Marrakech → Rabat
Marrakech to Rabat is 325 km and about three and a half hours by motorway. A private car is €170 per vehicle, not per person. There is a direct train on this route and it is good - around 4 hours for a fraction of the price - so read the comparison before you book a car you may not need.
€170 per vehicle
Reviewed September 2026 by Ahlam Giyat, travel editor at Taxi Maroc Aéroport, Marrakech.
Route details checked in August 2026 by Ahlam Giyat, travel editor at Taxi Maroc Aéroport.
Landing at CMN and going straight to Rabat? €100 per vehicle, flight tracked →
Heading to Rabat instead? Casablanca → Rabat €80 · CMN → Rabat €100 →
📖 Not sure whether to drive, train or take the bus? Read the full Morocco transport guide →
The train is direct here, and it is decent
Unlike Tangier or Agadir, Marrakech to Rabat has a direct ONCF service. It takes roughly 4 hours and costs a small fraction of a private car. If you are one or two people going city centre to city centre in daylight, take it.
A car makes sense when the arithmetic or the logistics change: three or more passengers, real luggage, an early or late departure, a hotel in Souissi or Hay Riad rather than beside Rabat Ville station, or a flight to catch at Casablanca on the way through.
The comparison
Including the taxis at each end, which the ticket price never mentions.
| Option | Cost | Door-to-door time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONCF direct train | ~100–250 MAD + taxis | 4 h + transfers | 1–2 people, daytime, city centres |
| CTM coach | ~120–160 MAD | 4h30 – 5 h | Lowest budget |
| Private car (us) | €170 per vehicle | ~3h30, door to door | 3+ people, luggage, appointments, odd hours |
The drive
North on the A3 through Ben Guerir and Settat toward Casablanca, then the A5 up the coast to Rabat. Modern toll motorway the whole way, about 3 hours 30 minutes in normal traffic. Tolls come to roughly 150 MAD and are already in our price.
The bottleneck is Casablanca. Between 5pm and 7pm the ring road can add 30 to 45 minutes, so if your timing is tight we leave earlier rather than promise something the road will not allow.
What Rabat is like
Morocco's political capital, and the calmest of the big cities. It has a walled medina you can actually walk without being hassled, the Kasbah des Oudaias overlooking the river mouth, the Hassan Tower and the Chellah necropolis - and almost none of the tourist pressure of Marrakech.
It is also where the embassies are, which is why a good share of our passengers on this road are travelling for visa appointments and official business rather than sightseeing. If that is you, tell us the appointment time and we build the departure around it.
What is included
- Fixed price per vehicle - the same for one passenger or five
- All motorway tolls and fuel
- Door to door, including addresses far from the station
- One stop on request
- Drivers who speak English, French, Spanish and Arabic
- Free child seats, fitted before pick-up
- No deposit, free cancellation up to 24 hours before
Continuing north
Rabat sits on the way to almost everywhere in the north. If you are carrying on to Tangier or Chefchaouen, it is often cheaper to book the whole run than two separate legs - ask and we will quote it.
Going to Mohammed V airport instead? That is a different page and a different price.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Rabat from Marrakech?
About 325 km by motorway, roughly 3 hours 30 minutes of driving.
Is there a direct train from Marrakech to Rabat?
Yes. ONCF runs a direct service taking around 4 hours, and it is far cheaper than a private car for one or two people.
Should I take the train or a car?
Train for one or two people, daytime, city centre to city centre. Car for three or more, real luggage, early or late travel, or an address away from the station.
How much is a private transfer from Marrakech to Rabat?
€170 per vehicle for up to 3 passengers, with larger vehicles available. Tolls and fuel included.
Can you take us to a visa appointment on time?
Yes - tell us the appointment time when you book and we set the departure around it, allowing for the Casablanca ring road.
Can we stop on the way?
Yes, one stop is included on request.
Sources & official information