Getting around Morocco without a car: what actually works
Reviewed August 2026 by Ahlam Giyat, travel editor at Taxi Maroc Aéroport, Marrakech.
Morocco's railway is 2,200 km long and it ends at Marrakech. North of there the trains are excellent — Al Boraq covers Tangier to Casablanca in 2 hours 10 minutes at 320 km/h. South and east of Marrakech there is no rail at all, so Agadir, Essaouira, Ouarzazate, Merzouga and Chefchaouen are bus or car only. Knowing which side of that line your trip falls on decides almost everything else.
The map in one sentence
The network runs in a Y: the Atlantic corridor from Tangier through Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca down to Marrakech, and the eastern arm from Casablanca through Fes to Oujda. Everything else is served by road.
So if both ends of your journey are on that Y, take the train. If either end is not, the question becomes bus or private car — and the answer usually depends on how many of you there are.
Al Boraq: the part people underestimate
Launched in November 2018, Al Boraq was Africa's first high-speed train and still its only one. It runs Tangier–Kenitra–Rabat–Casablanca at up to 320 km/h, cutting a journey that used to take five hours down to 2 hours 10 minutes.
Departures are as frequent as every 30 minutes between roughly 07:00 and 21:00. Second class costs around 150 MAD and first about 240 MAD — turn-up-and-go prices rather than airline-style pricing, though weekend seats do sell out.
It does not reach Marrakech or Fes. For Marrakech you change at Casablanca onto a conventional service; for Fes you change at Kenitra. That change is the single most common thing people get wrong when planning.
Where the train beats a car outright
Three legs, and we will say so plainly even though we sell the alternative:
- Marrakech → Casablanca — about 2 h 40, roughly ten departures a day, 49 to 200 MAD. The motorway parallels the line, so the train is genuinely faster once traffic is counted.
- Marrakech → Rabat — a direct service of about 4 hours, far cheaper than a car for one or two people.
- Marrakech → Tangier — 3 hours to Casablanca, then Al Boraq. Door to door it matches the 6-hour drive at a fraction of the cost.
On all three, if you are one or two people travelling light between city centres in daylight, buy a train ticket.
Where there is no train at all
The rail map simply stops. For these you need a coach or a car:
- Essaouira — 175 km, Supratours ~140 MAD, seven departures a day, drops at Bab Marrakech beside the medina wall
- Agadir — 250 km, CTM and Supratours every two hours, 80 to 110 MAD, 3 h 45 to 4 h
- Ouarzazate — 200 km over the Tizi n'Tichka pass, ~100 to 120 MAD, about 4 h
- Chefchaouen — no railway and no airport; flying to Tangier then taking a CTM bus is often cheapest
- Merzouga and the Sahara — 560 km, no public transport that makes sense for a visitor
Supratours: the bit that confuses everyone
Supratours is ONCF's own coach subsidiary, and it exists precisely to plug the holes in the rail map. Its coaches leave from the lot next to Marrakech railway station and are timed to meet arriving trains.
That matters practically: you can buy a Supratours ticket at a train station counter, and a Casablanca–Marrakech train ticket plus a Marrakech–Essaouira coach ticket can be bought together. CTM is the other reputable long-distance operator and is generally equivalent in comfort.
Grands taxis, and when they make sense
White Mercedes estates that leave when full — usually six passengers in a car designed for five. They cover routes no timetable does, they are cheap, and Moroccans use them constantly.
They also mean negotiating in Darija or French, sharing a bench for hours, and no luggage guarantee. If that sounds like part of the trip, it is a genuine option. If it sounds like a problem, it will not improve at kilometre 180.
Everything side by side
Per person, on a typical Marrakech-to-somewhere journey.
| Option | Typical cost | Speed | Where it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Boraq high-speed | 150–240 MAD | Tangier–Casablanca 2 h 10 | Tangier · Kenitra · Rabat · Casablanca |
| Conventional ONCF train | 49–200 MAD | Marrakech–Casablanca 2 h 40 | The Y: Atlantic corridor and the Fes arm |
| Supratours / CTM coach | 80–140 MAD | Marrakech–Essaouira ~3 h | Everywhere the rails do not reach |
| Grand taxi | Negotiated | Fast, leaves when full | Short and medium hops, no timetable |
| Private car | €15–320 per vehicle | Direct, door to door | Anywhere, any hour, 1–15 people |
Six practical things nobody tells you
- Booking opens 3 months ahead on oncf.ma. Al Boraq seats sell out on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings — book two to three days ahead for weekend travel.
- No checked luggage and no screening. Bags go on overhead racks or in the areas at each carriage end. Keep valuables with you.
- During Ramadan ONCF cuts evening frequency and adds late services around Iftar. Check the special timetable rather than the normal one.
- Sit on the left heading south to Marrakech — on a clear day the snow-capped High Atlas comes into view.
- There is no Uber in Morocco. It is trains, official taxis, coaches or a pre-booked car.
- Bring your passport. On some services staff check ID against the booking.
So when is a private car actually worth it
We run private transfers, so treat this as an interested party being straight with you. A car earns its price in four situations and not many others:
- Three or more passengers. The price is per vehicle, so it divides. Two train tickets beat one car; four rarely do once you add the taxis at each end.
- Real luggage, surfboards, a pushchair. No arguing at a coach hold.
- Times the network does not serve. A 04:00 departure for a morning flight, or arriving after the last coach.
- Addresses away from stations. The Palmeraie, a riad deep in the medina, a hotel in Taghazout.
Outside those, the train or the coach is usually the better buy, and we would rather tell you than have you find out.
Frequently asked questions
Does the train go to Agadir?
No. Morocco's rail network stops at Marrakech and does not reach Agadir. Use a CTM or Supratours coach, about 3 h 45 to 4 h for 80 to 110 MAD, or a private car.
How long is the train from Tangier to Casablanca?
2 hours 10 minutes on Al Boraq, Africa's first high-speed train, running at up to 320 km/h.
How often does Al Boraq run?
As often as every 30 minutes at peak, roughly 07:00 to 21:00. Weekend seats sell out, so book two to three days ahead.
How much is a train ticket in Morocco?
Al Boraq is around 150 MAD in second class and 240 MAD in first. Conventional services are cheaper — Marrakech to Casablanca runs 49 to 200 MAD.
Can I get to Chefchaouen by train?
No. Chefchaouen has neither a railway nor an airport. The options are a long coach, a private car, or flying to Tangier and taking a CTM bus from there.
What is Supratours?
ONCF's own coach company. It serves cities the rail network does not reach, departs from beside Marrakech station, and its coaches are timed to meet arriving trains.
Is there Uber in Morocco?
No. Uber does not operate in Morocco. Your options are trains, official taxis, long-distance coaches, or a pre-booked private car.
How far ahead can I book a train?
Booking opens three months before departure on the ONCF website. For Al Boraq at weekends, two to three days ahead is the practical minimum.
Do trains run during Ramadan?
Yes, but with reduced evening frequency and extra late services around Iftar. Check the special Ramadan timetable rather than the standard one.
Is there a luggage limit on Moroccan trains?
No formal weight or size limit, and no checked-luggage service. Bags go on overhead racks or in the areas at each carriage end.