Morocco Transportation

If you hope to see a lot of Morocco in a short time, flying may be your best option. Royal Air Maroc (www.royalairmaroc.com), Morocco’s national airline, flies to and from most major cities in Europe, including Madrid and Lisboa. Domestically, a network of flights radiates from the Mohammed V Airport outside Casablanca. Flights connect Marrakesh, Rabat, Tangier, Fez, Agadir, and other Moroccan cities at least once per day. Regional Airlines (www.regionalmaroc.com) flies from Barcelona, Las Palmas, Lisboa, Madrid, and Málaga and offers many domestic routes, including Agadir, Casablanca, and Tangier. Some of the cheapest flights between Europe and Morocco, however, can be found on smaller budget carriers. For last-minute deals and internet specials, compare routes on airlines like easyJet, Ryanair, Click Air, and Atlas Blue.

By Ferry

One of the most popular modes of travel between Spain and Morocco is by crossing the Strait of Gibraltar by ferry. Spanish government-run Trasmediterránea (☎902 16 01 80; www.balearia.net); leaves Algeciras’s Estación Marítima for Ceuta and Tangier. Other companies include EuroFerries, BuqueBus, Comanov, Comarit, FRS, and Limadet, which operate upwards of sixteen weekly crossings per route. Crossing times vary from 30min. to 1½hr. depending on the ship. Passengers should expect to fill out a customs form and present their passport for an entry stamp before disembarking for Morocco.

By Train

Trains in Morocco are faster than buses, more comfortable, fairly reliable, and prompt. Second-class train tickets are slightly more expensive than corresponding CTM bus fares; first-class tickets cost around 20% more than those second-class. The main line runs from Tangier via Rabat and Casablanca to Marrakesh. A spur connects Fez, Meknes, and points east. Tickets bought on board cost at least 10% more and may cause trouble with the conductor.

By Bus

Plan well ahead if you plan to use buses as your method of transport. They’re not all that fast or comfortable, but they are extremely cheap and travel to nearly every corner of the country. Compagnie de Transports du Maroc (CTM), the state-owned line, has the fastest, most luxurious, most reliable, and generally most expensive buses. In many cities, CTM has a station separate from other lines; reservations are usually not necessary. Let’s Go lists CTM stations in each city. Several dozen private companies operate as well. Other private companies, called cars publiques (a.k.a. souq buses), have more departures but are slower and much less comfortable. In bus stations, each company has its own info window; window-hop for information on destinations and schedules. The baggage check at CTM bus depots is usually safe. Your bags, however, may not be accepted for storage if you don’t have padlocks on the zippers. Private bus companies also have baggage checkrooms.

By Taxi

Two separate hordes of taxis prowl Moroccan streets: intra-urban petit taxis and inter-urban grand taxis, both dirt cheap by European standards. Petit taxis hold a maximum of three passengers and are all painted in one color depending on the municipality. Make sure the driver turns the meter on; they are required to do so by law. Otherwise, agree on the price before you go (around 50% of what the driver asks is fair). There is a 50% surcharge after 8pm in most localities. Don’t be surprised if the driver stops for other passengers or picks you up with other passengers in the car, but, if you are picked up after the meter has been started, note the initial price. Grand taxis are the most expensive way to travel but go just about everywhere. Unlike their petit cousins, they don’t usually cruise for passengers, congregating instead at a central area in town. They hold up to six passengers, but, if you’re planning a long ride, you might buy two spaces to allow for extra room. A taxi won’t go until it is filled, and ask other passengers what they are paying to avoid being ripped off.

By Car And By Thumb

There are two reasons to rent a car in Morocco: large group travel and destinations not reached by Morocco’s public transportation system. Otherwise, rental is unnecessary. Roads can be very dangerous; reckless passing maneuvers, excessive speed, shoddy maintenance, and poorly equipped vehicles are all common. Multinational car rental chains Hertz, Avis, and Europcar all have branches in Morocco. Large local firms such as Afric Car, Moroloc, and Locoto offer cars for considerably less money but may also be less reliable. Both international and local firms are easy to find in all major cities. Before you leave the lot, make sure that you have a full spare, a complete toolkit, and a good map. Once on the road, you face a myriad of complications, the most serious being security checks. Virtually any trip will bring you to at least one checkpoint. Expect to be pulled over and asked to produce your passport and proof of rental. You also may be stopped for traffic violations, real or not. The fine is payable on the spot in dirhams. Whatever you do, do not travel with drugs in your car. Hitchhiking is very rare among travelers in Morocco, as transportation is already dirt cheap by European and North American standards. If Moroccans do pick up a foreigner, they will most likely expect payment. Hitching is more frequent in the south and in the mountains, where transportation is irregular. Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking.