About Graham Cornwell is a writer and historian who specializes in the history of modern Morocco. He has a PhD in History from Georgetown University, and is currently working on a book about the history of Moroccan mint tea.
Morocco has a solid train system that I like to use whenever I can. Its affordable and fairly reliable–certainly a better value experience than Amtrak–and it connects most major cities. There are plenty of places the train doesn’t go, however. For trips to the desert (Merzouga, Zagora), Chefchaouen, Tetouan, and Essaouira, you’ll need to rely on cars and buses.
In 2021, the much-await al-Boraq high-speed rail line opened between Tangier and Casablanca. What once took 4 or even 5 hours all the sudden took 90 minutes. The plans to extend the high-speed line from Casablanca to Marrakesh are underway.
Even before that, Morocco had a simple, but solid rail system that made travel between major cities fairly easy and affordable. There are effectively two axes of passenger rail: east-west from Oujda on the Algerian border to Kenitra on the Atlantic coast, and north-south from Tangier on the Mediterranean to Marrakesh in the south.
How it works
You can actually buy passes in advance online through ONCF Voyages, although sometimes the website does not work while in other countries. In most cases, first class is worth the splurge, as second class is often oversold and standing room only. For example, a train from Rabat to Fes on the regular speed line costs 120 DH (~12 USD) in first class. You’ll have an assigned seat and can reserve seats together. For trips over 2 hours, I strongly recommend purchasing in advance, whether online or at the station.
All of these run on the national network, the Office National des Chemins du Fer (ONCF). You can purchase tickets through the website, although I have occasionally had trouble doing so.
Stations
A few cities have more than one station: Rabat, Casablanca, Meknes, and Tangier. Although picking the wrong station isn’t a disaster, it can be pretty inconvenient, especially in the case of Casablanca. Casa Port is generally the handier station for reaching areas around the medina, while Casa Voyageurs is more convenient for most other parts of the city. In Rabat, the Rabat Agdal station is accessible via the high speed rail line, but the Rabat Ville station is conveniently located for most tourist stuff (Hassan Tower, medina, Chellah). Be sure you’re going to the right station. Fes and Marrakesh only have one central station.
Petit taxis are easy to pick up outside the stations. They should use their meter, but in Fes, Marrakesh, and Casablanca, you’ll want to confirm the cost ahead of time. You can also try to insist on using the meter, although this does not always work.
East-West on the Oujda Line
This line encompasses Oujda, Taza, Fes, and Meknes, and it includes a spur from Taourirt up to Nador, from which you can effectively walk from the Beni Ensar terminus into the Spanish enclave of Mellila (passport required). It connects with the north-south line at Sidi Kacem (or Kenitra, depending on the train). The "Desert Line" built in the 1920s ran south from Oujda to Bouarfa and the Figuig oases, and it has finally reopened.
Fes only has one station, located on the edge of the Ville Nouvelle, and not particularly convenient to any major areas of interest. You’ll need to take a taxi to the medina or to Fes al-Jadid, but there are hotel options in the Ville Nouvelle, too. Meknes has two, Gare Meknes and Gare Amir Abdulkader. There are actually pretty close together, but not all trains stop at both. Both are in the Ville Nouvelle, a decent walk from the medina and the imperial city sights. I’ve walked it before, but it takes 45 minutes to an hour.
North-South on the Marrakesh-Tangier line
This line runs parallel to the Atlantic coast from Tangier to Asilah, cutting inland a little bit, then swinging back to the coast in Kenitra, then Rabat, Mohammedia, and Casablanca. If you take the Boraq (high speed), it only stops in Tangier (terminus), Kenitra, Rabat Agdal, and Casa Voyageurs.
The regular rail encompasses a few more stops in the north, including the lovely coastal city of Asilah. Its rail station is just a couple kilometers north of town, easily reachable by cab and even potentially walkable.
South of Casablanca, there are a couple other spurs. One goes from Casablanca to Azemmour (a quiet but offbeat coastal town) and then onto El Jadida (another port with an interesting medina and cistern); another cuts east to Khouribga.
The line ends at Marrakesh, where the train station is located in the Gueliz neighborhood, a short cab ride from the medina or a 25 minute walk from Bab Doukkala on the medina’s western side. Ask for your taxi rate before you commit; negotiating is fine.
There are plans to extend the line to Agadir and also to Essaouira, but for now there are only bus connections available.
High-Speed Rail
The still somewhat new al-Boraq high-speed rail is a game changer for getting around Morocco. At the moment, it runs from Tangier to Casablanca, with stops in Kenitra and Rabat. It's incredibly fast and a very pleasant ride. A first class ticket gets access to a lounge before departure, where you can pick up coffee, juice, and water ahead of the trip. There's also WiFi. In almost every case, the taking the Boraq is worth the extra cost.