Travelling Within Morocco

How you choose to travel around once in Morocco will, to a certain extent, be matter of personal preference. Some people will be happy to walk for hours through the medina of a city such as Marrakech or Tangier, whilst others would be enticed by the exhilaration and the danger of exploring on a hired bicycle and others still would not countenance a journey of any distance without the assistance of a taxi.

Getting around in Cities

In many cases, holidaymakers will find that they are staying some distance away from the heart of the city, the medina, either in the Nouvelle Ville (new town) or the suburbs. Getting into the centre of the city would mean either a bus trip or a taxi ride. Morocco has only comprehensive network of bus services covering its major cities, but bus travel is not always ideal for foreign visitors as services can be somewhat a regular and there are difficulties in route planning, compounded by the fact that Moroccan buses only display their destination information in Arabic.Moroccan taxis have their own peculiarities, but they are not expensive and are probably the most practical way of travelling any distance in the larger towns and cities. An important distinction that holidaymakers must learn is between 'grand taxi', which usually take six or more passengers and provide transport between the main Moroccan cities, and 'petit taxis' which are not licensed to leave urban areas, but are used for short journeys within cities and usually carry four passengers.

The thing which will perhaps appear strangest to European visitors is that when you hire a taxi in Morocco you are not assured of its exclusive use. A 'grand taxi' we usually wait until it is full before embarking on its journey and, which means that if you're in a party which is smaller than the taxi's capacity and you don't want to share it with others, you will have to negotiate with the taxi driver for him not to accept other passengers and will have to pay a proportionately higher fare per person. Similarly, if you are travelling in a 'petit taxi' which has the best seats, you can expect the taxi driver to stop and pick up additional passengers during your journey, although this will have the effect of reducing your fare.

Once you reach your destination and are ready to do some sightseeing or shopping, there is little doubt the best way to get around in the medinas of Moroccan cities is on foot. Navigation can be a problem and so it is always advisable to carry a street map. Many visitors also find it is advantageous to use the services of a guide for the first day or two until they get their bearings. In many cities there is the option of hiring bicycles or mopeds, but such forms of transport are quite hazardous and really only suitable for the young or foolhardy. Strolling along at a leisurely pace will allow you to take your historic surroundings and to immerse yourself in sights, sounds and smells of city life. You may see less, but you will certainly appreciate more, than if you're racing round on a bike or moped.

Travelling Between Cities

If you need to travel between cities of Morocco, there are a number of options to be considered. The north of the country is well-served by a rail that work which links the major cities, while travelling by coach is slightly cheaper option. Taking an internal flight on Royal Air Maroc is a convenient and economical way to travel between the major cities, but as always there are the cost and practicalities of getting from the city to the airport to be kept taken into consideration. The most flexible way to travel is by hiring a grand taxi, making sure that you both negotiate its exclusive use and a fixed price of the journey. Hiring a taxi will allow you to choose your own route, travel at your own pace and perhaps take in some sightseeing on your journey.