Getting There By Water
Morocco’s main port for international passengers is Tangier, about 600km (380 miles) north of Marrakech, on the Mediterranean coast. All ferries dock at the tall ferry terminal building in the heart of the town, which contains a bureau de change and a railway ticket office.
Ferry services: There are up to 20 crossings daily in summer and at least ten per day in winter from Tangier to Algeciras in Spain. The crossing takes about two hours. There are also more limited crossings from Gibraltar, from Tarifa in southern Spain, and from the south of France. Arrival by ferry in Tangier is not for the fainthearted – there are many hustlers here who seek to put visitors in a taxi, a hotel or an antiques shop. Visitors should try to say no to the touts and make their own enquiries about onward travel.
Alternatively, travellers can take a ferry from Algeciras or Tarifa to Cueta, a Spanish enclave on the northern Moroccan coast, about 45 minutes’ sailing time from Spain.
Main operators include Transmediterranea (tel: (039) 935 076; fax: (039) 93 7173; e-mail: correom@trasmediterranea.es; website: www.trasmediterranea.es ) and Comanav (tel: (039) 942 350; fax: (039) 944 022; e-mail: comanav@comanav.co.ma; website: www.comanav.co.ma ).
Transport to the city: There is a railway station, the Gare du Port, within the ferry port at Tangier but the vast majority of services to Marrakech leave from the Gare du Ville, which is a short walk along the waterfront.
From the port at Cueta, it is necessary to take a taxi or bus to the border village of Fnideq to cross into Morocco. From Fnideq, taxi services go to the town of Tetouan, where there are frequent bus and taxi services to Tangier. Fnideq also has its share of hassles and touts, so visitors are advised to be wary as they cross this busy border.
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Getting There By Water