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Every year, thousands of Moroccans living abroad visit their country to spend summer holidays with their families. But while preparing for their summer vacations, they tend to face the same dilemma every year : flight or ferry ?
In the recent years and thanks to the extension of direct ferry lines, many airline companies launched trips, linking Morocco to France, Belgium, Netherlands and Italy. However, flying to Morocco remains a good alternative.
For instance, a one way trip linking Paris to Tangier, on July 23th, cost about 900 Euros for a family of four members (with two kids), excluding stopovers (less than three hours). This option is the least time consuming but it has its own share of cons because of the multiple stopovers, restriction luggage policies, to the absence of means of transportation when arriving to the country. Other than renting a car from a close family member; you'd have to rent a car that costs 3O Euros/day.
Ferry Crossing :
Another option that Moroccans living abroad can opt for is the sea. Several possibilities are to be considered, from the long crossing of Spain to the crossing to the Mediterranean through Ceuta. For example, the route from Paris to Ceuta can take up to seven hours, and fuel expenses and toll charges can amount 130 Euros. Once in Spain, the only company which connects France to Morocco by sea is Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV), thus the crossing to Tangier med port can cost up to 1000 Euros in total for a one way trip.
Other options would be : Driving to Algeciras, after the ferry crossing of Spain. The 1900 kilometer- trip can last for just one day. Additional expenses, such as fuel and toll, can reach 255 Euros, a trip that can be tiresome for the driver, but that remains considerably advantageous. The crossing is not only short (2 hours), but the overall cost is just 460 Euros. However, the Algeciras choice is better as the crossing lasts two hours only instead of two days through the Ceuta-Tangier route.
Each mean of transportation has its own pros and cons. In a poll Yabiladi did on the website, on the 12th of July, 24 % of the voters opted for the strait of Gibraltar crossing, while 50 % said that they will take the plane, 7 % others said they will do the crossing from the city of Ceuta.
* The Prices were consulted online on July 13th, 2018. The calculations were made for a family of 4 people, with a child under the age of 12.
Crossing by helicopter
Not the cheapest way, but this option is seducing more and more travelers, especially those who want to admire the landscape. The ten-minute flight costs between 35 and 60 Euros for one person. The only inconvenience it has is that the existing airlines connect only Algeciras to Ceuta or Malaga to Ceuta.
The Spanish company Hélity announced that a line linking Algeciras to Tangier will be operational by the end of 2018.
