Away With The Steiners

How To Take The Vehicle Ferry From Spain To Morocco With Your Motorhome.

Sarah Steiner

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…

On the ferry from Algeciras to Morocco.
Are we ready for Morocco? Parked and onboard the ferry…

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

Ports of arrival in Morocco (and 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. So if you take the ferry from Spain to Ceuta you actually clear Moroccan customs in Ceuta (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:

The third option is a bit of a mysterious but much-sought-after secret in motorhome and vanlife circles.  

But 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. There are no dark alleyways or anything mysterious or shady after all!

The mysterious-and-infamous office of Carlos the ferry ticket agent!

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.  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. 

That’s us parked at the end of the road outside Carlos’ office to buy a ticket.

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.  

Though 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 2:00pm and bought tickets for the 9:00am ferry from Algeciras to Tangier Med for the next morning. 

Note you can pay for your ferry ticket from Carlos in cash or using EFTPOS. 

Buying a ticket for the vehicle ferry to Morocco at Carlos’ office in Algeciras.

Ferry Lines – Which ferry are the tickets for?

There are multiple companies that operate the Algeciras to Tangier Med ferry route:

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. 

Algeciras to Tangier Med – How often do these ferries operate?

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 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: 

Boarding at Algeciras Port – Ferry Spain to Morocco

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. It is actually 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). 

Our campervan on the ferry from Spain to Morocco (after reversing into our rather right parking spot!).

Parking your motorhome on the ferry

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. 

Facilities – What are the facilities like on 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.

Views to ARMAS (and Morocco) arriving on our FRS Express ferry to Tangier Med.

Processing Immigration – Ferry Spain to Morocco

This is an important note to read before taking the ferry from Algeciras to Morocco.

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 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.

The insurance office at the port in Tangier Med, Morocco.

Motorhome parking in 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 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.

Where to next on your Morocco itinerary? 

Which way are you heading first in Morocco?

More tips for travelling to Morocco and beyond

These are the companies we use and can recommend for planning and booking travel. 

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