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Buses in Morocco
Travel by Buses in Morocco is marginally cheaper than taking a taxi, and there are far more regular routes. Traveling on public transport for any length of time in Morocco, you are likely to make considerable use of the various networks.
Taxis are likely to do a journey in about two-thirds of the time a bus would take (though CTM now runs a few non-stop express buses). Buses, on the other hand are safer and more comfortable, though on some older buses leg room is extremely limited and long journeys can be rather an endurance test for anyone approaching six feet or more in height. In summer, it can be worthwhile taking night buses on the longer journeys. Though still not very comfortable, many long-distance buses run at night when they are both quicker and cooler. Although most buses are fitted with reading lights these are invariably turned off, so you will not be able to read on buses after dark.
When traveling during the day, especially in summer, it pays to sit on the side away from the sun. Traveling from north to south, this means sitting on the right in the morning, on the left in the afternoon, vice-versa if going the other way, Traveling from east to west, sit on the right, or on the left if going from west to east. Note too, especially on rural services, that some passengers may not be used to road travel, resulting in travel sickness and vomiting.
CTM and Private Lines
There are a variety of bus services and companies.
In all sizeable towns, you will generally find both CTM (the national company) and a number of other companies, privately owned and operated, The CTM buses are faster and more reliable, with numbered seats and fixed departure schedules. Schedules, fares and seat availability can be checked on their website at www.ctm.co.ma. The CTM services are often referred to as the “rapide“, and buses come equipped with videos on the longer routes. They usually have reading lights too, though you may have to ask the driver to turn those on. Some of the larger private company buses, such as SATAS (which operates widely in the south) and Trans Ghazala (which runs in the north) are of a similar standard. By contrast, many other private companies are tiny outfits, with a single bus which leaves only when the driver considers it sufficiently full. On the other hand, such private buses are much more likely to stop for you if you flag them down on the open road, whereas CTM services will only pick up and set down at official stops.
Bus Terminals
Most towns have a main bus station (gare routiere), often on the edge of town. CTM buses usually leave from the company’s office, which may be quite a way from the main bus station, though in several places CTM and the private companies share a single terminal, and in some cases the CTM bus will call at the main bus station when departing a city, though not when arriving. In a few towns, there might be two or more separate terminals.
Bus stations usually have a number of ticket windows, one for each of the companies operating out of it. There is often a departures board, but it may be in Arabic only, and it may be out of date, so you should always check departure times at the appropriate window. Bus conductors or ticket sellers may be calling out destinations in the bus station in any case, or may greet you as you come in by asking where you want to go. On the more popular trips (and especially with CTM services, which are often just once a day in the south), it is worth trying to buy tickets in advance; this may not always be possible on smaller private-line services, but it’s worth inquiring about.
You can sometimes experience problems getting tickets at small towns along major routes, where buses in Morocco often arrive and leave already full. It’s sometimes possible to get round this problem by taking a local bus or a taxi for the next section of the trip (until the bus you want empties a little), or by waiting for a bus that actually starts from the town you’re in. Overall, the best policy is simply to arrive early in the day (ideally 5:30-6am) at a bus station.
On private-line buses, you generally have to pay for your baggage to be loaded into the hold. The standard fee is 5dh, but this may be foregone on short hops. Note that you only pay to have your baggage loaded, not to have it unloaded on arrival, whatever anybody may say. On CTM buses your luggage is weighed and you are issued with a receipt for the baggage charge (usually also about 5dh, depending on weight and distance – allow time for this procedure). On arrival, porters with wheeled box-carts may offer their services, but always agree a price before engaging one.
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Filed Under: General, Morocco Travel - Tags: Bus Tangier, Buses Casablanca, Marrakesh Buses, Morocco Buses
