Most people arrive assuming there is a train to wherever they are going. There is not, and the gaps are not where you would guess.
At a glance
- Casa to Tangier
- 2h 20mAl Boraq high speed
- No train at all
- 4 placesEssaouira, Chefchaouen, Ouarzazate, Agadir
- Marrakech to Essaouira
- 80 MADfrom, CTM or Supratours
- Grand taxi
- 6 seatsleaves when full
Four places have no train
Essaouira. Chefchaouen. Ouarzazate. Agadir. Four of the destinations people most want to reach are not on the rail network at all. If your plan involves any of them, a bus is not the budget option. It is the only option.
CTM is not the same as Supratours
| CTM | Supratours | |
|---|---|---|
| Operated by | Independent, since 1919 | ONCF, the railway |
| Stations | Its own terminals | Beside train stations |
| Timetable | Its own | Coordinated with trains |
| Hold luggage | From 5 to 10 MAD a bag | Usually one bag free |
So if your journey is train then bus — say Casablanca to Marrakech by rail and on to Essaouira — take Supratours. It leaves from the station you arrive at. Choose CTM and you will be crossing a city with your bags to a different terminal.
Grand taxis
A grand taxi is an old Mercedes that runs a fixed route between two towns. It has six passenger seats and no timetable. It leaves when it is full.
[rd_todo label=”Yours to write, and this is the section that matters”]Buying one seat against paying for all six. How to know the correct price before you get in. Where the taxis for a given town actually gather, because it is never the bus station. How long you wait for the sixth passenger. The one mistake that marks a visitor instantly.[/rd_todo]
The short version for a first timer: decide before you approach whether you are buying one seat or the whole car, and say which. Nearly every disagreement about a grand taxi fare comes from that not being settled at the start.
[rd_todo label=”Before publishing”]Add a real booking partner you have used with , or leave the section without one. Never publish a booking box pointing at a placeholder.[/rd_todo]
If you have not fixed your dates yet, start with when to go to Morocco. Which legs you need depends on the route, see one week in Morocco.