Since December 7, 2025, dozens of buses carrying Algerian tourists have found themselves immobilized at Tunisian border crossings.
The situation, caused by a new regulatory requirement imposed on the Algerian side, is seriously disrupting tourist flows between the two countries. In the absence of clear official communication, travelers and agencies are plunged into uncertainty.
A new rule applied without notice
According to corroborating sources – including Visa-Algerie.com, DNAlergie.com and several Algerian media – the authorities in Algiers now require that each bus crossing the border be provided with an international transport authorization. The classic tourist license, until now sufficient, no longer allows passage.
This decision, which came into force suddenly, surprised professionals in the sector who had not received any prior notification. Result: buses leaving from Algiers, Oran, Constantine, Annaba or Souk Ahras were stopped dead at border crossings, canceling or delaying already scheduled trips.
A measure linked to the tourist allowance
This new regulation comes in the wake of the new tourist allowance decided by Algeria in 2025: 750 euros for each adult, 300 euros for each minor.
According to several observers, the objective would also be to limit the misuse of this allocation. Some operators actually used fictitious tourist trips to recover foreign currencies and resell them on the parallel market. The authorities would therefore seek to further control the flow of travelers and organized itineraries.
Stranded travelers and canceled tours
The situation has many concrete consequences: passengers forced to wait for hours or even turn back, tourist circuits canceled in succession, travel agencies taken by surprise and unable to reroute their customers.
Several testimonies relayed in the press speak of families being stranded in the middle of the night, considerable delays and a total lack of official information.
The train as an alternative… but under strict conditions
Faced with these blockages, some tourists choose to reach Tunisia by train. But this solution involves several administrative constraints: mandatory reservations up to 7 days before departure, a limit of 30 kg of baggage per passenger, return tickets valid for a maximum of 3 months, presentation of passport and tax documents.
Professional associations, both in Algeria and in Tunisia, are demanding urgent explanations on the conditions for obtaining international transport authorization, the precise rules of application, and the expected duration of this measure.
For the moment, no official statement has been published by the authorities of the two countries, fueling the confusion. But consistent media information clearly shows that the blockage is linked to the implementation of this new rule and to the abuses observed in the use of the tourist allowance.
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