Tangier is an easy city to get around once you understand its shape. The old town climbs the hill in a tangle of stepped lanes; the modern city spreads along the curve of the bay behind a long corniche; and the whole place sits at the mouth of the Strait, with a passenger port at its feet and the high-speed line running south. You will mostly walk, occasionally hail a blue taxi, and — for the coast or for Spain — choose between a shared taxi, the train, the ferry and the airport.
Walking the medina and kasbah
The medina and the kasbah above it are compact and entirely walkable — in fact walking is the only option, because the lanes are too steep, narrow and stepped for any vehicle. Plan to climb. The reward is that you are never far from a landmark: the Grand Socco and Petit Socco, the Kasbah Museum, and the gates looking out over the Strait all anchor your sense of direction. Wear shoes with grip, especially after rain when the worn stone underfoot turns slick, and do not worry about getting lost — the old town is small enough that you always resurface somewhere familiar.
Petits taxis — the blue ones
For short hops across the city — from the medina edge along the corniche, up to the train station, out to a restaurant in the new town — you want a petit taxi. In Tangier these are blue (each Moroccan city has its own taxi colour, and Tangier's is a turquoise-leaning blue). They carry up to three passengers and stay within the city. Insist on the meter (le compteur) — it is almost always cheaper than a quoted price — and if the driver won't use it, agree the fare clearly before you set off or flag the next one. Fares tick up a little after about 8pm. Carry small dirham notes, because change for large notes is a perennial struggle.
Grands taxis — longer and shared trips
For trips beyond the city — out to Cap Spartel and the Caves of Hercules, down the coast to Asilah, or across to Tetouan — you use a grand taxi, the larger cream-coloured cars that run fixed routes. They work two ways: shared, where you pay per seat and leave once the car fills (six passengers is the norm), or chartered, where you pay for the whole car and leave at once. For a fixed day-trip itinerary with stops and waiting time, chartering the whole car or arranging a private transfer is usually the saner choice — agree the round-trip price and the waiting time before you set off, not on arrival.
The two ports and the ferries to Spain
Tangier has two ports, and which one matters to you depends on whether you bring a car. The Tanger Ville passenger port sits right beside the medina; the fast ferry from Tarifa lands you here, and you can walk into the old town in minutes — for foot passengers, it is the simplest gateway between Europe and Africa anywhere. Car ferries and most Algeciras sailings instead use the far larger Tanger Med port roughly 40 km east of the city. If you land at Tanger Med on foot, budget for the onward transfer — a port shuttle, a grand taxi, or a pre-booked car — into Tangier proper. See our dedicated ferry guide for routes and timings.
The train and Al Boraq high-speed rail
Tangier's modern Tanger Ville station is the northern terminus of Al Boraq, Africa's first high-speed line. It reaches Rabat in around an hour and a half and Casablanca in roughly two hours and ten minutes — fast, comfortable and a genuinely pleasant way to head south. Book ahead online or at the station, especially in summer and at weekends, and pick first or second class. Conventional ONCF trains continue on to Fès and Marrakech, and the national bus network (including the newer city bus services) fills in the rest.
The airport and your transfer
Ibn Battouta Airport lies roughly 15 km southwest of the centre. There is no rail link, so you arrive and leave by road: a grand taxi from the rank, or — far less stressful with luggage after a flight — a pre-arranged private transfer that meets you in arrivals and takes you straight to your guesthouse's nearest medina gate. If you take a taxi from the rank, agree the fare before loading your bags; airport runs are a fixed-price rather than metered trip.
Tips and a few cautions
- Carry small dirham notes and coins — taxi drivers and the medina rarely have change for large notes.
- In a petit taxi, ask for the meter first; in a grand taxi or from the airport, agree the price first.
- For day trips to the coast, charter the whole grand taxi (or book a private car) and fix the waiting time in advance rather than relying on flagging one for the return.
- Wear proper shoes for the medina's steep, stepped, sometimes slippery lanes.
- Landing at Tanger Med rather than Tanger Ville means a 40 km transfer — plan it before you board.
- Book Al Boraq ahead in summer and at weekends; the popular departures fill up.
Frequently asked
What colour are the taxis in Tangier?
Tangier's small city taxis — petits taxis — are blue (a turquoise-leaning blue). Each Moroccan city has its own colour, and Tangier's is blue, which is how you tell them apart from the larger cream or beige grands taxis that handle longer and shared trips. Petits taxis take short hops within the city; grands taxis run fixed inter-town routes.
Do petits taxis in Tangier use a meter?
They are supposed to. Insist on the meter (le compteur) at the start of a short city ride — it is almost always cheaper than a quoted price. If a driver refuses the meter, agree the fare clearly before you set off, or step out and flag another. Fares rise slightly after roughly 8pm. Keep small dirham notes; drivers rarely have change for large notes.
Is the Tangier medina walkable?
Yes — and walking is really the only way to see it. The medina and the kasbah above it are compact but steep, with stepped, twisting lanes that no car can enter. Wear shoes with grip, expect to climb, and accept that you will lose your way at least once. That is part of it; the medina is small enough that you always re-emerge near a recognisable gate or the Grand Socco.
How do I get from Tangier to Cap Spartel or Asilah without a car?
A shared grand taxi is the local way to reach Cap Spartel, the Caves of Hercules and Asilah; you pay per seat and leave when the car fills, or pay for the empty seats to depart at once. For a fixed itinerary with waiting time it is usually simpler to charter the whole grand taxi or arrange a private transfer, agreeing the round-trip price and waiting time before you set off.
Which Tangier port do the ferries to Spain use?
The fast passenger ferry from Tarifa lands at Tanger Ville, the passenger port right beside the medina — you can walk into the old town in minutes. Car ferries and most Algeciras services use the much larger Tanger Med port roughly 40 km east of the city, so foot passengers landing there must factor in a transfer (shuttle, grand taxi or pre-booked car) into Tangier proper.
Is there a high-speed train from Tangier?
Yes. Al Boraq, Africa's first high-speed line, departs from Tanger Ville station and reaches Rabat in around an hour and a half and Casablanca in roughly two hours and ten minutes. Book ahead online or at the station, especially in summer and on weekends, and choose first or second class. Conventional ONCF trains and the national bus network cover other routes.
Arrive without the hassle
Let us handle the transfers and the coast runs.
From an airport or ferry-port pickup to a chartered day on the coast at Cap Spartel and Asilah, our licensed drivers know every route in this guide — and the right gate to drop you at when the lanes turn to steps.