Catching the vehicle ferry from Spain to Morocco with your motorhome is one of the fastest ways to get from Europe to Africa. (And certainly the most straightforward way to travel by ferry from Spain to Morocco with a van!).
In fact Spain is not actually very far from Morocco. On a clear day (like we had) you can see Morocco from Gibraltar or from Algeciras Port in the south of Spain.
We most recently took the vehicle ferry from Spain to Morocco with our campervan in April 2024.
It was a smooth experience and definitely (for us) the best way to get from Spain to Morocco with a motorhome.
Here is everything you need to know about the ferry from Spain to Morocco with a campervan. Including the much sought after question of how to buy tickets for the ferry from Spain to Morocco…
Where does the ferry from Spain to Morocco depart from?
There are several options for ferry routes between Spain and Morocco with a vehicle (including one that technically travels from Spain to Spain!).
Ports of departure in Spain
- Algeciras, Spain
- Tarifa, Spain
- Gibraltar, UK
Ports of arrival in Morocco (and Spain)
- Tangier Med, Morocco
- Ceuta, Spain
Note that the port of Ceuta in North Africa is actually part of Spain. Ceuta is a Spanish autonomous city on the north coast of Africa bordered by Morocco. If you take the ferry from Spain to Ceuta you actually clear Moroccan customs INCeuta (instead of on the ferry). But more about immigrations and customs below…
We took the vehicle ferry from Algeciras, Spain to Tangier Med, Morocco with our campervan.
How to buy your ticket for the ferry from Spain to Morocco
Buying a ticket to travel by ferry from Spain to Morocco with your motorhome might sound like the first hurdle for taking your van to Morocco. But in fact there are several options – that make it easy – to buy your ticket:
- Online search engines
- Directly from the port
- Through Carlos at Viajes Normandie
The third option is a bit of a mysterious but much-sought-after secret in motorhome and vanlife circles. And through all the information I could find online it seems that buying a ticket to take the ferry from Spain to Morocco with your campervan is in fact cheapest and simplest through Carlos.
The mysterious Carlos at Viajes Normandie
Admittedly on first hearing about a guy named Carlos offering discount ferry tickets from Spain to Morocco it sounds a bit vague. (Or almost shady). However, Carlos is in fact the owner of a small travel agency called Viajes Normandie in the business park just outside Algeciras. (No dark alleyways or anything mysterious or shady after all!).
Finding the office of Carlos at Viajes Normandie in Algeciras
There is plenty of parking for your motorhome in the street right outside Carlos’ office in Algeciras. And in fact, Viajes Normandie comes up straight away on Google Maps not far from the centre of town.
The agency is a small shop on Calle Fragata (Fragata Street) in Los Cortijillos only 10km from Algeciras Port.
Buying your ticket for the ferry from Spain to Morocco
Here are all the contact details below to buy your ticket from Carlos to take your motorhome from Spain to Morocco. But in fact it’s as simple as turning up the day before (or even on the day) and popping in to Carlos’ office and buying your ticket.
We arrived around 2pm and bought tickets for the 9am ferry from Algeciras to Tangier Med for the next morning.
- Calle Fragata 3 Pol Ind Palmones, Algeciras, Spain
- +34 956 67 56 53
- ticket.gutierrez@telefonica.net
- viajesnormandie.net
And note you can pay for your ferry ticket from Carlos in cash or using EFTPOS.
So which ferry line are the tickets for? And where does it depart from?
There are multiple companies that operate the Algeciras to Tangier Med ferry route:
- FRS Iberia
- Naviera Armas
- Trasmediterranea
- Balearia
- AML (Africa Morocco Link)
- GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci)
- La Meridionale
Each ferry company varies slightly in size and facilities but to give you an idea the FRS Tangier Express has a capacity for up to 1000 passengers and 340 cars!
We travelled by ferry from Spain to Morocco with our motorhome on the FRS Tangier Express.
How often do these ferries operate on the Algeciras to Tangier Med ferry route?
- FRS Iberia: 8x daily
- Naviera Armas: 5x daily
- Trasmediterranea: 7x daily
- Balearia: 4x daily
- AML (Africa Morocco Link): 9x daily
There are as many as 29 ferries daily in the summer and up to 21 daily ferries between Algeciras and Ceuta.
How long does the ferry from Spain to Morocco take?
The ferries connecting Spain and Morocco (including to Ceuta) are fast and efficient. It is usually slightly faster to take the ferry from Algeciras to Ceuta but it also depends on which ferry (cargo or express) that you choose.
On the Algeciras to Tangier Med route sailing times are listed as:
- FRS Iberia: 1.5 hours
- Naviera Armas: 1.5 hours
- Trasmediterranea: 1.5 hours
- Balearia: 2.5 hours
- AML (Africa Morocco Link): 1 hour
Boarding the ferry from Spain to Morocco at Algeciras Port
You need to be at the port an hour before sailing. We arrived almost two hours before and it was not a problem to park in line and wait. (Perfect if you have a motorhome as you can make breakfast or have a coffee while waiting).
Follow the signs for the Tangier Med ferry (or whichever route you have chosen) and the according ferry line signage. We easily found the road for FRS ferries to Tangier Med and were directed from the first ticket checkpoint to wait in line with other vehicles and motorhomes.
The first checkpoint is a ticket check, and they will give you a sign for your windscreen with the ferry line you are queueing for.
Next you pass through Spanish immigration to have your passport stamped to leave Spain (and the Schengen Zone as well).
Parking your motorhome on the ferry between Algeciras and Tangier Med
Port staff will direct you to the correct line after immigration in front of the ferries. Typically they will load the large trucks first. Motorhomes, campervans and other recreation vehicles are next.
The ferry is connected with huge boarding ramps (large enough to load huge truck and trailers). Staff will direct you up the ramp onto the ferry. And once on board the large parking deck of the ferry just follow directions and the staff will point you where to park.
In our campervan we had to drive straight on and then make a U-turn at the end of the parking area and reverse back into our spot. (A rather tight turning space but listen to the staff and remember they direct hundreds of vehicles and motorhomes every day!).
You cannot stay in your motorhome while the ferry is sailing. So lock everything up and grab your passports and head up to the passenger decks.
What are the facilities like on board the ferry?
The FRS Express that we travelled on had a large cafeteria area, seated lounge spaces and various outdoor decks.
What about bathrooms?
There are several sets of bathrooms for men and women on board the FRS Express ferry located on Deck 5.
Each ferry is set out differently but there is a comfortable cafeteria and bathrooms on each vehicle ferry from Spain to Morocco.
Processing immigration on board the ferry from Spain to Morocco
This is an important note to read before taking the ferry from Algeciras to Morocco as you DO need to process Moroccan immigration on board the ferry.
As you line up at the port in Algeciras you will EXIT immigration on the Spanish side.
However, you need to find the passport control office on board the ferry (along with everyone else) and have your passport stamped to enter Morocco.
Do note that all of the passengers travelling on the ferry from Spain to Morocco will also be in a line to have their travel documents stamped so get in early if you can to avoid the line.
Do you need vehicle insurance for Morocco?
Yes you do. But this is very straightforward; even if your vehicle insurance from Europe does not specifically cover Morocco.
After disembarking the vehicle ferry in Tangier Med with your motorhome, just after you exit customs there is a pull-off area with ATM’s to withdraw Dirham and an insurance office.
You can purchase vehicle insurance for your motorhome in Morocco directly from the port. It can be tailored to the length of your stay with options at staggered prices for less than one month right up to three months.
Where to park your motorhome before departing by ferry from Algeciras
There are three large supermarkets less than a kilometer from the Viajes Normandie office with a huge carpark. You can park there free of charge overnight. (Note there are no motorhome facilities).
The closest Park4Night spot we found with a dump station and fresh water is in Castellar de la Frontera about 20km from the port.
Taking the vehicle ferry from Spain to Morocco with your campervan or motorhome
It’s a smooth and fun adventure to get from Spain to Morocco with your home on wheels! We really enjoyed a smooth sail across to the African continent and can recommend the journey to anyone beginning their Morocco adventure by motorhome.
More useful links for your travels in Morocco and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).
2 thoughts on “How to take the vehicle ferry from Spain to Morocco with your motorhome.”
Thanks for writing this information about crossing from Spain to Morocco, it’s the most informative I have found. Did you have to clear customs with your motorhome on the Spanish side to clear the vehicle from the Schengen Zone? I’m taking my motorcycle across from Algeciras to Tangier Med. Is there only one Moroccan immigration office on the boat?
Hi Darrel there is customs as you enter Morocco at Tangier Med. Some vehicles are chosen to go through the vehicle scanner and others (in our case) are checked by an officer and a sniffer dog. Your passport is stamped on the Spanish side (exit stamp) before entering the line for ferry. And your entry stamp for Morocco is stamped on board the ferry.