Tangier to Chefchaouen: how to get to the blue city

Tangier to Chefchaouen is a road journey of about 115 km from the city centre and 125 km from Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport (TNG), taking 2 h to 2 h 15 by car. There is no train. You can go by CTM bus, by shared grand taxi, or by private transfer, which costs €90 per sedan from the airport.

Tangier to Chefchaouen at a glance

Is there a train from Tangier to Chefchaouen?

No. Chefchaouen sits at about 600 m in the Rif mountains and has neither a railway station nor an airport. The high-speed line from Tangier runs south to Rabat and Casablanca, not east into the Rif. Every route to the blue city ends with a mountain road.

Taking the CTM bus

CTM is the main national coach company and runs several departures a day between the two towns. Timetables change with the season, so check the current one before you plan a connection. The ride typically takes between 2 h 15 and 2 h 45, and tickets were selling for roughly 60 to 110 MAD at the time of writing. Luggage in the hold is usually charged separately, a few dirhams per bag.

Two things add time. First, buses leave from the city, not from the airport, so a flight arrival means a taxi into Tangier before you start. Second, Chefchaouen bus station lies below the old town. From there it is a steep uphill walk of about 20 minutes with bags, or a short ride in one of the town's blue petit taxis.

Seats sell out on spring weekends and in summer. Buy a day ahead when you can. If you land in the afternoon, the last bus may already have gone.

Going by shared grand taxi

Grand taxis are shared cars that leave when all seats are sold. From Tangier there is not always a direct car to Chefchaouen, so the usual pattern is one taxi to Tetouan and a second one on to Chefchaouen. Travellers report paying around 100 to 200 MAD per seat for the whole trip, but prices are not posted the way bus fares are. Agree the fare before you get in.

The advantage is frequency during the day. The drawbacks are the wait for the car to fill, tight seating, limited boot space and the change in Tetouan. You can also hire the whole taxi by buying every seat, which then becomes a negotiation.

What the road is like

The drive has two halves. From Tangier you head east towards Tetouan on a fast, wide road through low hills. After Tetouan the N13 turns south and climbs into the Rif: bends, river valleys, olive groves and villages with roadside tagine stalls. The last 60 km are slower than the map suggests, and anyone prone to car sickness should sit in front.

Good places to break the journey:

• Tetouan: a white medina listed by UNESCO, about halfway. An hour is enough for a first look.
• Roadside cafes south of Tetouan: mint tea with a view of the valley, 10 minutes off the clock.
• The viewpoint above Chefchaouen: the whole blue town against the mountain before you reach the gates.

When a private transfer from Tangier makes sense

A private car is the practical choice when you land at Tangier airport and want to be in Chefchaouen the same day. The driver waits at the arrivals exit with a name sign and tracks your flight, so a delay costs you nothing. You pay a fixed price per vehicle, not per seat: €90 for a sedan with up to 3 passengers, €105 for a minivan with up to 6, €150 for a minibus with up to 14. Tolls, fuel and luggage are included, and the price is the same at night. See the details of the private transfer from Tangier Airport to Chefchaouen.

For three people, the gap with bus tickets plus two taxi rides is smaller than it first looks. For one person on a budget with a morning arrival, the bus remains the sensible answer.

Short stops on the way are free, so Tetouan or a photo stop can be part of the drive. Child seats are free on request. You pay the driver on arrival in EUR, MAD, GBP or USD.

Arriving in Chefchaouen: where cars stop

The medina is pedestrian. Cars stop at the gates, most often Bab el Ain on the west side or Bab Souk to the north, and you walk the last few minutes on steps and cobbles. Ask your riad which gate is closest and whether they send someone to help with bags. Pack so that you can carry your luggage up stairs.

Planning the rest of the trip

Chefchaouen works best as one or two nights, not a day trip: a return drive of more than 4 hours leaves little time in town. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. Winter is cold and often wet at this altitude.

If you are still choosing flights, our guide to arriving at Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport covers the terminal, taxis and the port. Many travellers continue south from Chefchaouen to Fes, about 200 km away. In that case read how the Fes airport to medina journey works for your flight home, or see every transfer from Morocco's other airports.