Getting between cities in Morocco, trains, buses, taxis

Morocco has surprisingly good ground transport. Here’s how to actually move between cities.

The hierarchy

1. Train (ONCF), fastest, most comfortable, only between Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Fes, Meknès, Marrakech, Oujda.
2. CTM bus, covers everywhere trains don’t. Comfortable, on time, slightly pricier than the alternatives.
3. Supratours bus, same standard as CTM, run by ONCF, connects to train stations.
4. Grand taxi (white), shared 6-seater old Mercedes, fast point-to-point between towns, 2x the price of a bus.
5. Domestic flights (RAM, Air Arabia), only worth it for Dakhla, Laayoune, Oujda. Marrakech↔Casa is faster by train.

The Al Boraq high-speed line

Morocco’s bullet train runs Tangier ↔ Kenitra ↔ Rabat ↔ Casablanca at 320 km/h.

• Tangier → Casablanca in 2h10
• Tangier → Rabat in 1h20
• Departures every 1–2 hours
• Book at oncf.ma or via the ONCF Voyages app, fares 100–300 MAD depending on class and how far in advance you book.

Conventional ONCF trains

Outside the Al Boraq corridor, regular trains connect most major cities.

Route	Time	2nd class	1st class
Marrakech ↔ Casablanca	3h	140 MAD	220 MAD
Marrakech ↔ Fes	7h	240 MAD	380 MAD
Casablanca ↔ Fes	4h	150 MAD	230 MAD
Casablanca ↔ Tangier (Al Boraq)	2h10	200–280 MAD	300–400 MAD
Marrakech ↔ Rabat	4h	170 MAD	260 MAD

1st class is worth it on rides over 3 hours, air conditioning is more reliable, you get a reserved seat, and it’s usually quieter. Book in advance for popular routes, Marrakech ↔ Casa fills up in summer.

CTM bus

Morocco’s premier bus operator. Reliable, on time, A/C, USB ports, English-speaking staff at major terminals.

• Marrakech ↔ Essaouira: 3h, 90 MAD. The bus everyone takes.
• Marrakech ↔ Agadir: 4h, 130 MAD.
• Casablanca ↔ Chefchaouen: 7h, 175 MAD.
• Fes ↔ Chefchaouen: 4h, 80 MAD.
• Tangier ↔ Chefchaouen: 2h30, 50 MAD.

Book at ctm.ma or buy at the station. Show up 30 minutes early. Bags get checked into the hold, you pay 5–10 MAD per bag (collect a ticket, do not lose it).

Supratours

Same quality as CTM, run by ONCF. Books at train stations, which is convenient if you’re combining train + bus (e.g., Casablanca train → Supratours to Chefchaouen).

Grand taxis (white Mercedes)

The unofficial Moroccan bus network. Six passengers in a 5-seater old Mercedes, fixed route between two towns, leaves when full.

• Marrakech → Essaouira: ~100 MAD per seat, 2h30
• Fes → Chefchaouen: ~120 MAD per seat, 3h
• Anywhere → anywhere short-distance: 30–80 MAD

How it works:

1. Go to the grand taxi station (every town has one, ask for “station grand taxi”).
2. Tell a driver your destination.
3. Wait for the car to fill (5–30 minutes usually).
4. Pay the driver on arrival.

To go alone or in a couple, you can buy out the empty seats, costs ~5x a single seat. Worth it for 4 people.

The cars are old, often cramped, no seatbelts in the back, drivers go fast. Most travelers do it once for the experience and stick to buses after.

Petit taxis (within cities only)

Yellow (Marrakech), red (Casablanca), blue (Rabat), green (Tangier). Metered. 8–30 MAD per ride within a city.

Always insist on the metre. Drivers who refuse are scamming you.

Domestic flights

Royal Air Maroc and Air Arabia run domestic. Worth it for:

• Casablanca → Dakhla (far south, 1500+ km)
• Casablanca → Laayoune
• Casablanca → Oujda

Not worth it for Casablanca↔Marrakech or anything in the north, the train is faster end-to-end.

Booking apps

• ONCF Voyages (iOS/Android), trains
• CTM website, buses
• Supratours website, buses

For everything else (grand taxis, petits taxis), it’s cash on arrival.

Tips that actually matter

• Book Marrakech ↔ Casa trains a day ahead in summer. Walk-up tickets fill up.
• Sit on the left going south, right going north, sun side.
• Bring snacks and water. Train cafés exist but are erratic.
• Don’t trust grand taxi drivers’ quoted prices without asking another driver first.
• Don’t put valuables in the bus hold. Carry-on only.
• Bring a fleece on overnight buses, A/C is set to “Arctic.”