Across the Strait of Gibraltar
Ferries from Spain to Morocco
At its narrowest the Strait is 14 kilometres wide, and the fast ferries cross it in about an hour. If you have driven down from a UK sailing, this is the last leg, and the part where the paperwork matters more than the timetable.
Ferry routes from Spain to Morocco
Several operators work the Strait, including FRS, Balearia, AML and Inter Shipping. Frequencies are high in summer and thin out considerably in winter, so times below are approximate.
| Route | Approx. crossing | Arrives |
|---|---|---|
| Tarifa to Tanger Ville | ~1 hour | Tangier city centre |
| Algeciras to Tanger Med | 1 to 1h 30m | 40 km east of Tangier |
| Algeciras to Ceuta | ~1 hour | Spanish territory, not Morocco |
| Motril to Tanger Med | 5 to 8 hours | 40 km east of Tangier |
| Almería to Nador | 6 to 8 hours | Northeast Morocco |
| Almería to Melilla | 6 to 8 hours | Spanish territory, not Morocco |
| Barcelona to Tanger Med | ~30 hours | 40 km east of Tangier |
Tanger Ville and Tanger Med are not the same place
Tanger Ville is the passenger port in Tangier itself, walkable to the medina. Tanger Med is a huge container and freight port around 40 kilometres east along the coast. Both are sold as “Tangier”. If you are a foot passenger heading into the city, Tarifa to Tanger Ville is what you want. If you have a car, Tanger Med is usually more convenient anyway.
Which Spanish port to use
Tarifa
- Mainland Europe’s southernmost point
- Shortest crossing at around an hour
- Lands you in central Tangier
- Fast ferries only, so more weather cancellations
- Best for foot passengers
Algeciras
- The main crossing port by volume
- Highest frequency, conventional and fast ferries
- More robust in poor weather
- Goes to Tanger Med and to Ceuta
- Best for cars and motorhomes
Motril, Almería and Barcelona exist mainly for travellers heading to eastern Morocco or already on the Mediterranean coast. They are long crossings and not worth driving to if you are coming from the north.
Ceuta and Melilla are not Morocco
This trips people up regularly, and one of the crossings on most route lists is not a crossing to Morocco at all.
Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish autonomous cities on the North African coast. Sailing from Algeciras to Ceuta, or Almería to Melilla, keeps you inside Spain and inside the EU. You then cross a land border into Morocco, which is a separate process and can be slow.
It can still be the right choice, particularly for a motorhome or if the Tanger Med sailings are full. But do not book it expecting to step off the boat in Morocco.
Driving down from a UK ferry
If you have sailed from the UK, you land on Spain’s north coast and the Strait is at the opposite end of the country.
| From | To Algeciras | Driving time |
|---|---|---|
| Bilbao | ~1,050 km | 10 to 11 hours |
| Santander | ~1,000 km | 10 hours |
Either way it is a full day’s driving, usually split with a night around Madrid or Córdoba. Landing in Spain still beats the alternative: driving the length of France first adds roughly another 900 kilometres.
The four direct crossings to Spain all put you in the north, so the Spanish drive is unavoidable whichever you pick.
What to know before you book
Paperwork
- Full passport for every passenger
- V5C logbook and proof of insurance for the vehicle
- Green card cover for Morocco, checked at the port
- A temporary vehicle import form, completed on arrival
- Passport stamping often happens on board, so do it early
Timing
- Summer is extremely busy across the Strait
- Mid-June to mid-September is peak, with millions of crossings
- Book ahead in that window rather than turning up
- Winter sailings are fewer and weather-dependent
- Fast ferries cancel in high winds more than conventional ships do
Get your passport stamped on the boat, not at the port
On most Strait crossings Moroccan police process entry formalities on board during the sailing. Join the queue as soon as it opens rather than waiting until you can see land, because if you have not been stamped by the time you dock you join a much longer queue on the quayside instead.
Getting to Spain first
Four direct crossings from the UK and Ireland, all landing on the north coast.
See all UK to Spain routes →Crossing times and distances are approximate and vary by operator, season and sailing.
