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Marrakech and Casablanca are two of the most popular cities in Morocco for tourists to visit. Luckily, it is very easy to travel from Marrakech to Casablanca.
Looking at a map, it may seem like you have to choose to either visit Marrakech or Casablanca on your Moroccan vacation.
They look quite a ways away, but, in reality, it is very easy to travel from Marrakech to Casablanca. You can definitely visit both cities when you’re in Morocco if you want.
You’ll have to choose to either take the train from Marrakech to Casablanca or the bus from Marrakech to Casablanca. Both have their pros and cons, but I believe the train is the best option.
However, you may find the the bus is the best option for you and your travel style.
That’s why we’re going to cover every way to travel from Marrakech to Casablanca as well as discuss the pros and cons of each transportation method.
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Table of Contents
Option One: Taking the Train from Marrakech to Casablanca
As I mentioned, my favourite way to travel between Marrakech and Casablanca is to take the train.
It isn’t the cheapest option, but it is significantly faster than the bus.
And I’m willing to pay a bit more to shave a few hours off my travel schedule!
How Long Does the Train from Marrakech to Casablanca Take?
The train to Casablanca from Marrakech takes just under 3 hours.
Some trains are quicker than others, and it depends on how busy the tracks are and what time of day you travel.
But, in general, your train journey should take about three hours.
How Much Does a Train Ticket Cost?
Just like the length of your journey, the price of your train ride depends on when you travel.
If you travel during peak times and on the weekend, you can expect to pay more than if you travelled during off-peak times on a weekday.
In general, you can expect to pay between 90 MAD (about $10 USD) and 190 MAD (about $20 USD).
Those are really good prices!
Even if your ticket costs closer to the high end of the price range, it is still affordable for most people.
Where to Purchase Bus Tickets
The best way for tourists to purchase train tickets is by going to the train station.
You can go to the train station anytime and purchase tickets for a future departure date.
You can purchase train tickets at any train station even if your train doesn’t depart from that station, which is quite convenient.
The reason I say it’s easiest for tourists to purchase their tickets at the train station is because if you purchase them online, you need to have a Moroccan card.
This is a national identification card, and you can’t get one as a tourists.
So, go to the train station and purchase your train ticket from Marrakech to Casablanca.
I suggest going to the station and buying your ticket a few days in advance of your intended departure date.
The trip from Marrakech to Casablanca is quite popular, and there is a chance train tickets will be sold out on the day you want to depart.
You can show up at the train station the day you want to leave and try to buy a ticket, but there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get one.
Where Does the Train Depart from in Marrakech?
Trains to Casablanca depart from Marrakech Railway Station. It’s the main station in Marrakech.
The train station is slightly outside of the heart of Marrakech.
You can walk to the train station, but it’s probably in your best interest to catch a taxi, so you’re not trying to navigate your bags along the busy roads.
Where Does the Train Arrive at in Casablanca?
There are three train station in Casablanca.
Trains from Marrakech arrive at Casa Oasis.
The train station is a few kilometres away from the central part of Casablanca. You probably don’t want to walk to your accommodation.
You can take a bus or you can take a taxi.
I would personally take a taxi. Just be sure you negotiate a decent price with the driver or insist they turn on the meter.
Never accept the first price the taxi driver quotes you.
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Advantages of Taking the Train from Marrakech to Casablanca
- It’s quick
- Convenient arrival and departure locations
- Relatively inexpensive
Disadvantages of Taking the Train from Marrakech to Casablanca
- It’s more expensive than the bus
- You can’t purchase your ticket online
- Limited luggage storage space
Option Two: Taking the Bus from Marrakech to Casablanca
Your next option is to take the bus from Marrakech to Casablanca.
The bus is a bit cheaper than the train, but it takes longer. You need to decide if the money you save is worth the extra time in transit.
If you’re on a long trip, taking the bus isn’t going to eat into your time in Morocco very much.
However, if you’re on a short one-week vacation, saving a little bit of time in transit can be a huge deal.
How Long Does the Bus from Marrakech to Casablanca Take?
The bus to Casablanca from Marrakech takes about 4 hours.
It could be longer or shorter depending on the traffic. That’s the big unknown when it comes to taking the bus rather than the train.
How Much Does a Bus Ticket Cost?
Bus tickets vary more in price than train tickets. You can find a really good price that saves you a lot compared to the train or you can pay basically the same amount as a train ticket.
You can expect to pay between 65 MAD (approximately $7 USD) and 190 MAD (approximately $20 USD).
As you can see, the bus is often less expensive than the train but not by much.
The bus takes an extra hour compared to the train. If you take the bus, be sure to find an inexpensive ticket, so you’re paying less than the price of the train.
If you can’t get a good deal on a bus ticket, then you’ll probably want to just take the train.
Where to Purchase Bus Tickets
Just like train tickets, you’ll have to purchase your bus ticket at the station before you depart.
The bus station is right next door to the train station, so you can easily go from one to the other to check out ticket prices if you want.
Buses are a very popular mode of transportation in Morocco, and it isn’t unheard of for buses to be sold out.
I recommend buying your ticket as early as possible to ensure you get on the bus you want.
If you leave it to the last minute, there’s a high probability that you won’t be able to buy a ticket for the next bus and will have to wait for the one following that.
There are plenty of buses that run from Marrakech to Casablanca each day, so you’ll be able to make it to Casablanca.
It might just be later than you thought it would.
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Where Does the Bus Depart from in Marrakech?
As mentioned, the bus station is right next door to the railway station.
The bus station is called CTM bus station.
You’ll likely take a taxi to the bus station, so be sure to tell them what bus station you need to go to. You don’t want to accidentally show up at the wrong station!
Where Does the Bus Arrive at in Casablanca?
The bus arrives at CMT bus station in Casablanca.
CMT is the name of the bus company in case you’re wondering why the stations have the same name.
The bus station is much closer to central Casablanca than the train station.
Assuming you’re staying in the heart of the tourist part of town, you can walk to your accommodation in about half an hour.
You can also take the local bus or hire a taxi if you can’t want to walk.
Advantages of Taking the Bus from Marrakech to Casablanca
- The least expensive option
- Buses depart every hour
- Luggage storage room under the bus
Disadvantages of Taking the Bus from Marrakech to Casablanca
- It takes the longest
- Isn’t that much cheaper than the train
- Buses often sell out
Other Ways to Travel from Marrakech to Casablanca
There are a few other ways you can travel to Casablanca from Marrakech.
I’m not giving each of them their own dedicated section like the bus and train because I don’t really recommend these options unless you’re in a specific circumstance.
For the average traveller, you should take the bus or train.
Flying from Marrakech to Casablanca
Both Marrakech and Casablanca have airports. If you really wanted, you could fly between the two cities.
However, when you take into account getting to the airport early, waiting for your flight, flying, deplaning, waiting for your luggage, and getting to your accommodation in Casablanca, it isn’t really any faster than the train.
The flight itself is only 50 minutes, but it is everything else that comes with flying that slows you down.
The only time I would recommend flying from Marrakech to Casablanca is if you land in Marrakech and are going directly to Casablanca without going into the city.
Driving from Marrakech to Casablanca
Next up is driving from Marrakech to Casablanca.
The drive only takes 2.5 hours, but you should decide to drive just because it is quicker than the bus or train.
I only recommend driving to Casablanca if it is part of a bigger road trip across the country.
Don’t just drive from Marrakech to Casablanca and then return your car.
Taking a Guided Tour from Marrakech to Casablanca
A guided tour can be one of two things:
- A guided tour across Morocco or
- A private car that drives you from Marrakech to Casablanca
You may want to consider these options if you don’t want to plan your entire trip around Morocco or are nervous about travelling through Morocco by yourself.
I figure if you’re going to take a private tour, you probably aren’t reading this post, so I’m not going to go into any detail about it.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a number of ways you can travel from Marrakech to Casablanca.
It all comes down to personal choice and what transportation method works best for you.
I prefer to take the train between the two cities, but you could decide to take the bus or a private tour.
The important thing to take away from this article is that it is super easy to travel from Marrakech to Casablanca.
You shouldn’t let the fact that the two cities look far away on the map deter you from visiting both of them on your trip to Morocco!
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