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Trains in Morocco

Trains cover a limited network of routes, but for travel between the major cities they are easily the best option – reliable, comfortable, efficient and fairly fast.

There are basically two lines which carry passengers: from Tangier in the north down to Marrakesh, and from Oujda in the northeast, also to Marrakesh, joining with the Tangier line at Sidi Kacem. Branch lines serve El Jadida, Safi, Oued Zem and Casablanca airport. There are plans to extend the railway south to Agadir, and on to Laayoune in the Western Sahara, but it’s anyone’s guess when that project will reach realization.

Schedules change very little from year to year, but it’s wise to check times in advance at stations. Timetables, printed by ONCF, the national railway company, are usually available at major train stations and tourist offices – if they don’t have a full timetable at the station, they’ll print you off a mini timetable of services between any two stations. You can also check schedules and fares on the ONCF website at www.oncf.ma. Trains in Morocco

There are two classes of tickets for Trains in Morocco – first and second. Costs for a second-class ticket are slightly more than what you’d pay for buses; on certain “express” services (“express” refers to the level of comfort rather than the speed), they are around thirty percent higher. In addition, there are couchettes (50-90dh extra) available on the Tangier-Marrakesh and Casablanca-Fes night trains; these are worth the money for both the comfort and the security, as couchette passengers are in their own locked carriage with a guard. If you intend to use the railways a lot, it might just about be worth your while buying a “EuroDomino” or “Freedom Pass”. These are available to European residents from youth travel agencies and international rail travel centers in Europe and the British Isles (European Rail or RailEurope for example), and give three to eight days’ unlimited travel on Moroccan railways for approximately €35-80 (€33-65 for under-26) in second class, or approximately €4 7 -95 in first. The InterRail ticket covers Morocco, but even if you hold one, you still need to pay small supplements on the fare for almost all intercity trains.

Most of the stations are located reasonably close to the modern city centers, in the French-built quarters – the Villes Nouvelles. They generally have left-luggage depots, though these accept only luggage that can be locked. An alternative is usually provided by nearby cafés, where staff will look after your luggage for a small tip.