Getting There

By Plane

In 2006, the Moroccan government, in conjunction with Mohammed VI's desire to increase tourism arrivals to 10 million by 2010, invoked an open-skies policy on the country's air transport sector. Several low-cost European airlines leapt at the opportunity, resulting in decidedly more flight arrivals, especially into the tourist hubs of Agadir, Fes, and Marrakech.

Scheduled international flights fly directly into a number of airports in Morocco: Agadir (AGA), Casablanca (CAS), Fes (FEZ), Marrakech (RAK), Ouarzazate (OZZ), Rabat (RBA), and Tangier (TNG). Casablanca is the country's major airport and hub for the national carrier, Royal Air Maroc. If you're flying from anywhere other than Europe, then more than likely your flight will touch down here. Domestic connections are plentiful, and the airport is connected to the national rail network. North American flights, as well as those from Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, operate from Terminal 3, a short shuttle ride from terminals 1 and 2, where all domestic flights are operated from and where the main arrivals and departures buildings are located.

If you're departing from Europe, then flying directly into one of the country's other airports is definitely possible, and the decision whether to do so comes down to which destination you wish to begin your journey and the frequency of flights available. All the airports mentioned above are located out of town, but taxis are usually always parked outside to meet incoming flights, or transfers can be prearranged with your hotel.

When departing Morocco, the departure tax is already included in the cost of your ticket, and most airport bureaux de change will change your dirham (notes only) back into euros or sometimes U.S. dollars. There are duty-free shops past the immigration counters, but they won't accept dirham, only euros, British pounds, and U.S. dollars.

The national air carrier is Royal Air Maroc (tel. 09000/0800 toll-free in Morocco; www.royalairmaroc.com), which has offices in most major Moroccan cities, as well as in the U.K., Langham House, 32-33 Gosfield St., London, W1W 6ED (tel. 020/7307-5800), and the U.S., 666 5th Ave., New York, NY 10103 (tel. 800/446-726 or 974/385-053). Since 2004, Royal Air Maroc has also operated a subsidiary low-cost international airline called Atlas Blue (tel. 0820/09090 within Morocco, or 020/7307-5803 within the U.K.; www.atlas-blue.com). There are flights from a good selection of European destinations including London, and most of them fly directly into Marrakech. Although their prices are reasonably competitive with other budget airlines, they are notorious for experiencing delays and canceling flights.

Regional Airlines (tel. 082/000-082 within Morocco, or 902/180-151 within Spain; www.regionalmaroc.com) is largely a domestic carrier within Morocco, but they have a few flights into Agadir, Casablanca, and Tangier from mainly Spanish destinations.

From North America -- Royal Air Maroc flies five times a week from both New York and Montréal direct to Casablanca, with code-share flights out of New York with Delta Airlines (tel. 800/241-4141; www.delta.com); code-share cities include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington. Note: If you decide to fly via Europe, be sure to check your arrival and departure airports (for example in London: Gatwick, Heathrow, and Luton) and budget enough time for travel between them if need be.

From the U.K. -- British Airways, through its franchisee GB Airways (tel. 0870/8509850 in the U.K., or 022/229464 in Morocco; www.gbairways.com), flies daily from London Heathrow to Casablanca and Marrakech, and twice a week to Tangier during summer. From London Gatwick, they fly daily to Marrakech and twice a week to Fes.

Royal Air Maroc flies daily from London Heathrow to Casablanca, twice weekly to Tangier during summer, and daily from London Gatwick to Marrakech. Budget airlines Atlas Blue and EasyJet (tel. 0905/821-0905; www.easyjet.com) fly daily from London Gatwick to Marrakech; Ryanair (tel. 0871/246-0000 in the U.K., or 0818/30-3030 in Ireland; www.ryanair.com) flies at least three times a week from London Luton to both Fes and Marrakech; and Thomsonfly (tel. 0870/190-0737; www.thomsonfly.com) flies weekly to Agadir from London Gatwick or Manchester and at least three times a week to Marrakech from either London Gatwick or London Luton. There are also charter flights from London direct to Agadir, organized by all-inclusive tour operators such as Panorama (tel. 0871/664-7984; www.panoramaholidays.co.uk). For just flights to Agadir (that are not part of an all-inclusive package), you'll have to fly to Casablanca and then catch a domestic flight with Royal Air Maroc.

From Europe -- There's a range of airlines flying to Morocco from within Europe, including Air Berlin (www.airberlin.com), Air France (www.airfrance.com), Iberia Air (www.iberia.com), KLM (www.klm.com), and Ryanair, as well as Royal Air Maroc and Atlas Blue.

By Car

Self-drivers are best advised to make their way down through Spain to the southern ports of Algeciras or Tarifa, from where there are vehicle ferries making the daily crossing across the Straits of Gibraltar to Tangier (from both), and the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (from Algeciras only). Ceuta is the best port of arrival if you want to head straight into the Rif mountains and across to Fes, while Tangier is a good (and the only) point of arrival for the Atlantic Coast and inland to Marrakech. Remember that the Spanish-Moroccan border is about 5km (3 miles) inland from Ceuta port. Current costs for your vehicle, depending on the size, are: Algeciras to Tangier 60€ to 105€ ($87-$152); Algeciras to Ceuta 30€ ($44); and Tarifa to Tangier 68€ ($99).

To enter Morocco, you'll need your vehicle's registration papers and a Green Card (carte verte in French) insurance document from your insurer. The Green Card proves that your vehicle is at least insured against third-party damage. Some companies won't insure your vehicle for travel in Morocco, so it's best to check beforehand and shop around if you need to buy some. You can also purchase temporary third-party insurance at Spanish and Moroccan ports, but it really is best to arrange this beforehand so you're sure of the coverage you're paying for. A Carnet de Passage (issued by motoring organizations worldwide to allow your vehicle to enter most countries without any customs or import fees) is not required for your vehicle to enter Morocco, but you'll need one if you're traveling farther into Africa.

Upon arriving in the Moroccan port, you'll need to complete a Temporary Importation document, which is usually available on the Tangier ferries or otherwise at the Ceuta-Morocco border post. Your vehicle will then be "stamped" into your passport, allowing the vehicle to stay in Morocco for 6 months (but remember that you are only given 3 months). The vehicle can only leave with you, proving to Moroccan Customs that it hasn't been sold, and therefore no customs or tax on the sale is due.

By Ferry

Traveling by sea is a wonderful, almost spiritual, way to arrive in Morocco. When sailing from the Spanish port of Algeciras -- the most popular point of departure -- the Rock of Gibraltar is visible for quite some time before finally fading away into the Mediterranean mist. However, it's not long before the silhouettes of Tangier's minarets appear in the distance.

As mentioned, the most popular route operates between Algeciras and Tangier, and during the peak August holiday month, ferries run every hour almost around the clock. Popular alternative routes include Algeciras to Ceuta and Tarifa to Tangier, though Tarifa is not an "international" port, thus only E.U. passport holders can travel on this route. The crossing from Algeciras to Tangier can take between 80 minutes and 3 hours, depending on the ship, and currently costs range from 35€ to 37€ ($51-$54) per person. The companies crossing from Algeciras to Ceuta all operate fast catamarans, taking only 35 minutes; the cost is currently 34€ ($49) per person. Note: It's worth remembering that Ceuta is still on Spanish soil, which means the port is void of all the border formalities experienced in Tangier. If you're traveling independently, you'll have to catch local bus no. 7 (0.62€-0.67€/90¢-95¢) or a taxi (2.90€/$4.20) from the center of Ceuta to the border. Crossing from Tarifa to Tangier is also by catamaran and takes 35 minutes. The current fare is 29€ ($42) per person.

The ferry companies operating between Morocco and Europe are:

Nautas (tel. 956/589530 within Spain, or 039/934463 within Morocco; www.nautasferry.com): Sails from Algeciras to both Tangier and Ceuta.

Ferries will always have an on-board restaurant serving meals and drinks, but sometimes not much else. Note: Payment, no matter which direction you're heading, is almost always only accepted in euros. Tickets can always be purchased at each company's office or ticket booth located at the ferry terminals. Don't be swayed by any talk of "last ferry leaves now" or "cheapest ticket here" by hustlers.

Back to Top

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

		Email			Print			RSS

				Frommer's Morocco, 1st Edition Author: Darren Humphrys Pub Date: April 07, 2008 Price: $23.99				Related Titles: Frommer's South Africa, 5th Edition