Boat tickets Ghazaouet – Almería

Ghazaouet is a port set in a bay on the Tlemcen coast, in Algeria's far north-west. Its maritime station, opened in 2003, serves a single scheduled line: the one from Almería. Tlemcen, a historic capital of the central Maghreb with its medersa, is an hour away by road; Maghnia and the Moroccan border a little beyond. For a traveller whose family is in that region, it saves several hours over landing at Oran.

About ten hours of the Alboran Sea, usually overnight: you board in the evening and land in the morning. It is slightly shorter than to Oran, the Tlemcen coast being nearer Almería. A cabin is therefore essential on this route, not for comfort but because the crossing fills the night — and the drive often continues to Tlemcen or Maghnia straight off the ship.

No: it is a low-frequency service, concentrated on the return season and sometimes suspended in winter. The port does not live off this traffic — it is primarily a fishing and commercial port — and the calendar follows diaspora demand rather than scheduled-line logic. Before fixing dates, check that sailings are actually on sale for your period.

The crossing usually runs overnight, over about ten hours: a cabin is not a luxury but the condition of arriving rested, all the more as the drive often continues straight to Tlemcen or Maghnia through the mountains. Algerian formalities on arrival add their own wait. On this low-frequency route, cabins and vehicle spaces are booked early: there is no fallback sailing the next day.

Tlemcen, an hour away through the mountains, is one of the great historic cities of the central Maghreb: its eleventh-century Great Mosque, the medersa and the ruins of Mansourah attest to its role as a Zayyanid capital. Nearer, the Tlemcen coast lines up quiet coves between Ghazaouet and Marsa Ben M'Hidi, right up to the Moroccan border. It is a region rarely travelled by European visitors.

No: the land border between Algeria and Morocco has been closed since 1994, and the Zoudj Beghal crossing near Maghnia cannot be used. Its geographic proximity — some thirty kilometres — changes nothing. For a trip combining both countries you need either a flight or two separate crossings from Spain, passing back through a European port in between.

The Algerian dinar, not convertible outside the country: it is changed on arrival, in banks and licensed bureaux. As Ghazaouet is a small port, exchange services there are limited: Tlemcen, an hour away, offers more options. Foreign bank cards are of little use, and currency brought in must be declared on entry to avoid difficulties leaving.

That is in fact its purpose: the route serves the diaspora of Algeria's far west, who travel with their car. Dimensions are declared at booking. On arrival, Algerian customs apply precise allowances on personal effects and inspect loaded vehicles seriously — far more than on the Moroccan links. Checking before loading avoids long discussions on landing.

The ferry crossing from GHAZAOUET to ALMERIA takes approximately 8h. This duration may vary slightly depending on weather conditions and the specific vessel used.

Expect from 120 € on foot to about 1000 € for a car with cabin. Three factors apply: season (+40 to 60 % in summer), how early you book (−30 to 40 % in advance) and accommodation type. Indicative 2026 fares, to be confirmed at booking.

For international ferry crossings, we recommend arriving at GHAZAOUET at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure time. This allows sufficient time for check-in, security procedures, and vehicle boarding if applicable.

Yes, bookings can typically be modified or cancelled according to the ferry company's terms and conditions. Cancellation policies vary by operator and ticket type. Learn more about cancellation policies.