Marrakech Airport to City Center Transport Guide – Things You Definitely Need to Know!
Traveling from Marrakech airport to the city center is not the same as traveling from airports of other cities around the world. Because Marrakech’s center is basically a busy and chaotic Medina where many streets are inaccessible by cars or public transportation.
Besides Medina, this city has other central neighborhoods where you can go only by taxi or possibly by bus. But it can be confusing if you’re not familiar with the routes and don’t make an advanced transportation plan.
So to make it easier to understand how to travel between the airport in Marrakech and different parts of the city, I thought to make this quick guide with tips on the best transportation options available. We traveled to/from the airport many times and figured out the most convenient ways for a smooth journey, depending on the final destination.
Thus all tips are there below in this post!
Please note:Â This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission if you make a purchase or booking by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you).
Marrakech Airport to City Center Quick Overview
Can You Walk From Marrakech Airport to the City Center?
Technically speaking – yes, you can walk from Marrakech Airport to Medina. It should only take you an hour or hour and a half, depending on how fast you walk.
The route itself is not very exciting but if you are traveling super lightly and are on a very tight budget, then at least it’s free.
How Much Time You Need to Get From the Airport to the City
Expect around 20 minutes to Medina or Gueliz, or faster if there is no traffic. If you are going past Medina to the northern part of the city or northeast, add another 10 – 15 minutes since roads there are always packed.
A bus will be two times longer because it makes stops.
Marrakech Airport to City – Average Taxi Fare
As of now, the official price tag for a taxi is between 100-150 MAD ($10-$15), depending on the exact location. But taxi drivers at the airport scam people up to 300 MAD.
You either need to negotiate strongly (and say that you know the real price) or use taxi apps like Ruby Taxi or Careem with a written price.
Even if the exchange rate changes, rely on the amount in dollars that I specified. Final amount in MAD should equal this amount in dollars.
Train From the Airport in Marrakech to the Center
While trains are a fantastic way for intercity travel in Morocco, within Marrakech there is no train connection between the airport and the city.
Best Transportation to Use to Get From Marrakech Airport to Medina
The best way to travel to your hotel or Riad is to get a private transfer. This way you get an exact price, the best service, and the closest drop-off to your accommodation, which is not always the case with regular taxis.
Private transfers are very popular in Morocco and are not too expensive.
Best Transportation to Use to Go From Marrakech Airport to Other Parts of the City
Besides private transfers, it is best to use taxis to get to other neighborhoods and different parts of the city outside Medina.
Is It a Good Idea to Go By Rental Car From Marrakech Airport to the City?
This depends on where exactly your accommodation is. If in Medina – then stay away from going by car there. Driving in Medina is crazy, even many locals stress about driving in that part of the city.
If you come to Marrakech to go on a road trip and stay farther from Medina (especially on the outskirts), then renting a car is a great idea. Rental companies at the airport offer the lowest rates and best convenience as you get your car right away and can go straight to your accommodation.
Ways to Get From Marrakech Airport to the City Center
If You Go to Medina – Choose Private Transfer
If you booked a hotel or Riad in Medina, then private transfer is by far the best way to travel in Marrakech. There are a few reasons for that.
The majority of Medina is not accessible by cars and there are only a few little squares where cars can go. But even roads around them are narrow and crowded. So not all taxi drivers will want to go as close to your hotel as possible.
Instead, it is much faster to drop people off near one of the Medina’s gates and have you walk the rest of the way (which can be quite long and stressful if you have big suitcases and visiting for the first time).
This is exactly what happened to us when we arrived for the first time in Marrakech. We called for a taxi and had our driver call the Riad for instructions. Then we were dropped off 20 minutes away by foot from our Riad with all the luggage because the driver refused to go to the street where the manager from the Riad advised to go.
So in the end, we had to hire a luggage carrier guy just to help us get to the hotel (which was adventurous and stressful at the same time) as in these photos.
When we arrived, the Riad manager told us that the taxi driver was not a nice person as he simply refused to drop us off on a closer road, yet he charged us the same amount.
The second time we booked a transfer we learned private drivers are not allowed to drop people off far away and always drive as close as possible, despite the fact they usually bring bigger vans, rather than small taxi cars.
We later booked this private transfer and it worked out great and cost us about the same amount that the taxi drivers had told us.
If You Go Outside Medina – Choose Taxi
If you are staying in a hotel or an apartment outside Medina, then hiring a regular taxi might be a better option, or a least a cheaper one. When drivers don’t need to drive into Medina, they bring you to your door like everywhere else.
All taxis in Marrakech are yellow. You can just walk outside the airport terminal and get into one. What I found though, it is better to use a taxi app (not just for convenience but also to be sure you’ll get a fixed price, not an inflated one).
There are two of those for official taxis – Roby Taxi and Careem. They work just like Uber but you get the same yellow taxis there as the ones waiting outside, but with a pre-determined price up front.
I noticed that there are now a lot of cars on these apps. It is not a problem when you are traveling from the Airport to the city, but I have had one time going to the airport when my taxi request was just pending and pending without any luck. When you fly out, keep that in mind and either try to leave in advance or book a transfer.
You can also try another app called inDrive. This one operates closest to Uber, in terms of their cars are not official taxis but private cars with regular folks making some cash.
This is the cheapest option in Marrakech for getting a cab but also the quality of cars and service may differ. We used it once and it was alright. The car was small and old but it brought us to the airport right on time.
If You Are On a Budget & Don’t Have Big Luggage – Choose Bus
Marrakech Airport is connected to the city center by Line 19 (L19) which goes right from the airport parking lot every 20 or 40 minutes (depending on the time of the day). It will take you pretty close to Medina and it only costs 30 MAD ($3).
In fact, I found even a cheaper route. If you go just outside the airport to an “Aeoroport Bus Stop”, you can catch L20 which takes a similar route but only costs 4 MAD.
However, these buses tend to get crowded and are not too well designed for large luggage. This is why I would only suggest taking a bus if traveling lightly. If you have just a backpack and perhaps one tiny suitcase, then it will be fine.
Planning to Spend Some Time in Marrakech?
If yes and the plan is to spend at least a few days in the ‘Red City’, then other posts will come in handy too:
- Marrakech Hidden Gems – with alternative places to visit
- Best Street Food in Marrakech – with exact locations where to try it
- Marrakech Best Hammams – best places for a Moroccan bath, in our experience
