Frequently asked questions

Ferries to Tunisia leave from Italy and France, and all of them arrive at the port of La Goulette near Tunis. From Italy there are Genoa - Tunis, Civitavecchia - Tunis and Salerno - Tunis, plus the short crossing from Sicily, Palermo - Tunis. From France, Marseille - Tunis links the mainland with North Africa.

Four operators serve most of the Tunisia routes: the Italian GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci), the Tunisian CTN (Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation), Grimaldi Lines and the French Corsica Linea. On several routes two operators share the departures. Each route page shows which operator sails your preferred crossing.

That depends on where you start. If you are already in southern Italy, take the short crossing Palermo - Tunis. From northern and central Italy, Genoa, Civitavecchia and Salerno are the obvious choices; from France and for travellers from western and south-western Europe, Marseille - Tunis. Apart from Palermo, all of them are overnight ferries with cabins.

All departures with date, operator and crossing time are in the timetable. Set your date there and filter by departure and destination port. Sailings are most frequent in summer; in winter there are fewer departures and some routes are suspended.

As early as possible, especially in summer. In high season, and above all when Tunisians living in Europe travel home, cabins and vehicle spaces sell out first. If you are flexible, spring and autumn crossings are quieter and cheaper. The booking form shows the price for your date and your vehicle.

Whether and on what terms you can cancel or change depends on the fare you booked, not on the route. Cheap saver fares are usually non-refundable and can only be changed to a limited extent, while flexible fares can be amended until shortly before departure. The earlier you make a change, the lower any fees are likely to be. The exact terms are set out in your booking documents.

Yes, all ferries to Tunisia are car ferries. Cars, motorhomes, caravans and motorbikes are carried, and the vehicle price depends on its length. On the overnight ferries you add a cabin to your vehicle booking. The key point is crossing the border into a non-EU country, with temporary import, insurance and customs. Everything you need to know is in our guide Tunisia by motorhome.

Because most crossings take about a day, the ships are designed for an overnight stay: there are inside and outside cabins in various categories, reclining seats, restaurants, bars and observation decks. The car deck is closed during the crossing, so before boarding, take everything you need for the crossing out of the car.

Yes. Where your pet stays depends on the operator: sometimes in a pet cabin, sometimes in the on-board kennel. On all ferries the car deck is closed during the crossing, so your dog cannot stay in the car. Travelling with a dog or cat also comes with its own entry and return rules, which are set out in our guide Tunisia with your dog.

Tunisia is not part of the EU. To enter, you need a valid passport, including for children travelling with you; a national ID card is not enough. If you bring your own vehicle or a pet, further documents are required.

On arrival your vehicle is recorded in your passport and admitted for temporary use, initially for three months. You cannot leave the country again without the vehicle recorded in your passport. Since 2025, online registration with Tunisian customs has also been mandatory; you show the resulting QR code when boarding. Every step is explained in our guide Tunisia by motorhome.

This is the most important point. Tunisia is a non-EU country without listed rabies status, so the EU requires a rabies antibody test (titre test) for re-entry. The blood sample may be taken no earlier than 30 days after the rabies vaccination. If you have the test done in the EU before you leave and the vet records the result in the pet passport, the otherwise mandatory three-month waiting period no longer applies. All the rules are in our guide Tunisia with your dog.