Morocco Transportation

How to Get to Morocco

By Air:
Generally, Morocco enjoys very extensive and convenient external transportations. There are plenty of direct flights operated from countries across Europe, the Middle East, West Africa and North America. Casablanca is the most popular gateway city for foreign tourists, and Royal Air Maroc operates non-stop flights to Casablanca from New York and Montreal. Menara Airport in Marrakesh is also a busy hub for international flights into the country.

By Rail:
From Paris of France, there are direct trains bound for Morocco daily, with a duration of 6 hours. In the other parts of France like Menton, Nice, Toulouse, Cannes, Grasse and Vintimille as well as Arcs, there are also a number of TER trains leading to Morocco. Every 15-30 minutes, there will be a train available, and all the train will make a stop at the Monte Carlo of Morocco.

By Bus:
From Nice in the southeast France, there are public buses No. 100 running to Menton via stops in Morocco, including Cimetière, Place d’Arme, Princesse Antoinette, Monte-Carlo (Casino), Places des Moulins and St Roman. The buses depart frequently, at an interval of about 15-20 minutes. In weekdays, you can also opt for express bus X100 for the same route, and the whole duration from Nice to Menton is about 30 mins.

By Sea:
Morocco is a coastal country, so ferry is one of the most convenient travel methods to get to the country. There are extensive ferry routes between northern Morocco and southern Europe, and the most popular one sails from Algeciras (Spain) to Tangier. Ferries run at an interval of about 90 minutes, and even hourly in busy seasons of summer. The duration of the voyage usually takes about an hour. Besides, there are also ferries running from Almería to Melilla and Nador, while they are limited to a few departures a week.

How to Travel around in Morocco

Flights
There are mainly two airlines in Morocco. One is the Royal Air Maroc, which is the magnate and dominant airline, while the other is a much smaller one named Regional Airlines. Nearly all domestic flights are operated through the hub Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca. Air service is available in other popular travel destinations, such as Tangier, Nador, Oujda, Fez, Errachidia, Marrakesh, Essaouira, Agadir, Laayoune and Dakhla. Traveling by air is relatively expensive but might be the best option if you are pressed for time.

Trains
Morocco is blessed with very convenient rail service. A train ride is the most ideal option to travel between big cities. There are two main rail routes: one is from Tangier down to Marrakesh via Rabat and Casablanca, and the other is from Nador in the northeast down to Marrakesh passing by Fez and Meknes. Between Casablanca and Rabat, trains are especially frequent, which depart about every 30 minutes.

Concerning to the cost and speed, there are two types of trains for your choice, including Rapide (Train Rapide Climatisé, TCR) and Ordinaire (Train Navette Rapide, TNR). The former onee is usually served between cities at a closer distance, which are faster and more comfortable. Ordinary trains has no air-conditioning, and they mostly depart or arrive in late night. For long-distance rides like Tangier–Marrakesh and Oujda–Casablanca, there are overnight trains with sleeping cabins.

Buses
Among major traveling destinations such as Casablanca, Chefchaouen, Rabat, Tangier and Marrakech, there are frequent buses running between, which are even more convenient than trains. There are two major state-run bus companies, namely CTM and Superatours. CTM buses are faster, cleaner and more comfortable, which are highly recommended. The bus price is similar to that of a train between two cities, but there is an additional charge of 5 UAE dirhams per baggage that needs to be paid when boarding. It is best to buy tickets in advance during holidays and busy tourist season.

Taxis
There are two kinds of taxis operated in Morocco, including Grand Taxi and Petit Taxi. Grand Taxis usually use Mercedes-Benz and they are mainly served for rides between close cities. Such taxi is spacious enough to accommodate 6 passengers at most. Usually the drivers will not use the meters device, so you’d better agree on a negotiated price before boarding. If you miss the intercity bus, Grand Taxi would be a good choice, as the price is similar to that of a bus, even a bit cheaper.

Petit taxi is the most popular travel method within a city for travelers. One taxi can accommodate 3 passengers at most, and you can require the drivers to charge by meters. The flag-fall price is 1.40-1.80 dirhams per kilometer, with an increase of 2 dirhams per kilometer after. In general, a one-way taxi ride in the city will cost no more than 20 dirhams. At night, there will be an additional rate of 50%.

Electric Trams
Cities like Casablanca and Rabat are facilitated with modern tram networks, which are a speedy and cheap way to explore those cities.