Boat tickets Nador – Motril

It is the fastest crossing to Beni Ensar from Spain: about five hours, against six to eight from Almería. Motril is also a small port where, off season, you go from car park to ship in minutes, where Almería and Algeciras mean queues. The trade-off is frequency: only a few sailings a week, against several a day elsewhere. This route suits a flexible date, not a departure tomorrow.

The A-44 drops from Granada to the tropical coast in about an hour, crossing the Sierra Nevada at the Suspiro del Moro pass — a fast but demanding mountain road with a loaded car. From Madrid, allow five hours via the A-4 then the A-44. The port is three kilometres from central Motril, well signposted from the main road. It is the Mediterranean port most easily reached from central Spain without going through western Andalusia.

Almería offers several sailings a day year-round and competing operators; Motril offers a shorter crossing and a port without queues. If the trip starts in Granada, Málaga or on the tropical coast, Motril clearly wins on total journey time. Coming from Murcia, Alicante or Madrid via the A-92, Almería regains the edge — and above all it lets you leave on a given day, which Motril's calendar cannot promise.

Yes, the link runs year-round, at a reduced rhythm off season — two to three sailings a week depending on the period. Winter, however, brings the risk of the levante over the Alboran Sea, which can push a departure back by hours. On a low-frequency route a postponement is not made up the next day: leave some slack on arrival if an appointment follows the crossing.

Yes, and the route suits it: Motril's traffic is largely family and motorised. Total length and height must be declared at booking — a towed combination is priced on the combined length, not the towing vehicle alone. A gas bottle must be declared and shut off. In Morocco, temporary admission covers the vehicle and its trailer, but both must appear together on the document issued at Beni Ensar.

On balance yes: Motril's small scale makes boarding legible, the crossing lasts five daytime hours, and arrival at Beni Ensar is in a new terminal designed to smooth checks. It is less daunting than Algeciras at the height of the Marhaba operation, when the vehicle ramps saturate. The low frequency, though, means fixing dates ahead, which suits an improvised trip poorly.

The port has parking immediately by the terminal, at rates far below those of Algeciras or Barcelona — one of the quiet advantages of small ports. For a stay of several weeks in Morocco, leaving the car on the Spanish side and crossing on foot remains an economical option, provided you arrange onward transport on arrival, Beni Ensar being thirteen kilometres from Nador.

The Alboran Sea is an enclosed basin, more sheltered than the Gulf of Lion or the Strait of Sicily, but the levante raises a short, unpleasant swell there, mostly in the afternoon. Over five hours it stays bearable, and morning sailings are statistically the calmest. The ships on this route are mid-sized: they take it less well than a big long-haul ferry, but the crossing ends before it matters.

Expect from 90 € on foot to about 800 € 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 NADOR 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.