailing a day in each direction throughout winter 2026-2027: Almería 14:00, arriving in Nador at 20:00 (6 hours); the return is overnight and takes between 7 h 30 and 9 hours. Baleària's sales page talks of 7 h 25 and ‘up to 3 sailings a week’, but its own timetable shows a sailing every day.
GNV also has the route, with a crossing of about 9 hours, although we could not confirm that it sails in winter. AML ran it as a seasonal service from 10 June to 15 September 2026. In summer, then, there are more ships and more departure times; out of season, count on Baleària's daily sailing.
The ship arrives at Beni Ensar, the port of Nador, right against the Melilla border. From there Nador, Oujda, Berkane and Al Hoceima are close by, whereas from Tanger Med they would be more than six hours by road. It is a long crossing: there are cabins and reclining seats, and a restaurant on board.
On foot, by car, motorhome or motorbike, or with a pet
On footAccepted
Accepted. Baleària asks you to arrive 60 minutes ahead without a vehicle; GNV, 3 hours in Almería.
CarAccepted
Accepted by all three companies. Check-in is 2 hours with Baleària and 4 hours with GNV, whose check-in closes 60 minutes before departure.
MotorhomeAccepted
GNV explicitly accepts motorhomes. Baleària mentions cars, motorbikes and bicycles on its page, and comparison sites show a motorhome fare with it: confirm the dimensions when you book.
MotorbikeAccepted
Accepted by Baleària and GNV.
PetsAccepted
On Baleària, a pet-friendly cabin or seat and a kennel area depending on the ship; the animal cannot be left in the vehicle. On GNV, only in a pet-friendly cabin (2 animals maximum) or in the on-board kennels. 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 47 €
- Car + driver, one way
- No reliable figure
The lowest ‘from’ price published by a ferry company is GNV's: €47 in the Almería → Nador direction. Baleària advertises the route ‘from €85’ and, at the same time, gives an average return price of €66 without a vehicle and about €182 with a car: its two figures do not square with each other, so treat them as an order of magnitude. The cabin is charged separately.
‘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: Almería
The ferries leave from the passenger ferry terminal (Estación Marítima) of the port of Almería, on the Muelle de la Ribera quay. You reach it by the A-7 motorway, exit 438. The customs and police checks for vehicles are next to the building.
The terminal has ferry company ticket desks, an information point, a café, a cash machine, toilets, waiting rooms with wifi and sockets, and a duty-free shop. The port authority does not list a car park of its own or any rates.
Check-in with Baleària: 60 minutes on foot and 2 hours with a vehicle. With GNV, 3 hours on foot and 4 with a vehicle.
Arrival: Nador (Beni Ensar)
The port of Nador is in Beni Ensar, immediately south of the port of Melilla. In 2025 it opened a 6,000 m² ferry terminal with a covered area for vehicle boarding. The centre of Nador is about 13 km away.
With a vehicle, the temporary import (admission temporaire) is processed at the port's customs: see the guide to taking a car to Morocco.
On the way back, GNV opens check-in in Nador 9 hours ahead and closes it 2 hours ahead on the Almería route. With Baleària the general times apply: 60 minutes on foot and 90 with a vehicle.
By road from Nador (Beni Ensar)
| City | Distance | Driving |
|---|---|---|
| Nador | 13 km | 15 min |
| Oujda | 152 km | 2 h 19 min |
| Al Hoceima | 138 km | 2 h 18 min |
| Taza | 217 km | 3 h 02 min |
| Fez | 326 km | 4 h 10 min |
| Meknes | 383 km | 4 h 45 min |
| Rabat | 517 km | 6 h 11 min |
| Casablanca | 611 km | 7 h 12 min |
Distance and driving time without stops, calculated with OSRM on OpenStreetMap data (2026-11-10). For guidance only.
Pros and cons
For
- Daily sailing all year round with Baleària.
- Lands you on the doorstep of Nador, Oujda, Berkane and the eastern Rif.
- Saves more than six hours of Moroccan roads compared with Tanger Med if you are going to Nador.
- Cabins and reclining seats: you rest on board.
- Almería is much closer than Algeciras for anyone coming from Spain's east coast or from France along the coast.
Against
- A long crossing: 6 to 9 hours.
- Only one sailing a day out of season: miss it and you wait a day.
- The return is overnight.
- The price figures published by the ferry companies are not very consistent with each other.
- If your destination is Rabat or Casablanca, Tanger Med is quicker.
Who it is the right choice for
It is the right choice if you are going to Nador, Oujda, Berkane, Al Hoceima or Taza, especially if you set off from eastern Spain or enter via La Jonquera. Also if you would rather spend the afternoon on the ship than driving across northern Morocco. For Fez, the two options are evenly matched: check it in the tool.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the ferry from Almería to Nador take?
Between 6 and 9 hours depending on the ship and the direction. Baleària's timetable for winter 2026-2027 shows 6 hours from Almería to Nador and between 7 h 30 and 9 hours on the return; GNV advertises 9 hours.
Is there a ferry from Almería to Nador every day?
Yes with Baleària, according to the timetable it had published in November 2026 for the whole winter: one sailing a day in each direction, at 14:00 from Almería. In summer more sailings and other companies are added.
What happened to Trasmediterránea and Armas on this route?
On 1 July 2026 Baleària completed the purchase of the Alboran Sea routes of Armas Trasmediterránea. Tickets bought before then remain valid and the old website redirects to Baleària.
Which port does the ferry arrive at?
Beni Ensar, the port of Nador, next to the Melilla border and about 13 km from the centre of Nador.
Do I need a cabin?
It is not compulsory: there are reclining seats. On the afternoon outbound sailing with Baleària a seat is enough; on the overnight return, a cabin is welcome.
How early do I need to be at the port of Almería?
With Baleària, 60 minutes without a vehicle and 2 hours with one. With GNV, 3 hours on foot and 4 with a vehicle.
Sources (12)
Every figure on this page comes from a source consulted on the date shown.
- Baleària · ferry Almería – Nador, 2026-11-11
- Baleària · tabla de horarios Almería – Nador, 2026-11-11
- GNV · Almería – Nador, 2026-11-11
- Ferry Shipping News · AML lanza una ruta estacional Nador – Almería (comparison site), 2026-11-11
- Autoridad Portuaria de Almería · líneas regulares, 2026-11-11
- Baleària · antelación para embarcar sin vehículo, 2026-11-11
- Baleària · antelación para embarcar con vehículo, 2026-11-11
- GNV · puerto de Almería, 2026-11-11
- Ferryhopper · Nador – Almería (comparison site), 2026-11-11
- Baleària · nota de prensa, 2026-11-11
- Baleària · viajar a Marruecos con mascotas, 2026-11-11
- GNV · viajar con mascotas, 2026-11-11