Marrakech Travel Guide

Getting There By Air

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.

Marrakech-Menara International Airport (RAK)
Tel: (0524) 447 910.
Website: http://dev.onda.ma

Marrakech-Menara International Airport is located about 6km (4 miles) southwest of Marrakech.

Airport facilities
These include banks, ATMs, a post office, a restaurant, snack bars, duty-free 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 medina every 30 minutes, but service can be erratic. Petits taxis (small beige compact cars) are a better bet, and can be found in the driveway near the parking lot. Bargain in advance for a fare, which should cost less than Dh80 by day or Dh100 at night.

Approximate flight times to Marrakech
From London is 3 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 7 hours; from Los Angeles is 11 hours 40 minutes; from Toronto is 7 hours 35 minutes and from Sydney is 21 hours 30 minutes.

Getting There By Road

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 licenses, but an International Driving Permit is recommended.

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

Routes to the city
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 to the city
From Casablanca is 3 hours; from Agadir is 3 hours and 30 minutes and from Fes is 7 hours.

Coach services
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.

Getting There By Rail

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.

Rail 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.

Getting Around in Marrakech, Morocco

Public Transport

The national coach company CTM (tel: (0524) 447 420; www.ctm.ma) is the main provider of public transport in Marrakech. Most local bus services leave from Marrakech's central bus station just outside Bab Doukkala on the northwestern edge of the old city. CTM services are reliable and operate from early morning until late at night, with night buses running on the more popular routes. Single fares are paid to the driver on boarding. Buses 1 and 20 ply the route between Guéliz and Jemaa el Fna along Boulevard Mohammed V.

Taxis

Quicker than the buses, Marrakech's petits taxis are standard metered beige taxis, which can be hailed around the city. Check to see that the meter is working when you get in and when you arrive, round up the fare to the nearest dirham or two as a tip. Grands taxis are old Mercedes cars that carry up to six people for a fixed fare agreed upon in advance, usually to out-of-town destinations such as Essaouira. When full, grands taxis leave from the bus station, from the Jemaa el Fna and from the Post Office in Guéliz.

A calèche is a horse-drawn carriage carrying up to five people, either as a mode of transport within the medina or as a picturesque way to tour the environs of Marrakech. State-fixed hourly rates should be painted on the side of the carriage; for short trips, prices should be agreed in advance. Calèches line up in the garden square between the Koutoubia Mosque and Jemaa el Fna, el Badi Palace and the more expensive hotels in the Hivernage.

Driving in the City

Driving in Marrakech is not recommended. Many of the roads in the medina are too narrow for cars and accident are frequent, 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).

Street parking is rare, and should you find it, a tip of a few dirhams is expected by the 'parking guardian' on the block (usually wearing a blue coat). Private 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 on Rue Riad Zitoun el Jedid beside the Préfecture (police headquarters).

Car Hire

Major car hire companies include Budget (tel: (0524) 431 180; www.budget.com), Europcar (tel: (0524) 431 228; www.europcar.com) and Hertz (tel: (0524) 439 984; www.hertz.com). 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 (tel: (0524) 431 116; http://concordecar.ifrance.com).

Drivers must be over 21 to hire a car. Most European driving licenses are acknowledged in Morocco, but an International Driving Permit is recommended. Third-party insurance is automatically included when renting a car, but you might want to pay extra for collision damage waiver and personal insurance to avoid exorbitant charges in case of an accident. Hire fees are subject to 20% government tax; visitors should make sure that this has been added to the agreed price.

Bicycle Hire

Popular alternatives to car travel include bicycles and scooters. Both can be rented from Marrakech Motos, 31 Avenue Abdelkarim el Khattabi, Guéliz (tel: (0524) 448 359). Test the brakes and tires before hiring. A popular bicycle route is from the medina out to the Pameraie (palm grove), though a mountain bike may be needed to handle rugged unpaved roads.