Getting around Marrakech: taxis, apps, buses and the rest
From the beige petit taxi to the hire car, every way to get around Marrakech: what each really costs, when to use it and the pitfalls to know. The medina walks. Everything else, you negotiate.
Indicative prices, a shifting sector. Sterling rates below are ballparks - check on the day. The legal frame for ride-hailing apps (Uber, inDrive, Careem) shifts quickly: section current as of June 2026.
The right mode for the trip
In Marrakech, the best way of getting around depends mainly on the distance and the neighbourhood. At a glance:
| Your trip | The right mode |
|---|---|
| Inside the medina | On foot - the alleys are closed to cars |
| Medina ↔ Guéliz, Majorelle, Hivernage | Petit taxi on the meter, or an app |
| Airport ↔ centre | Bus 19, petit taxi or private transfer |
| Day trip: Atlas, desert, Essaouira | Hire car or private driver |
| Another big city (Casablanca, Fez, Tangier) | ONCF train |
| A town with no train (Essaouira, Agadir, Ouarzazate) | Supratours or CTM coach |
The petit taxi
It's the easiest way of getting around town. The Marrakech petit taxi is beige, takes three passengers maximum, and doesn't leave the city limits. The meter is mandatory but often 'forgotten' with tourists: ask for the meter as you get in, or agree the price before you set off.
Allow about £2 to £3.50 for a standard town run, with a surcharge of about 50% at night, roughly 8pm to 6am, plus Sundays and public holidays. Keep coins to hand: it's cash-only, and a small round-up will do as a tip.
The grand taxi
Not to be confused with the petit taxi: the grand taxi is an old Mercedes that runs shared journeys out to the suburbs and neighbouring towns, from dedicated ranks. It takes six passengers, tightly packed, and has no meter: the price is per seat or a flat rate for the whole car.
You can book the whole car for yourself, and agree the price before setting off. As a rough guide, Marrakech-Essaouira runs about £7 to £8 per person shared, or around £45 for the whole car.
Uber and ride-hailing apps
The answer moves fast, and it isn't the one you'd expect. Uber pulled out of Morocco in 2018 and returned in late 2025 to Casablanca and Marrakech - but only through licensed transport operators, not individual drivers. Other apps like inDrive, Careem and Yango circulate, but in a legal grey zone. When they work, the price is shown up front and the car is air-conditioned, for 20 to 40% more than a street petit taxi.
The status of ride-hailing apps in Morocco shifts fast. Before relying on one, check the service is running at the time of your trip. The street petit taxi, meanwhile, stays available everywhere.
The city bus
The city bus network is run by ALSA. The ticket costs a few dirhams and is paid on board; there's also a rechargeable card. It's cheap, but the routes are hard to parse for a short-stay visitor and buses fill up at peak times: most tourists prefer the taxi.
Line 19 connects the airport to the centre: about £2.50 single, one departure every 30 minutes from 6am to 9pm, running to Jemaa el-Fna and on to the train station.
The tourist bus
For a first overview without walking, the open-top tourist bus (Marrakech City Tour, operated by ALSA) runs two loops: a historic one (medina and new town, about 1 hr 15) and one out to the Palmeraie (about 1 hr), with audio commentary in several languages. The day ticket costs around £16 and lets you hop on and off at the main sights.
The calèche
The calèche - the horse-drawn carriage - is part of the scenery, mainly from Jemaa el-Fna and near the Koutoubia. As a rough guide, allow about £15 for a 30- to 45-minute ride along the ramparts, per carriage. As with everything, agree the price before you get in.
In the summer heat, the question of horse welfare is a real one. The carriages are meant to be inspected, but the condition of the animals varies. If a horse looks in distress, give it a miss.
On foot
The medina is walked - most alleys are closed to cars - and Marrakech is a flat city, easy on the feet. From Jemaa el-Fna to Guéliz or Majorelle is two to three kilometres (about 1.5 miles), a half-hour walk or a short taxi ride. One thing to watch: the scooters that thread quickly through the souks.
Bike, scooter, e-scooter
A bike has its place, mainly in the new town and the Palmeraie: the local charity Pikala Bikes hires bicycles and runs guided rides, with a social mission. Inside the medina, the crowds and the narrow alleys make it less practical. Scooters can be hired too, but the traffic is dense: for confident riders only.
Hiring a car
A car makes no sense inside Marrakech - the medina is off limits to vehicles and parking is tricky - but it comes into its own for ranging out: the Atlas, waterfalls, Essaouira, Ouarzazate. A national driving licence is enough, the minimum age is usually 21, and expect a deposit (credit card hold) that runs high. Some local hirers offer no-deposit options. For town parking, an informal attendant in a hi-vis vest will watch the car for a small tip.
Private driver and transfer
For a day trip, a car with driver takes away the stress of driving, parking and deposits: reckon on about £65 to £125 for the day, fuel included, depending on distance. It's often the most restful option for the Atlas, Essaouira or the desert, booked through your riad or a platform.
Reaching other cities
From Marrakech, two reliable coach companies cover the country: CTM, the long-standing national operator, and Supratours (a subsidiary of ONCF), whose bus station adjoins the railway station. Supratours serves the towns without a train - Essaouira, Agadir, Ouarzazate.
The ONCF train connects Marrakech to Casablanca, Rabat, Meknes, Fez and Tangier, but not the Essaouira coast or the south: for those, it's the coach. The high-speed line hasn't yet reached Marrakech.
| Route | Mode | Duration | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|---|
| → Essaouira | Supratours coach | ~3 hrs | from ~£7 |
| → Agadir | Coach | ~3 hrs | ~£8.50 |
| → Ouarzazate | Coach | ~4 hrs | ~£10 |
| → Casablanca | ONCF train | ~2 hrs 30-3 hrs | from ~£7 |
Getting around in a wheelchair
The medina is hard in a wheelchair - uneven paving, narrow alleys, steps. Public transport and trains offer limited access. The easiest option is an adapted private vehicle or taxi, though the supply is thin. The town is flat, though - the airport and station are recent and step-free, and passers-by tend to offer a hand.
Safety and scams
They're rarely dangerous, but worth knowing. The classic: the 'broken meter' followed by an inflated fare. At the airport, touts quote about £25 to £35 for a run that should cost £6 to £8. Watch out for 'your hotel is closed' too, a pretext to redirect you elsewhere for a commission - confirm directly with your accommodation. And ignore the unofficial guides who offer help you didn't ask for in the medina.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers for getting around Marrakech.
