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A market stall in Marrakech

© 123rf.com / Deborah Benbrook

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Morocco

Travel to Marrakech

Flying to Marrakech

Airlines operating direct flights to Marrakech from the UK include Royal Air Maroc, easyJet and Ryanair. Many airlines still fly via Casablanca, Morocco's main international hub.

Flight times: 

From London - 3 hours 30 minutes; New York - 7 hours; Los Angeles - 11 hours 40 minutes; Toronto - 7 hours 35 minutes; Sydney - 21 hours 30 minutes.

Travel by road

Summary:

Major cities in Morocco are connected by a good network of relatively uncongested roads, but driving within Marrakech is not recommended due to almost constant traffic jams of trucks, cars, daredevil scooters, clueless pedestrians and stubborn donkeys. Many of the new roads in the Palmeraie (palm grove) outside Marrakech aren't yet paved, and a 4-wheel drive is recommended. Traffic drives on the right in Marrakech, and the minimum driving age is 18 years. The official speed limits are 100kph (62mph) outside towns and 40kph (25mph) in urban areas. There are frequent road blocks once you get outside Marrakech, so drivers should keep their papers accessible. The Moroccan authorities acknowledge most foreign driving licences, but an International Driving Permit is recommended.

Emergency breakdown service:

There is no general breakdown service - hire cars should have emergency breakdown details on board. For accidents, contact the police (tel: 19).

Routes:

Marrakech is linked to Casablanca by the P7, to Fes by the P24, to Ouarzazate by the P31, to Essaouira by the P10, and to Agadir via the P10 then P40.

Driving times:

From Casablanca is 3 hours; from Agadir is 3 hours and 30 minutes and from Fes is 7 hours.

Coaches:

Most services between Morocco's major cities and towns are run by CTM (tel: (0524) 447 420; www.ctm.ma), the national coach company. CTM’s urban and intercity routes leave from Marrakech's Gare Routière (central bus station), on the northwestern edge of the old city. Bus tickets can be purchased in advance from the main bus station or at the Guéliz CTM office on Boulevard Mohammed Zerktouni. It is no cheaper but it will guarantee a seat, which is particularly advisable on routes that run a limited service. Eurolines (tel: 0871 781 8181; www.eurolines.co.uk) runs services to Marrakech from destinations all over Europe, with many routes involving a change of coach in Paris. International buses arrive and in the Guéliz CTM office on Boulevard Mohammed Zerktouni. Supratours (tel: (0524) 435 525) provides comfortable, air-conditioned express bus services from Essaouira, Agadir and Laayoune. Buses depart and arrive from the Supratours station next door to the train station at Avenue Hassan II. You can purchase tickets in advance at the Supratours station or via your hotel or riad.

Travel by rail

Services:

The Moroccan rail system runs along two branches: from Casablanca on the west coast to Oujda in the northeast, and from Tangier in the north to Marrakech. There are two classes of seats: first has six seats per compartment, and second has eight per compartment. Second-class travel is quite comfortable for most journeys. In summer, note that first class ensures an air-conditioned carriage only on intercity TCR (Train Climatisé Rapide) trains.

Marrakech's old railway station is a charmingly ramshackle building (a new one was built next door in 2008) located on Avenue Hassan II at the corner of Boulevard Mohammed VI in the new city of Guéliz. Tickets can be purchased directly at the train station or through your riad or hotel.

Operators:

The Moroccan state railway, Office National des Chemins de Fer, or ONCF (tel: 0890 203 040; www.oncf.ma), is a legacy from French colonial times, and although services are limited, they are reliable and inexpensive, and a good option for travel between Morocco's major cities. It's also a greener way to travel, reducing emissions that might otherwise harm southern Morocco's delicate desert ecosystems.

The most frequent direct services to Marrakech are from Fes (journey time – 7 hours) and Rabat (journey time – 4 hours), and the direct overnight service from Tangier (journey time – 11 hours) with sleeping carriages. Return tickets are good for up to seven days after your initial date of travel.

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