Tangier

[Hoofhearted]

Following on from my thread yesterday about crossing by ferry from Spain to Tangier. My son and I will be in Tangier for approximately 48 hours, before flying from Tangier to Portugal. What I really want to know is - How safe is it to visit Tangier nowadays?

 

[NCT]

Completely fine when I went through last autumn. I was there for two separate nights and both times were arriving late evening (2200) and leaving early morning (0700). No problem at all.

Only thing is public transport seems very thin and between the port, old town and the rail station I just walked. Not tried taxis so don't know what the fare / haggling situation is. There does seem to be a reliance on unlicenced cars at the railway station.

 

[j01]

Spent an afternoon/evening in Tangier a couple of weeks ago. All fine, no safety issues. Hotel was near Tangier Ville station so some distance from the town. Used petit taxis both ways with no problems. I'm sure the fares I paid (agreed up front - no meters used) were way over what locals or others may pay but it's up to you how hard you want to negotiate.

 

[Thames99]

Petit taxis have meters but they never seem to be used anywhere in Morocco. As above I’m sure that I paid over the odds, but it was still cheap.

 

[Merseysider]

Spent a week there in April. Felt completely safe at all times, even walking around late at night. Friendly, helpful people.

The airport bus (route AE) ran on time and the bus stops were easy to find. €4 but dirhams preferred.

If you fancy a few beers or similar for the hotel, I highly recommend Casa Pepe - an international shop with all sorts of food and drink.

The Al Boraq railway is outstanding, by the way, and worth a ride even if you only go one stop and return.

 

[sh24]

Perfectly safe, just like everywhere in Morocco. It's roughly a 30min walk from the old town to the station but pretty pleasant, mostly along the coast.

 

[Oxfordblues]

I felt very safe on a brief visit this year. Getting a taxi from the station to the port I expected to be ripped-off something rotten. I was, but it was all done in such a friendly way I didn't mind. (But buying a beer on the ferry back the barman wouldn't accept Moroccan currency, even before we set sail!)

 

[davetheguard]

Used petit taxis both ways with no problems.

Petit taxis have meters but they never seem to be used anywhere in Morocco.

For anyone who hasn't come across the terms petits taxis & grandes taxis, "petits taxis" are taxis on local trips around town; "grandes taxis" are vehicles that only undertake longer journeys e.g. one town to the next or longer.

 

[nwales58]

Also, it's more than 10 years since I was there, petit taxis were like taxis in europe but could not leave the municipality.

Grand taxis are/were more like on demand bus routes. There were terminus areas for each route, you waited until all 5 seats were full including luggage, sacks of flour, the odd chicken and the like, before setting off generally sticking to the main road but sometimes going via villages. Along the way people waited at cross-roads until a passing taxi had a spare seat. 'Grand' was because the cars were large ex-european Mercedes and the like.

 

[sh24]

Depending on where you are, grand taxi are also for hire on an individual basis. Casablanca airport for one.