Marrakech to Rabat: train, bus or private transfer

Marrakech to Rabat is 325 km. A direct train covers it in roughly 3 h 30 to 4 h 30 depending on the service, and a car takes about 3 h 30 on motorway the whole way. For one or two people travelling station to station, the train is the best value. A private transfer costs €150 per sedan, €175 per minivan or €240 per minibus and makes sense for groups, families and airport pickups.

Marrakech to Rabat at a glance

Train and coach figures are typical values at the time of writing. Check the operator's timetable before you plan a connection around them.

Taking the train from Marrakech to Rabat

The national railway, ONCF, runs direct trains from Marrakech station in Gueliz to Rabat several times a day. They follow the classic line through Settat and Casablanca. You do not need to change.

Rabat has two main stations, and choosing the right one saves a taxi ride:

• Rabat Agdal: the modern station south-west of the centre. Closest to Agdal, Hay Riad and Souissi, where many embassies and offices are. It is also where the high-speed trains to Tangier call.
• Rabat Ville: the central station on Avenue Mohammed V. Walk from here to the medina in about ten minutes.

First class has reserved seats and is worth the supplement on busy days. Second class is comfortable but fills up around weekends, public holidays and the end of Ramadan. Buy tickets a day or two ahead in those periods.

The weak points are at each end. Marrakech station is 15 minutes by taxi from the airport and further from the medina, and trains do not run through the night. A high-speed line between Kenitra and Marrakech is under construction and should shorten the trip considerably once it opens. It is not in service at the time of writing.

Is the bus worth considering?

Rarely on this route. Coaches take about an hour longer than the train for a similar fare, because they stop in Casablanca. They are a reasonable fallback when trains are sold out, and luggage goes in the hold for a small fee. Rabat's main coach station is outside the centre, so add a taxi at the end.

Driving from Marrakech to Rabat: the road

This is one of the easiest long drives in Morocco. The motorway runs north from Marrakech across the Rehamna plain past Ben Guerir, continues through Settat and Berrechid, loops around Casablanca on the bypass, then follows the coast past Mohammedia and Bouznika into Rabat. It is flat, dual carriageway, with service areas at regular intervals.

The only variable is the Casablanca bypass. On weekdays it slows between roughly 08:00 and 09:30 and again from 17:00 to 19:30. A driver who knows the road times the departure around those windows. Leaving Marrakech at 10:00 puts you in Rabat for a late lunch.

With a rental car, remember that parking near the Rabat medina is limited and that you will not need the car in the city: the centre is compact, and trams and blue petits taxis cover the rest.

When does a private transfer make sense?

A private transfer from Marrakech to Rabat is priced per vehicle, not per seat, with tolls, fuel and luggage included. Whether it is worth it depends on your situation.

• You land at Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) and go straight to Rabat. The driver meets you at the arrivals exit with a name sign. No taxi to the station, no waiting for the next departure.
• You are four to six people. A minivan at €175 works out at about €29 to €44 each, door to door, with six suitcases on board.
• You travel with children. Child seats are free on request, and you stop when they need to.
• Your address is not near a station. Souissi, Hay Riad, Salé or the beach resorts south of Rabat all mean a second ride after the train.
• You leave very early or arrive very late. The price is the same day and night.

If you are alone with a backpack and your hotel is near Rabat Ville, take the train. It is the honest answer.

Short stops are free on a private transfer, so some travellers pause in Casablanca for the outside of the Hassan II Mosque. If Casablanca is your actual destination, see our comparison of the train and the car from Marrakech to Casablanca, or the fixed price for the Marrakech to Casablanca transfer.

Arriving in Rabat: where cars can and cannot go

Rabat is calmer and more ordered than Marrakech. Most hotels in the new town, Agdal and Hassan have street access. The medina is partly pedestrian: for a riad inside it, the usual drop-off points are along Avenue Hassan II or at Bab el Had, followed by a short walk.

The Kasbah of the Udayas, at the mouth of the Bou Regreg river, is closed to cars. Drivers drop you at the main gate, Bab Oudaya. The Hassan Tower and the Chellah both have parking close to their entrances. Rabat-Salé Airport (RBA) is on the Salé side of the river, about 20 to 30 minutes from the centre depending on traffic.

Continuing east after the capital? Our Marrakech to Fes route guide explains how Rabat fits as a stop on the northern motorway. Prices for every long-distance route are listed under intercity transfers from Marrakech.