Boat tickets Almería – Nador

The two ports are neighbours — fifteen kilometres separate Beni Ensar from Melilla — but arriving is a different matter. Nador drops you straight into Morocco: formalities are handled at the port, and the road to Oujda, Fez or Al Hoceima opens at once. Melilla is Spanish territory: you then have to cross the Beni Ensar checkpoint, where summer waits are unpredictable. With a vehicle and a Moroccan destination, Nador spares you that crossing. Melilla only makes sense if the city itself is the stop.

The ship berths at Beni Ensar, thirteen kilometres north of central Nador, on the spit closing the Marchica lagoon. Allow around twenty minutes' drive into town. Beyond that, the motorway and the N2 reach Oujda in about two hours, Al Hoceima along the Rif coast road — spectacular but slow — and Fez in four to five hours. Travellers heading on into eastern Morocco do well to fill up in Nador: the next station can be a long way off on the mountain road.

Crossing the Alboran Sea takes six to eight hours depending on the ship assigned — half a day, not a full night. On a daytime sailing a reclining seat is ample and the open decks stay usable. On late-evening departures, though, you board late and land at dawn: a cabin then changes the nature of the trip, especially with children or before several hours of driving in Morocco. That is the only case where it earns its cost on this route.

This is one of the routes most exposed to the Marhaba operation, the summer return of Moroccans living in Europe. Between mid-June and late August, demand in the Europe → Morocco direction absorbs most of the vehicle space, and operators reinforce the line without fully matching the peak. The same trip can double in price over three weeks. Outside that window, the route runs year-round with several daily sailings and markedly steadier fares.

Besides the passport, you need the registration document in the driver's name and insurance covering Morocco — the European green card does not, and an extension can be bought at the port or online. On arrival at Beni Ensar, Moroccan customs issue a temporary vehicle admission, valid six months per calendar year; keep the document and hand it back on the way out. Vehicle dimensions are asked at booking: they set the fare, and a trailer must be declared separately.

This is one of the routes where the question genuinely arises: summer crossings to the Rif carry cars loaded to the roof, and operators tolerate volumes no airline would accept. A foot passenger, though, remains limited to what they can carry, usually two bags. With a vehicle the constraint is no longer weight but declared height: a roof box changes the fare category and must be declared at booking.

The return direction fills later than the outbound, but more abruptly: late August concentrates departures from Morocco to Europe into some ten days, before school starts. Booking the outbound without the return is the classic trap on this route — you end up hunting for a vehicle space in a week when none is left, across every port. On a summer round trip, both directions are booked together.

Yes, but entering Morocco adds its own requirements to the operator's rules: an up-to-date vaccination record, a rabies shot more than twenty-one days and less than a year old, and a health certificate issued by an official vet within ten days of travel. On board, the animal travels in a deck kennel or stays in the vehicle depending on the ship — specify this at booking, as places are limited and not guaranteed at the last minute.

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 ALMERIA 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.