Tunisia by motorhome

Taking a motorhome to Tunisia means taking a ferry across the Mediterranean. The crossing itself is straightforward; what takes more effort is crossing the border from the EU into a non-EU country: temporary import of the vehicle, the online customs registration that has been mandatory since 2025, the right insurance and your passport. On this page you will find the routes for motorhomes compared, the customs and insurance rules, and tips on vehicle dimensions, gas bottles and when to travel. If your dog is coming too, its entry and return rules also apply; they are in our guide Tunisia with your dog.

Routes for motorhomes

All ferries to Tunisia end at the port of La Goulette near Tunis. You have two basic options:

• Short crossing from Sicily: Palermo - Tunis crosses the Strait of Sicily in around ten to twelve hours. A short sea crossing, but a long drive through Italy to get there.
• Mediterranean overnight ferries: Genoa - Tunis, Civitavecchia - Tunis and Salerno - Tunis from Italy and Marseille - Tunis from France take about a day, on long-distance ferries with cabins. You sleep through much of the journey and save yourself a lot of motorway driving.

Temporary import and documents

As the driver, you need a passport to enter; a national ID card is not enough for Tunisia. Carry the vehicle registration document and your driving licence; national driving licences are recognised, and the vehicle must display its country identification sticker.

On arrival, a three-month temporary import permit is issued for the vehicle. Customs records the vehicle details in your passport, because selling the vehicle in Tunisia is only allowed once customs duty has been paid. If you want to stay longer than three months, contact the relevant Tunisian embassy or consulate before you go.

Online customs registration

Since 2025, you must register online with Tunisian customs in advance to enter with a foreign-registered vehicle. You enter your vehicle and travel details and receive a QR code, which you show when boarding or on arrival at the port of La Goulette. Without this registration, no temporary import permit is issued and you will be refused entry. Complete it in good time before departure, not at the terminal.

Insurance: Green Card or border insurance

You must carry a Green Card that is valid for Tunisia. What matters is that the country code TN on the card is valid and not crossed out. Many standard European policies do not include Tunisia. If that is the case, you take out border insurance directly at the port or at the border. Sorting out your cover at home saves you time at the port.

Vehicle dimensions and gas bottles

Motorhomes are priced in categories by length. To avoid surprises at check-in:

• Overall length including add-ons: bike racks, rear boxes and tow bars count too.
• Overall height: measure including roof fittings, air conditioning and satellite dish.
• Vehicles with trailers and extra-long vehicles: often only bookable by phone with the ferry operator.

If you travel with gas bottles, safety rules apply: as a rule, the bottles must be turned off and labelled. As the rules vary by operator, ask yours when you book. The car deck stays closed during the crossing, so take everything important, such as documents, medication and a change of clothes, up to your cabin before boarding.

Best time to travel

Ferries to Tunisia run all year round; in summer sailings are most frequent and the ports are at their busiest, especially when Tunisians living in Europe travel home. If you are flexible, spring and autumn crossings are quieter and usually cheaper. The timetable shows which departures there are on your travel date.