The train is the best way to travel between Morocco’s big cities, a rental car gives you the most freedom for the least money, and a private driver is the only one of the three that gets you from Fes to the Sahara and over the High Atlas without doing the driving yourself. Which one fits depends on your route.
If your trip is Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Marrakech only, the train works well. The moment your route includes the Sahara, Chefchaouen, the Atlas Mountains or Ait Ben Haddou, the rail network stops, and the choice comes down to driving yourself or being driven. Here is how the three compare, from a local team that plans these routes all year.
Private Driver vs Train vs Rental Car at a Glance
The train wins on price between cities, the rental car on flexibility, and the private driver on reach and ease.
| Train | Rental car | Private driver and guide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reaches the Sahara, Atlas and Chefchaouen | No | Yes | Yes |
| Who drives | No one, you ride | You | Your driver |
| Door to door | No, station to station | Yes | Yes |
| Luggage | You carry it on and off | In the trunk | Handled for you |
| Stops along the way | None | Wherever you want | Wherever you want, with context |
| Navigating medinas | On your own | On your own, park outside | With a local guide |
| Cost | Lowest | Low to medium | Highest |
| Best for | City to city trips | Confident drivers on a budget | First trips, the desert, families, couples who want to relax |
Trains in Morocco: Where They Go and Where They Don’t
Morocco’s trains, run by the national rail company ONCF, are comfortable, cheap and reliable between the main cities of the north and west. They do not reach the desert, the mountains or the blue city.
Where the train works well:
- Tangier to Casablanca: about 2 hours 10 minutes on Al Boraq, Africa’s first high-speed line, with stops in Kenitra and Rabat.
- Marrakech to Casablanca: about 2 hours 40 minutes on the regular Al Atlas line.
- Fes to Marrakech: about 6 and a half hours, direct.
- Casablanca airport to the city: a direct train to Casa Port takes about an hour.
Where the train does not go: Chefchaouen, Merzouga and the Sahara, the High Atlas, Ouarzazate, Ait Ben Haddou, the Dades Valley and Essaouira. From any station, you still need a bus, a taxi or a driver to reach these places.
A high-speed extension from Kenitra to Marrakech is under construction and expected around 2029. Until then, Marrakech is on the slower line.
The train has two practical limits for travelers. You carry your own luggage on and off at each station, and the station is rarely where your riad is, so most city trips by train end with a taxi ride. For a group with several suitcases, a 2 hour 40 minute train from Marrakech to Casablanca plus a second train to the airport is often slower and harder than a private transfer.
Renting a Car: Freedom, With Trade-Offs
A rental car gives you full control of your route for the lowest cost per person, and it suits confident drivers who are comfortable with mountain roads, police checkpoints and city traffic.
The main things to plan for:
- Police checkpoints at town entrances, where you come to a full stop every time
- Strict speed checks, with fines paid on the spot
- Winding mountain roads over the High Atlas, shared with trucks and buses
- No cars inside the medinas of Fes and Marrakech, so you park outside and walk in with your bags
- Unlit rural roads at night, best avoided
The hidden cost is attention. On the most scenic roads in the country, the driver watches the road, not the view. For licenses, tolls, speed limits and checkpoint tips, read our full guide to driving in Morocco before renting a car.
Traveling With a Private Driver and Guide
A private driver takes the logistics off your hands: you are picked up at the airport, driven between every stop in a vehicle reserved for your party, and dropped at the door of each riad and hotel.
At Simply Morocco, the driver comes as part of a full private tour, from airport pickup to airport drop-off. We do not offer a driver-only or transport-only service, because the trip works best when the route, hotels, guides and timing are planned together. Here is what that includes:
- A recent private 4×4 or van with air conditioning, for your party only
- An English-speaking driver who knows the roads, the stops and the checkpoints (Spanish-speaking drivers are also available)
- Local guides for the medinas of Fes and Marrakech
- Hand-picked riads, hotels and a desert camp in Merzouga
- Stops wherever you want them: a photo at a kasbah, a mint tea in a mountain village, a walk in the Todra Gorge
- Support from our team for the whole trip
It costs more than a train ticket or a rental car, and it turns the long driving days into part of the trip instead of time lost. See real price ranges in our Morocco trip cost guide, or compare private vs group Morocco tours.
Which One Fits Your Trip?
Match the transport to the route: cities only by train, the full loop with the desert by private driver, and a rental car only if you are happy to drive mountain roads yourself.
| Your trip | Our recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier only | Train | Al Boraq is fast, and these cities sit on the line |
| Marrakech with day trips | Private tour based in Marrakech | Agafay, the Ourika Valley and Imlil are not on the rail network |
| Marrakech to the Sahara and back | Private driver | No train goes to the Sahara, and the route crosses the High Atlas |
| Fes, the Sahara and Marrakech (the classic loop) | Private driver | About seven hours from Fes to Merzouga, with stops a train cannot make |
| A second trip, experienced drivers, flexible plans | Rental car | Cheapest way to reach small villages on your own schedule |
Whatever you choose, avoid trying to fit Marrakech to the Sahara and straight back into two days. Marrakech to Merzouga alone is about 10 hours of mountain driving. Break it with nights in the Dades Valley and Ouarzazate, as on our 8 day Morocco itinerary, or take the full loop on our 10 day Morocco itinerary. To compare every route, see our Morocco itinerary guide.
Private Driver vs Train FAQ
Is there a train to the Sahara in Morocco? No. The rail network ends at Marrakech in the south and Fes in the east. To reach Merzouga and the dunes, you drive, take a long-distance bus or travel with a private driver.
Is there a train to Chefchaouen? No. Chefchaouen sits in the Rif Mountains with no rail line. Most travelers reach it by road from Tangier, Rabat or Fes.
Is it safe to drive in Morocco? The main roads are in good condition, and many visitors drive without problems. The risks are night driving on unlit rural roads, strict speed checks and busy city traffic. Read our honest take on whether Morocco is safe.
Can I hire a driver only, without a tour? Not with us. Simply Morocco runs full private tours, with the driver, guides and hotels planned together from airport pickup to drop-off.
Should I fly between cities in Morocco? We do not recommend it. Internal flights are often delayed or cancelled for weather, luggage goes missing, and airport time eats most of what you save. You also miss the landscapes between the cities.
How long is the train from Marrakech to Fes? About six and a half hours, direct. By road with a private driver, Marrakech to Fes is about six hours, with stops of your choice.
Plan Your Route With a Local Team
Tell us your travel dates, how many of you are traveling and the places you want to see, and we will suggest the route and send you a price for a private tour. Fill in the form below to start.
For daily photos from the road, follow Simply Morocco on Instagram and Facebook, or see all our private tours.
