Getting There By Air:Marrakech-Menara International Airport (RAK) Tel: (044) 447 910/865.
Website:
www.onda.org.ma/onda/autrea/marrakech.asp The Marrakech-Menara International Airport is located about 6km (4 miles) southwest of Marrakech. There are few direct international flights to the city as most fly via Casablanca, which is Morocco’s main international hub. Airport facilities include banks, ATMs, a post office, a restaurant and snack bars, duty-free shops, general shops,
a medical center and tourist information.
Avis,
Budget,
Europcar and
Hertz all provide car hire services.
Transport to the city: Bus 11 is supposed to run to the old Arabic heart of the city, the medina, every half an hour, but services can be unpredictable. There are taxi phones in the arrival and departure lounges and taxis can be caught near the bus stop. Taxi fares to the city are best agreed on before commencing the journey as new arrivals can be easy prey to less honest taxi drivers.
Getting There By Road:Driving in Morocco can be a pleasure, as it has a good network of uncongested roads. However, driving within cities can be much more stressful because of busy traffic and a general disregard for road etiquette.
The official speed limit is 100kph (62mph) outside towns and 40kph (25mph) in urban areas. Driving is on the right. There are frequent road blocks, so drivers should keep their papers accessible. By law, when driving both driver and passengers must wear seat belts (front seat) or face an on-the-spot fine. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. No alcohol level in the blood at all is permitted when driving. Roadside police officers have been well trained to spot drunken driving and will not hesitate to pull cars over. The Moroccan authorities acknowledge most foreign driving licenses, 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 highway emergency services tel: 177.
Routes to the city: Marrakech is linked to Casablanca by the P7, to Fez by the P24, to Ouarzazate by the P31, and to Agadir by the P10 then P40.
Coach services: All urban and intercity routes leave from Marrakech’s central bus station, place el Mouarabitène (tel: (044) 433 933), just outside Bab Doukkala on the northwestern edge of the old city.
Eurolines (tel: 08705 808080, in the UK; website:
www.eurolines.co.uk) runs a service from London to Marrakech every Friday.
Eurolines also runs services from Marrakech all over Europe with many routes involving a change of coach in Paris.
Services between Morocco’s major cities and towns are run by
CTM, the national coach company (tel: (022) 438 282; website:
www.ctm.co.ma), as well as by private operators.
CTM are the most reliable and run to strict schedules. The national train company,
ONCF (tel: (090) 203 040; website:
www.oncf.ma) operates express bus services from the train station at avenue Hassan II between Marrakech and Essaouira, Agadir and Laayoune.
Bus tickets can be purchased in advance from the main bus station. It is no cheaper but it will guarantee a seat, which is particularly advisable on routes that run a limited daily service.
Getting There By Rail:The Moroccan state railway,
ONCF (tel: (090) 203 040; website:
www.oncf.ma) is a legacy from French colonial times and although services are limited they are reliable, cheap and comfortable, and by far the best option for traveling between Morocco’s major cities. Marrakech’s railway station (tel: (044) 447 703/768), a handsome, colonial-era building, is located on avenue Hassan II at the western edge of Guéliz.
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 and second. First class usually ensures an air-conditioned carriage, although second-class travel is quite comfortable for most journeys. All tickets can be booked in advance. Inter-rail cards (for those under 26 years of age) can be used in Morocco.
The most used direct services to Marrakech are from, Rabat, Fez and the direct overnight service from Tangier, which has sleeping carriages.
Getting Around:Public TransportThe national coach company
CTM (tel: (022) 438 282; website:
www.ctm.co.ma) is the main provider of urban bus services within Marrakech. All local bus services leave from Marrakech’s central bus station, place el Mouarabitène, just outside Bab Doukkala on the northwestern edge of the old city. There are also many private lines that operate throughout the city from the central bus station. CTM services are reliable and operate from early morning until late at night, with night buses running on the more popular routes. However, buses can be very crowded at peak hours. Single fares are paid to the driver on boarding. Bus 1 plies the route between Guéliz and
Jemaa-
el-
Fna.
TaxisQuicker than the buses,
grands taxis are old Mercedes cars that carry up to six people for a fixed fare. Generally keeping to specific routes, the taxis leave, when full, from the bus station, from Jemaa-el-Fna and from the Post Office in Guéliz.
Petits taxis are standard taxis – small hatchback cars, normally blue Fiat Unos, which can be hailed around the city. Prices are best agreed before the journey is embarked on, expect to pay more at night. It is not customary to tip, although foreign visitors often do.
Petits taxis are ubiquitous on Marrakech’s streets so there should be no need to telephone one. Hotels can arrange pick-ups if necessary.
In addition, the
calèche is a horse-drawn carriage carrying up to five people. Again, prices should be agreed in advance. For five people this should not cost much more than a
petit taxi.
Calèches line up in the garden square between the Koutoubia Mosque and Jemaa-el-Fna, el Badi Palace and the more expensive hotels. For specified trips,
grands taxis and
calèches are required by law to display prices. All three can be hired for tours of the city.
Grands taxis and
petits taxis can also be hired for day trips outside the city.
Driving in the CityMany of the roads in the Marrakech medina are simply too narrow for cars and only small cars can negotiate the rest. It is advisable to park the car and use taxis while in the city. Furthermore, accident rates are very high, especially around the medina, where people and cyclists are apt to pull out suddenly in front of the traffic. After dark, the dangers increase since it is legal to drive cars and ride bicycles without lights at up to 20kph (12mph). Parking in Guéliz can be found at any of the big hotels or off the avenue Mohammed V. In the medina, security-patrolled spaces are available at Jemaa-el-Fna outside the
Foucauld Hôtel and in the car park beside the
CTM Hôtel.
Car HireThe major car hire companies can almost all be found at the airport and in Guéliz in the area around place Abdel Moumen ben Ali, which links avenue Mohammed V with boulevard Mohammed Zerktouni. These include:
Avis, 137 Avenue Mohammed V (tel: (044) 432 525
or 433 169 (airport office); website:
www.avis.com);
Budget, boulevard Zerktouni (tel: (044) 431 180
or 438 875 (airport office)
or 440 720 (La Mamounia Hotel office); website:
www.budget.com),
Europcar, 63 boulevard Zerktouni (tel: (044) 431 228
or 437 718 (airport office); website:
www.europcar.com); and
Hertz, 154 avenue Mohammed V (tel: (044) 439 984
or 447 230 (airport office); website:
www.hertz.com).
Hire fees are subject to 20% government tax; visitors should make sure that this has been added to the agreed price. Although smaller local companies can be much cheaper, this is often reflected in the condition of the cars. However, one more reputable outfit is
Concorde Cars, 154 avenue Mohammed V (tel: (044) 431 116; website:
http://concordecar.ifrance.com).
Drivers must be over 21 years of age to hire a car and be in possession of a full national driving license. Most European driving licenses are acknowledged in Morocco, however, an International Driving Permit is recommended. Third-party insurance is automatically included when renting a car.
Bicycle HireA popular alternative to the car is the bicycle or moped. Both can be rented from Adoul
Abdellah, 14 avenue Abdelkarim el Khattabi, Guéliz (tel: (044) 432 238) or
Marrakech Motos, 31 avenue Abdelkarim el Khattabi, Guéliz (tel: (044) 448 359). Bicycle traffic travels at quite a sedate speed but traffic congestion around the medina and disregard for road etiquette can make it dangerous. It is sensible to test the brakes and tires before hiring a bike. Bicycles can also be hired from
Hotel Ali, rue Moulay Ismail, Medina (tel: (044) 444 979) and from a number of small operators around Place 16 Novembre in Guéliz.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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