Transport

How would you like to discover Marrakech? By taxi, on foot or by carriage?

Be it Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir, Ouarzazate or Marrakech, millions of tourists are discovering Moroccan culture each year. Surrounded by vast deserts, filled with colorful souks, marked by beautiful palaces, not to mention the luxurious resorts, Morocco is an exotic paradise. It’s also safe to say that there’s no other city quite like Marrakech, even within Morocco as well. So how can you get around Marrakech, one of Morocco’s most popular cities? What public transport to take? Here’s what you need to know: from Marrakech taxi to walking and cycling!

Taxis of Marrakech

Majorelle Garden, Koutoubia Mosque, Bahia Palace, Jemaa El Fna, The Palmeraie, etc. Marrakech has tons of things to impress visitors. To get around, taxis are the best ways to travel in Marrakech. They operate on a wide variety of routes and are much quicker than buses.

Taxis in Marrakech are quite cheap and are always driven by men. But before you get in a taxi, make sure they have a meter and always ensure that it is running. You should be careful as the driver would try to convince you that the meter does not work and would try and charge a higher price for the ride. So use the meter or set a fixed price before leaving in the taxi, otherwise try and find another taxi. You can also ask your hotel the fair prices before taking a taxi. It will save you from getting scammed. 

There are two types of taxis in Morocco. Those are:

Marrakech taxi: Grands Taxis

To get out of the city and visit the Ourika Valley or the Palmeraie, you’ll need to opt for bigger taxis. These grand taxis are typically larger and are usually beige in colour. They can carry 6 to 7 people and are either small vans or large sedans (old Mercedes or Dacia Dokker). You can often find these taxis waiting for passengers at the airport or outside hotels and they’re looking to pick up tourists. They also go from the city to the outskirts and beyond. They don’t have a meter so you need to negotiate a price before getting in. If you go to a taxi station, there will be fixed prices (for example 60 dh per person times 6). You can then also opt to take (and pay for) 2 seats, in order to leave earlier and have more space.

Marrakech taxi: Petits Taxis

These are the smaller cars you see everywhere. Generally, a driver can accept maximum three passengers. They tend to remain around the city centre. They are all of the same colour and Marrakech has beige/ yellow taxis. A typical trip will cost between 15 and 20 Dirhams when using the meter.

If you have any problems with a taxi driver while in Marrakech, you can always get in touch with the Tourist Office and they will sort out all the conflicts.

Buses 

The buses in Marrakech aren’t great for tourists since taking the bus is quite complicated. While there are bus stops, they’re not very well indicated and it’s very easy to get lost. On some older buses, legroom is limited, and long journeys can be uncomfortable for taller passengers. Also, most residents here travel by bus, making it pretty crowded no matter what time of the day it is. This is why most tourists opt for taxis or walking around Medina.

Getting around Morocco by bus is generally only marginally cheaper than taking a shared grand taxi, and around thirty percent slower, but also safer and comfortable. Many long-distance buses also run at night where they are both quicker and cooler. There are around 30 different routes and a ticket will cost you around 4 dh. Most of the stops can be found around Jemma El-Fna.

Renting Cars

When traveling in a small group, renting a car is often a good idea for getting around. Car rental in Morocco costs around at 3000dh per week or 500dh a day for a decent but basic car with unlimited mileage and full insurance cover. The freedom of being able to go wherever you want without having to wait for public transport is the biggest advantage. Before renting a car, make sure the car comes with a spare tyre, a toolkit and full documentation- including insurance cover, which is compulsory issue with all rentals.

However, driving in Marrakech is no picnic. There are few real problems driving in Marrakech, since accident rates are high, largely because motorists routinely ignore traffic regulations and drive aggressively and dangerously. You can’t drive in the Medina as well, which is why most tourists walk around the neighborhood when visiting Marrakech instead of driving. Also, do not expect other drivers to indicate or observe lane discipline. If you’re not used to driving, you can quickly have problems with scooters nipping all over the place. Finally, treat all pedestrians with the suspicion that they will cross in front of you, and all cyclists with the idea that they may suddenly swerve in the middle of the road. 

On the other hand, renting a car could be a great way to visit outside of Marrakech. Daytime and long-distance driving is as good as anywhere in Morocco. You can always go on a day trip to other cities like Essaouira or Rabat or trips to the High Atlas Mountains, or even the Sahara Desert. Good road surfaces, long straight roads, and little traffic between inhabited areas allow for high average speed and a wonderful time when driving. 

Carriages

Carriages are an unusual way to get around Marrakech. Among the more urban part of the city, you are more likely to hail this horse drawn carriage. You’ll see them in front of a lot of big hotels and they’re an interesting way to see the city.

The prices can vary, but officially they should charge 150dh/ hour for a touristic tour (whole carriage, not per person). In High Season this can go up to 250 dh/ hour.

On Foot

Traveling by taxi to your destination and then walking around is one of the best ways to discover Marrakech, the hustle and bustle, the Berber and Moorish influence and the architecture of the city. Walking is also the most common way to get around Marrakech. Since cars aren’t allowed in the historic centre of Marrakech, you need to walk around in the Medina. Remember to keep right as the motorcycles behave like kings of the road!
With only 230km2, Marrakech isn’t that big of a city to begin with. Walking around is a great way to find new places and interesting side streets which will probably happen because it’s almost impossible to find an accurate map of the Medina. Just make sure that you wear comfortable shoes in case your walk will get longer than you expected. 

Rent a bike or moped

In this blog, you can read many tips about taking a bike in Marrakech.

Are you ready to discover Marrakech?