18 months ago the border was open 24 hours a day and you could sleep between the two border posts (near the Alg border post at least) if you wanted to. Here's the story.....

18 months ago a group of 2 of us in one vehicle passed through the Tunisian border into Algeria near Taleb Larbi at about 10pm (we had come off the ferry in Tunis earlier in the day). We drove across the no-man's-land and tried to pass through the Algerian border. Our Algerian escourt was not yet there (we agreed only to meet the next day) and so the Algerian border officials would not let us through or process our passports. We did fill out the forms and we handed over our passport so that we could pass quickly in the morning. We slept on a dirt track 50m from the Algerian border post on the no-mans-land side. The border officials had no problem with this at all. Both borders were open 24 hours and there was occasional traffic passing throughout the night, mainly taxis.

The only hassle in the process seemed to be on the Tunisian side. They kept us at the border for over an hour. I think they were jumpy about us getting off the ferry at 2pm in Tunis and checking out of Tunisia a few hours later. They checked us over at gunpoint several times. I think they were worried that we could have done some crime or terrorism in Tunsia. Once we are out of the country there would be nothing they could do to get us back. I have experienced the same concern in several sub-saharan countries when we have done quick exits through countries. Once was in Zambia.