Tipping drivers in Morocco: how much and when
Tipping drivers in Morocco is customary but never compulsory. As a guide: round a city taxi fare up by a few dirhams, give around 10-20 dirhams (roughly €1-2) for a short airport transfer, and around 50-100 dirhams for a driver who has spent the whole day with you. Tip in dirham notes or coins, at the end of the ride, and only if you were happy with the service.
Is tipping expected in Morocco?
Yes, in the sense that small tips are part of daily life. Moroccans tip the café waiter, the car park attendant, the porter and the petrol pump attendant, usually with a few coins. Drivers are part of the same habit. No, in the sense that there is no fixed percentage and nobody is entitled to one. A driver who was late, drove badly or pushed you into a shop you did not ask for has not earned a tip, and you can leave without giving one.
The amounts are small by European or American standards. A tip in Morocco is a gesture of thanks, not a second fare. Travel guides broadly agree on the ranges below, but they are habits, not tariffs.
How much to tip, by type of ride
| Situation | Typical tip (at the time of writing) |
|---|---|
| Petit taxi in town, on the meter | Round up by 1-5 dirhams |
| Short airport transfer (15-30 min) | Around 10-20 dirhams |
| Driver who carries bags into the medina or helps with a pushchair | Around 20-30 dirhams |
| Intercity transfer of 2-4 hours | Around 30-50 dirhams |
| Full day with the same driver | Around 50-100 dirhams |
| Multi-day trip with the same driver | Around 100-200 dirhams per day, from the whole group |
For reference, 10 dirhams is a little under €1. These figures are per vehicle, not per passenger. A group of six in a minivan does not need to multiply them by six, although a larger group usually gives a little more than a couple would.
City taxis
For a metered petit taxi, rounding up is enough. If the meter shows 17 dirhams, hand over 20 and leave it there. When you agreed a flat fare before getting in, that fare usually already has a margin built in, and no tip is expected on top.
Airport and hotel transfers
On a short run such as the transfer from Marrakech airport to the medina, 6 km and about 15 minutes, 10 to 20 dirhams is a normal thank-you. Give more when the driver has done more: waited through a long delay, walked your cases down a lane where cars cannot go, or called your riad so someone meets you at the gate.
Long drives and full days
Distance changes the picture. A driver taking you from Marrakech to the dunes spends about 9 hours at the wheel, crosses the Tizi n'Tichka pass (2,260 m) and then drives home or stays overnight. On a run like the private transfer from Marrakech to Merzouga, 100 to 200 dirhams is a fair tip for good service. For a day trip with several stops, 50 to 100 dirhams is the usual range.
When and how to give the tip
- At the end. Tip once, when you are dropped off and the bags are out. On a multi-day trip, tip on the last day, not every evening.
- Directly to the driver. Hand it over with a word of thanks. "Shukran" is thank you in Arabic, "merci" works everywhere.
- Separately from the fare. Pay the agreed price first, then add the tip, so there is no doubt about which is which.
- Discreetly. There is no need to count notes in front of the hotel doorman.
Dirhams, euros or pounds?
Dirhams are best. A driver can spend them the same day. Euro notes are widely accepted and easy to change. Foreign coins are the one thing to avoid: banks and exchange offices in Morocco do not take them, so a handful of 50-cent or 20-pence pieces is of little use to the person who receives it.
The practical problem is small change. Cash machines give 100 and 200 dirham notes, which are awkward for a 10 dirham tip. Break a note at the airport café or the first shop you pass, and keep a pocket of 10 and 20 dirham pieces for the whole trip. Our guide to cash, cards and currency on arrival in Morocco explains where to withdraw and what to keep.
Is the tip included in a private transfer price?
No. A fixed transfer price covers the vehicle, the driver, fuel, tolls, taxes and luggage. It does not include a gratuity, and none is added to your bill. On our transfers you pay the driver on arrival in cash, in euros, dirhams, pounds or US dollars, and the amount is the one confirmed when you booked. Anything you add is your decision.
The same applies to taxis, with one difference: because a taxi fare is often negotiated, part of what you agree can already be an informal tip. If you are unsure how the two services compare, see private transfer or taxi in Morocco.
Who else might you tip on a transfer day?
A few people around the journey are usually tipped too, always in small amounts:
- Porters with handcarts at the medina gates, who carry luggage to your riad: around 20-30 dirhams depending on distance and load. Agree the price before they set off.
- Hotel porters: around 10-20 dirhams per bag.
- Guardians at car parks and viewpoints where you stop: 2-5 dirhams.
On our transfers, short stops on the way are free, so a photo stop or a coffee break does not call for an extra payment to the driver.
You can check every fixed rate on the list of routes and prices, then book your transfer online and keep a few coins aside for the end of the ride.
Key takeaways
- Tipping drivers in Morocco is customary and voluntary. There is no fixed percentage.
- Round up a metered city taxi by a few dirhams. Give around 10-20 dirhams for a short airport transfer.
- For a full day with the same driver, around 50-100 dirhams per vehicle is typical.
- Tip in dirhams or euro notes. Foreign coins cannot be exchanged in Morocco.
- A fixed transfer price does not include a tip, and none is added to it.
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