City guide · Morocco

Tangier travel essentials

Ferry connections, Al Boraq train, apps that work, taxi tips, and what tourists need for arriving and departing Tangier.

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TNG Airport - first hour

SIM card

IAM and Orange available in arrivals. Also sold in city center shops if airport counters are closed. Compare all SIM & eSIM options →

Cash

ATMs inside terminal. Tangier port area and medina are mixed card/cash. Start with 400-600 MAD. See all money & payment options →

Taxi to city

15-20 min, 80-120 MAD. Al Boraq train station is ~15 min away - best connection south. See all transport services →

Watch out for

Port area has more aggressive touts than most cities. Walk quickly and decline firmly.

Ferry to Spain from Tangier

  • Tangier Med port (45 km east of city): ferries to Algeciras ~35 min. This is the main ferry hub.
  • Tangier city port: ferries to Tarifa ~35 min and Algeciras ~90 min. More central but fewer sailings.
  • Book in advance via FRS, Balearia, or Transmed. Prices vary significantly by date and operator.
  • Take a grand taxi or CTM bus from city to Tangier Med - 45-60 min, 60-100 MAD.
  • Arrive 1h30 before departure for passport control and vehicle loading.
  • eSIM is useful here - switch between Moroccan and Spanish plans at the border. See all SIM & eSIM options for Morocco.

Apps that work in Tangier

Al Boraq - high-speed train

  • Tangier Ville is the northern terminus of Al Boraq - the fastest train in Africa.
  • Casablanca: ~2h10m, 140-300 MAD depending on class and booking time.
  • Rabat: ~1h45m. Kenitra: ~1h10m. Book via ONCF app or oncf.ma.
  • Book 1st class for the first trip - significant comfort difference, modest price increase.
  • The ONCF app accepts international Visa/Mastercard - buy tickets before you board.

First 24 hours in Tangier

  • Hour 1: SIM at airport, cash, taxi to city center. Decline "guides" at port exits.
  • Afternoon: Walk the medina and kasbah. Tangier medina is smaller and less intense than Marrakech or Fes.
  • Evening: Sunset from Café Hafa or the kasbah terrace. Classic Tangier experience.
  • Day 2: Cap Spartel and Hercules Caves if renting a car. Or day trip to Chefchaouen (3h by bus).

Things to do in Tangier

Kasbah & old medina

Hilltop kasbah, the Kasbah Museum, and sea-view ramparts above the Strait of Gibraltar.

Cap Spartel & Caves of Hercules

Where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, plus the famous Africa-shaped cave mouth, 14km west.

Cafe Hafa

Clifftop tea terrace open since 1921 with views across to Spain - a Tangier institution.

Grand & Petit Socco

Lively squares linking the new town and medina, good for people-watching and street food.

Where to stay in Tangier

Medina riad · mid-rangeCharacter riads inside the old town near the kasbah. Bay-view hotel · luxuryModern sea-front hotels along the corniche. City-centre stay · budgetAffordable hotels near the train and ferry links.

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Other Morocco city guides

Marrakech Casablanca Fes Agadir All services →