Getting Around Morocco without a Car: Trains, Buses, Grand/Petit Taxis
When I first started planning my Morocco trip, I worried that traveling without a car would be complicated or limiting. Turns out, Morocco has one of the most extensive public transport networks in North Africa, and getting around without your own wheels is not only possible—it’s often more interesting. From comfortable ONCF trains to chaotic shared taxis, here’s everything you need to know about how to travel between cities in Morocco and navigate its cities car-free.
Public transport in Morocco operates on a clear hierarchy. For major routes along the coast and between big cities, trains are your best friend—comfortable, reliable, and reasonably priced. When trains don’t reach your destination (hello, Sahara), you’ll rely on buses like CTM or Supratours. Grand taxis fill the gaps for shorter intercity hops or routes where buses run infrequently. And occasionally, domestic flights make sense for covering serious distances quickly.
The key is mixing and matching. I often combined train journeys with grand taxi connections, or took a bus partway and finished with a shared taxi. Morocco’s transport system rewards flexible planning over rigid itineraries.
ONCF Trains: Morocco’s Most Comfortable Option
Morocco’s national railway company, ONCF, runs clean, punctual trains along the country’s main corridor from Tangier through Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, and east to Fes and Meknes. The high-speed Al Boraq line between Tangier and Casablanca cuts travel time dramatically, while conventional trains serve everywhere else.
Is it safe to travel by train in Morocco? Absolutely. Trains are probably the safest, most comfortable way to travel between Moroccan cities. Carriages are clean, security is present, and I never felt unsafe even traveling solo on overnight routes. First class gets you reclining seats and more space; second class is perfectly adequate for most journeys and costs roughly half the price.
Tickets can be booked online through the ONCF website or app, though I mainly bought mine at the station without issues. A second-class ticket from Marrakech to Fes costs around 180-220 MAD ($18-22 USD) and takes about seven hours. First class bumps that to roughly 280-320 MAD.
The main limitation? Trains don’t go everywhere. The entire Atlantic coast south of Agadir, the Atlas Mountains, Sahara destinations like Merzouga, and northern Rif towns aren’t connected. For those places, you’ll need buses or taxis.
CTM and Supratours Buses: Reaching Beyond the Rail Network
When trains won’t take you where you need to go, buses step in. CTM is Morocco’s national bus company with an extensive network and generally reliable service. Supratours, owned by ONCF, specifically serves routes that connect with train stations—think Marrakech to Essaouira, or desert routes to Zagora and Ouarzazate.
CTM buses are comfortable, with air conditioning (often too cold) and assigned seating. Book tickets in advance during peak seasons or for popular tourist routes. Prices are budget-friendly: Marrakech to Ouarzazate costs around 100 MAD (10 euros)
Supratours runs similar prices and often coordinates schedules with train arrivals, making multimodal journeys smoother. Both companies have online booking, though CTM’s website can be temperamental. I booked at the station counters a day or two ahead.
Beyond these two, numerous local bus companies operate, but reliability varies wildly. Stick with CTM or Supratours for important connections unless you’re feeling adventurous and have time buffers.
Grand Taxis: Morocco’s Shared Intercity Transport
Grand taxis—usually old Mercedes sedans painted in specific colors—are Morocco’s shared intercity transport system. They operate on set routes between nearby towns, fitting six passengers: four in the back, two up front with the driver (yes, it’s cozy). We were lucky to get a completely empty grand taxi from Nador airport to the city center for 180 MAD (roughly 18 euros)
Find grand taxis at designated stations near bus terminals. Drivers wait until all six seats are filled before departing, though you can pay to leave sooner or secure extra space. A seat typically costs 20-50 MAD depending on distance, while buying out all six seats might run 150-300 MAD total.
Negotiating is standard. Drivers quote prices; you counter-offer or walk away. Solo travelers sometimes get quoted tourist prices—standing firm or asking locals what they pay helps. Grand taxis work brilliantly for shorter hops where buses run infrequently, like Chefchaouen to Tetouan, or connecting small towns that the train network misses.
The experience ranges from uncomfortable (crammed back seat on mountain roads) to genuinely enjoyable (chatting with Moroccan families). It’s an authentic transport that forces interaction with local life.
Getting Around Marrakech (and Other Moroccan Cities)
Once you’re in a city, petit taxis become your main motorized transport option. These small taxis—color-coded by city—operate only within city limits and must use meters, though getting drivers to actually turn them on requires insistence.
In Marrakech, petit taxis are beige or cream-colored. Fes has red taxis. Casablanca’s are red too, while Rabat’s are blue. Knowing your city’s taxi color helps avoid unlicensed drivers.
Also, keep in mind that if you’re staying in Salé, the petit taxis are not authorised to cross the bridge to Rabat. Take a tram instead.
Most short trips within Marrakech cost 15-30 MAD ($1.50-3 USD). From the medina to the train station costs about 20-25 MAD. Always insist on the meter (“compteur, s’il vous plaît”) before departing, or agree on a fixed price beforehand if the driver refuses. At night or during peak hours, expect small surcharges.
Petit taxis can’t enter the narrow medina streets, so plan on walking the final stretch to your riad. This is actually lovely—the pedestrian medinas are best explored on foot anyway, and you’ll discover hidden corners you’d miss from a car.
Within medinas, walking is your only option, aside from the occasional donkey cart hauling goods. Marrakech’s Jemaa el-Fna to the Bahia Palace takes about 20 minutes on foot. Bring comfortable shoes and embrace getting slightly lost.
Uber and Careem in Morocco: What You Need to Know
Is Uber or Careem illegal in Morocco? Technically, ride-sharing apps exist in a legal grey area. Petit taxi drivers have violently protested against them, leading to crackdowns in some cities. Uber and Careem operate in Casablanca, Marrakech, and Rabat, but availability elsewhere is spotty, and drivers often cancel if they sense authorities nearby.
The taxi driver union sees ride-sharing as a threat to their regulated livelihood, leading to confrontations and legal challenges. While not explicitly illegal, using these apps risks putting drivers in difficult positions. Many travelers report cancelled rides, drivers requesting cash-only payment, or being asked to sit in front to look like friends rather than passengers.
Sometimes I would order a petit taxi via an app, so technically this is not a violation.
Heetch, a French ride-sharing app, has gained some acceptance as a compromise, though availability varies. For most Morocco travel, sticking with regular petit taxis—despite meter negotiations—proves more reliable.
Domestic Flights: When It Makes Sense
Royal Air Maroc operates domestic flights connecting major cities, with budget carrier Air Arabia also serving some routes. Flying makes sense for covering massive distances—Marrakech to Dakhla, for instance, or Casablanca to Errachidia if you’re short on time.
Prices fluctuate wildly, but expect to pay 400-1,200 MAD ($40-120 USD) for domestic routes when booked in advance. Compare this to 10-15 hours on a bus, and flights become tempting for long-hauls. However, you’ll miss the scenery—those bus rides through the Atlas Mountains or along Atlantic cliffs offer experiences flights can’t match.
Practical Tips for Using Morocco’s Public Transport
Cash is essential. Trains accept cards at major stations, but taxis, most buses, and grand taxis require cash in dirhams. Carry small bills—drivers almost never have change for 200 MAD notes.
Language barriers exist, but aren’t unconquerable. Basic French helps tremendously; Arabic phrases even more. Google Translate’s offline mode saved me repeatedly when I didn’t understand what my boyfriend said in French. Pointing at maps and writing destination names clearly works when language fails.
Build in time buffers. Moroccan transport runs on “inshallah timing”—trains are punctual, but grand taxis don’t leave until full. What locals estimate as “one hour” might stretch to two. So try to have petit taxis instead.
Luggage works fine on all transport modes, though cramming a large backpack into a packed grand taxi tests spatial reasoning. Trains have overhead racks and luggage spaces; buses charge an additional fee for bags.
Solo travelers, especially women, will be fine. Followed standard precautions—sitting near other women or families whenever possible, and avoiding empty carriages late at night. Moroccans proved to be more protective and helpful than problematic.
