Day trip from Spain · From Algeciras
Algeciras to Tangier: Ferry and Day Trip
Ferries from Algeciras sail to Tanger Med, the big port about 40 km east of Tangier. For a day in the city, the short road to Tarifa and its ferry to Tangier City Port (Tanger Ville) often save time. Here are both ways, and what fits in the day.
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- Written by licensed Tangier guides
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- Ferry facts checked October 2026
Two crossings
Algeciras → Tangier
Now in Tangier
| Way | Time | Arrives | Then |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeciras ferry | About 1h30 | Tanger Med | About 45 min by road |
| Road to Tarifa | About 30 min | Tarifa port | N-340 along the coast |
| Tarifa ferry | About 1h | Tanger Ville | In the city |
| Your guide | At the exit | Either port | Tanger Med: extra fee |
Pick what suits you and the board lights up the way to cross.
- About 1h30Algeciras to Tanger Med
- About 40 kmTanger Med, east of Tangier
- About 30 minAlgeciras to Tarifa by road
- Free shuttleport to Tarifa, with some ferry tickets
- 1 or 2 hoursSpain ahead of Morocco
- From $25private tour, per person (group of 4)
The short answer
Can you do a day trip to Tangier from Algeciras?
Yes. Ferries from Algeciras cross the Strait in about an hour and a half, and they land at Tanger Med, the large port about 40 km east of Tangier, around 45 minutes from the city by road. That leaves a shorter day in Tangier itself, so for a day trip the short road to Tarifa is often quicker: about 30 minutes, then an hour on the ferry to the Tanger Ville port, in the city.
Both work, and Tour Guide Tangier meets both. At Tanger Ville your guide waits at the port exit with your name. At Tanger Med your guide meets you with a car; the pick-up and drop-off there carry an extra fee for the transfer, given in your quote.
You book the ferry yourself, from Algeciras or from Tarifa, and tell us your times. We plan the day around them and bring you back to the port 60 minutes before your boat home. A private tour starts from $25 per person for a group of 4.
- About 1.5 hoursFerry to Tanger Med
- About 45 minutesFrom Tanger Med to the city
- Or via Tarifa1 hour ferry to Tanger Ville
- Met at both portsTanger Med pick-up: extra fee
The crossing at a glance
From Algeciras to Tangier by Tanger Med
The Algeciras ferry and the road into the city, with the time each part takes.
- Algeciras port
- About 1h30Ferry across the Strait
- Tanger Med
- About 45 minBy car, with your guide
- Tangier
Tanger Med is about 40 km from Tangier in a straight line and 45 to 50 km by road. Road time measured on the map, without traffic.
Tanger Med or Tarifa?
Two ports, two different days
Sailing from Algeciras
The port of Algeciras has the most sailings across the Strait, and they go to Tanger Med, a cargo and ferry port on the coast east of Tangier. The crossing takes about an hour and a half, plus the time to board and to clear passport control.
From Tanger Med you need a car into Tangier, about 45 minutes. With a tour, your guide meets you there; pick-up and drop-off at Tanger Med carry an extra fee, given in your quote. For a car on its own, see our private transfers.
Going on to Tarifa
Tarifa is about 30 minutes from Algeciras on the N-340, and its ferries land at Tanger Ville, in the city, about an hour later. Buses run between Algeciras and Tarifa through the day, and some ferry companies give their Tarifa to Tangier passengers a free shuttle from Algeciras port to Tarifa: check it, and reserve a seat if asked, when you book.
For a day trip this is usually the quicker way: you land a short walk from the medina, and the tour starts at the port exit.
An example day
A day in Tangier by way of Tanger Med
Example times for a ferry landing at Tanger Med at 10:00, Tangier time. Your guide shapes the day around your own crossings.
10:00
Met at Tanger Med
Your guide waits for you as you leave the passenger terminal, with the car for the day.
10:45
Into Tangier
About 45 minutes by road into the city, and straight up to the Kasbah.
11:00
The Kasbah and the medina
Bab Kasbah, the old sultan's quarter and the terraces over the Strait, then down through the lanes to the Petit Socco.
13:00
Lunch in the medina
A Moroccan lunch at your own pace, in a place your guide knows.
14:30
The souks or the coast
A shopping walk with a lesson in every shop, or Cap Spartel if your ferry home is late enough.
Before your ferry
Back to Tanger Med
We leave the city in good time and bring you to Tanger Med 60 minutes before your ferry.
Through Tarifa the day gains the two drives to and from Tanger Med: see our page on the Tarifa to Tangier ferry.
Tangier tours that fit
What to do with your day from Algeciras
- Tangier Full Day TourThe Kasbah, the medina, Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules, from $65 per person for a group of 4
- Tangier Walking TourThe medina and the Kasbah on foot, from $25 per person for a group of 4
- Tangier Shopping TourThe souks with a lesson in every shop, from $30 per person for a group of 4
Before you cross
Three things to sort before Algeciras
Your port
Check your ticket
Algeciras ferries land at Tanger Med, Tarifa ferries at Tanger Ville. Tell us which one, so your guide waits at the right port.
Passport
Always
You need it for the ferry and for passport control on both sides, even for one day. Check the visa rules for your nationality before you travel. If you cross on your own ferry ticket, an ID card is not enough: Morocco asks for a passport valid for more than six months, even for a day trip.
Time
Spain is ahead
Morocco keeps GMT all year since 20 September 2026. Spain is one hour ahead in winter and two hours ahead in summer, and each side's ferry times are in its own local time.
Good to know
Algeciras to Tangier: Your Questions
What travellers ask before they cross from Algeciras.
Does the Algeciras ferry go to Tangier city?
The ferries from Algeciras sail to Tanger Med, about 40 km east of Tangier. The ferries that land in the city, at Tanger Ville, leave from Tarifa, about 30 minutes from Algeciras by road.
How long is the ferry from Algeciras to Tangier?
About an hour and a half to Tanger Med, then about 45 minutes by road into Tangier. Add the time to board and to clear passport control.
How far is Tanger Med from Tangier?
About 40 km east of the city in a straight line and 45 to 50 km by road: around 45 minutes by car. Your guide can meet you there with a car; pick-up and drop-off at Tanger Med carry an extra fee, given in your quote.
Is there a bus from Algeciras to Tarifa?
Yes, buses run between Algeciras and Tarifa in about 30 to 45 minutes, and some ferry companies offer their Tarifa to Tangier passengers a free shuttle from Algeciras port. Check the shuttle when you book your ferry: it has to match your ticket.
Is Algeciras or Tarifa better for a day trip to Tangier?
For a day in Tangier itself, Tarifa: the ferry lands in the city and the tour starts at the port exit. Algeciras suits you if you are staying there and would rather sail straight away. We meet both ports.
Can you pick us up at Tanger Med?
Yes, we pick you up at Tanger Med: your guide meets you there with a car and brings you back for your ferry. Pick-up and drop-off at Tanger Med carry an extra fee for the transfer, given in your quote; anywhere in Tangier the pick-up is included.
Plan your day
Your day from Algeciras, planned for you
Tell us your date, your group, your port and your ferry times. Nothing is booked until we confirm in writing.
From $25 per personFor a group of 4 guests. Smaller groups pay more per person: see the price for your group.
- Your guide at Tanger Med or Tanger Ville
- The day planned around your two ferries
- Back at the port 60 minutes before your boat
- Tanger Med pick-up: an extra fee, in your quote
- No deposit for most groups
- Free cancellation 48h before
- Reply within 2 hours (8am to 10pm)
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