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'''Algeciras''' is an industrial port-city in southern [[Spain]], in the region named [[Andalusia]]. It is one of the main ferry crossings to [[Tangier]], [[Morocco]], and from which it is often possible to hitchhike with truckers ("camioneros") onto a boat to Morocco, without having to pay a ticket. == To Morocco ==Many drivers have the right to bring a passenger along with them, so it is both legal and free for them to take you along. Beforehand, you will see many trucks waiting in the many parking lots surrounding the port. The easiest way to find a ride is to simply ask, and continue asking everyone you see until you find someone who is leaving on the next [[hitchhiking a boat|boat]]. The last ferry of the night departs around 2224:00, and each ferry loads about an hour before departure. So, to be on the safe side, you should arrive no later than 2021.00 if you´d like to try for the last ferry of the night. There are basically two ways of getting a lift. Walking around and asking truck drivers is one option, you will meet many of them on their way between town and the truck parking lot, a little south of the main terminal, where the military port is. Stand near the roundabout (see maps) and ask people, but they might go hours or days later. <br> If you want to get a quicker ride, it's better to try your luck right where they boad the ferry. Follow the signposting for the trucks to Tangier. If you feel you are running around areas where no pedestrians should be, don't worry, authorities seem to be quite relaxed. You can walk all the way up to the water where the boats are loaded and ask the truckers waiting there. Some drivers are actually willing to take more people into their truck than they are allowed, but don't bet on it, it's better to split up if you are hitching with more than 1 person. Once on the ferry, you can expect a free meal and coffee (if your driver is nice and shares the coupon with you), and sometimes even a shower and a room. Remember that the ferries do not go to Tangier itself, but to Tangier-Med, a port 40 km to the east of Tangier. There is a Bus to Tanger right by the Port, which costs 7MAD (0,70€), but hitchhiking is obviously possible as well. UPDATE: As of March 2016, renovations of the port seem to be complete. There doesn't seem to be a parking lot where Trucks to Morocco are waiting in the port, but you can just walk all the way through to the quay and ask around there. This has the added advantage that your ride should usually leave on the next ferry, as this is already where everybody is boarding the boat. Right before the last Police checkpoint, there can be quite a queue of trucks, whom you can also ask, but nobody seems to care if you walk past the checkpoint either. Next to the checkpoint there is also a parking lot, but the trucks there are coming from the ferries and are not going to Morocco. If you are planning on buying a ferry ticket to Morocco, consider sailing out of the little-known port of Motril, which is an hour and a half south of Granada. If you don't want to make the detour all the way to Algeciras, the boat from Motril to [[Melilla]] costs about the same as from Algeciras to Ceuta (€36 for adult, €32 for ages 17-21). Drawbacks: Ferries leave only once a day, and the trip is several hours long (although you may enjoy the cruise). [[Melilla]] is a bit out of the way, but if you plan on heading straight for [[Fes]] or Tazekka National Park, it may be a good starting point. === Formalities ===Police might send you away if they find you walking the last metres of the road leading to the quay because you are bypassing the passport control, but once you're on the last, big parking lot where everybody is waiting to board the ferry, noone should bother you, as you're already past all checkpoints. If you don't have a passport from a Schengen member country, things might be more complicated for you. Using the method described here, you will bypass the passport control on the european side and thus not get an exit stamp, which you might need for different reasons. So it would be wise to find out in advance if you need an exit stamp, in which case you would need to find a truck '''before''' passing the checkpoint.
Customs and [[border crossing]] patrol will take place on the ferry. You should bring your passport and a pen to fill out the form that you will be given. Sometimes, you have to ask the staff for guidance, since the border personnel expect you to come to them, rather than for them to come to you. You should take care of all passport-stamping before the boat arrives in Tanger because you will have to present your stamped passport page to the authorities before leaving the port.
You will have better chances to find a ride if you walk through that first parking area and cross into the second area (there is another opening in the fence back there). The whole point of this is just to avoid walking through the exit gate. Use the license plates to find out in which language you should try to communicate with the drivers. If you are planning on buying catch a trucker that still hasn't submitted his forms to the authorities, it is apparently possible that he might be able to get you an exit stamp if you give him your passport, but it would then be possible that you would have to wait a few days around. A truck boarding the ferry ticket has already done all the paperwork, which is why you end up skipping the Spanish Border Authorities. If you want to Moroccotry the other option, consider sailing you should head into the boarding building and find out when the next ferry is leaving: trucks will start driving through the ferry's entrance gate (first roundabout North of the little-known port of Motril, which is boarding building) as early as an hour and a half south before the ferry leaves. On the ferry, a man sitting in a chair with a computer in front of Granadahim will be doing the Entrance Stamp to Morocco. If He will not be there throughout the whole trip, so take care of that as early as possible once you donare on board. My understanding is that the ticket for trucks is valid for up to 2 persons inside the cab, and its price doesn't want vary based on whether or not both places are used up. It also includes a free shower and free meal on board. The boarding building in Spain has 1 hour of free Wi-Fi to make offer. On the detour all the way to AlgecirasMoroccan side, the boat from Motril it is supposed to [[Melilla]] costs about be the same as from Algeciras , but it actually turns off more or less every half hour, but also allows you to log in again infinitely. Personal experience: Blitz and J successfully hitchhiked to Ceuta (€36 Morocco in February 2018. J speaks French and this was essential for adultcommunicating with drivers and securing rides. We first tried to pass by the final police check before trucks board the ferry, the on duty officer told us it was impossible, €32 for ages 17-21)had never been done and we couldn’t pass. Drawbacks: Ferries leave only once a dayHaving read hitchwiki we knew this wasn’t true and decided to persist, passing through the fence elsewhere was not an option because we both had packs and the trip area from the fence to the ferry is several hours long (although you may enjoy large so we would have been spotted immediately. J suggested we try at the roundabout before the final police check anyway incase the cruise)officer on duty had changed. We spoke to truck drivers and were both taken through within 20 minutes by trucks. [[Melilla]] is a bit out When passing through the police check the officer had changed and the officer on duty barely glanced at either of us. Me and my friend were not able to make it past the police checkpoints in september 2018. As we tried to walk around the way, but (first?) checkpoint two police officers in a car came and told us to go back. We didnt try it any longer so maybe if you plan on heading straight for [[Fes]] or Tazekka National Park, are more sneaky and resistant you can make it may be a good starting point.
== Coming from Morocco ==
Arriving by ferry from Morocco you should have tried to locate a ride on or before the ferry. If this failed (as it did in my case) you arrive at the ''passengers port''. Go past the places where there are long distance buses and you'll come to a crossing. Follow the signs to whatever direction you're going to.If your going direction Malaga (many people going long-distance here) follow the signs to Malaga saying "Salida Norte" for a couple of minutes and you'll see the huge shipping port. Keep on walking until and you come to a roundabout 'll be on the main road out of the Port, where there will be many trucks going in slow speed and many all cars from all over Europe coming from the ferry. Although these cars tend to be fullferries are passing.
If you're going far make sure the driver drives on Playa del Sol or some other motorway and don't avoid them because they aren't free.
==Sleep==
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