Frequently asked questions

Ferries to Tunisia depart from Italy and France and all 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 with Palermo - Tunis. From France, Marseille - Tunis connects the mainland with North Africa.

Four operators mainly run the Tunisia routes: GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci) from Italy, the Tunisian CTN (Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation), Grimaldi Lines and the French Corsica Linea. On several routes two operators share the departures. Which operator serves your chosen connection is listed on the respective route page.

It depends on where you're starting. If you're already in southern Italy, take the short crossing Palermo - Tunis. From northern and central Italy, Genoa, Civitavecchia and Salerno are good options, and from France or for travellers from western and south-western Europe, Marseille - Tunis. Apart from Palermo, all are designed as overnight ferries with cabins.

All departures with date, operator and crossing duration are in the timetable. There you set the date and filter by departure and destination port. Sailings are most frequent in summer; in winter the schedule is thinner and some connections pause.

As early as possible, especially in summer. In peak season, and particularly during the travel period of Tunisians living in Europe, cabins and vehicle spaces sell out first. If you're flexible, spring and autumn offer quieter and usually cheaper crossings. The booking window shows the price for your date and vehicle.

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

Yes, all Tunisia ferries are car ferries. Cars, motorhomes, caravans and motorbikes travel on board, with the vehicle price based on length. On overnight ferries you book a cabin in addition to your vehicle. The key point is the border crossing into a non-EU country, with temporary importation, insurance and customs. Everything on this is in the guide Taking a motorhome to Tunisia.

Since most crossings take around a day, the ships are set up for overnight travel: there are inside and outside cabins in various categories, reclining seats, restaurants, bars and observation decks. The vehicle deck stays closed during the crossing, so take everything you need on board with you into the cabin before boarding.

Yes. Where your pet is accommodated depends on the operator: sometimes in a pet cabin, sometimes in the on-board kennel. On all ferries the vehicle deck is closed during the crossing, so your dog doesn't stay in the car. Travelling with a dog or cat also has its own outward and return entry rules, covered in the guide Taking a dog to Tunisia.

Tunisia is not part of the EU. To enter you need a valid passport - for children travelling too; an ID card is not sufficient. If you're entering with your own vehicle or a pet, further documents are required. As entry and customs rules can change, check the current requirements before departure with your national foreign ministry and the official Tunisian authorities, not just at the terminal.

On entry, your vehicle is entered in your passport and cleared for temporary use for an initial three months. You cannot leave the country again without the vehicle recorded in your passport. Since 2025, an online registration with Tunisian customs with a QR code is also mandatory - present it when boarding. All the steps are explained in the guide Taking a motorhome to Tunisia.

This is the most important point. Tunisia is a non-EU country with no listed rabies status, so the EU requires a rabies antibody test (titre test) for re-entry. The blood sample must be taken no earlier than 30 days after the rabies vaccination. If you have the test done in the EU before departure and your vet enters the result in the pet passport, the usual three-month waiting period no longer applies. All the rules are in the guide Taking a dog to Tunisia.