Travelling Morocco by train: Al Boraq, routes, fares and tips

The train is one of the easiest ways to get around northern and central Morocco. ONCF, the national railway, links Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Meknes, Fes and Oujda, and the Al Boraq high-speed line gets you from Tangier to Casablanca in about 2¼ hours. Tickets are good value, especially if you book early, and you can buy them online, in the ONCF Voyages app or at the station. There are limits, though. The rails don't reach the south or most of the coast, so for Essaouira, Agadir or the desert you'll switch to Supratours, ONCF's coach company. Trains can run late. And timetables changed on 14 September 2026 because of engineering works, so always check before you travel.

The network: Al Boraq and the classic lines

ONCF runs three kinds of train:

• Al Boraq: the high-speed service between Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat and Casablanca. It reaches 320 km/h on the dedicated line between Tangier and Kenitra and runs more slowly on the rest of the way. ONCF says it runs on 100% wind power.
• Al Atlas: the intercity trains on the classic lines, from Marrakech through Casablanca and Rabat to Meknes and Fes, from Tangier to Fes and Oujda, and from Casablanca to Nador, Safi and Oued Zem.
• TNR shuttles: short-distance trains around Casablanca, Rabat and Kenitra, plus the airport line at Casablanca.

A high-speed extension from Kenitra towards Marrakech is being built. Until it opens, Marrakech and Fes are served by Al Atlas trains.

Al Boraq: Tangier to Casablanca in about 2¼ hours

In the timetable valid from 14 September 2026, Al Boraq runs up to 15 times a day in each direction, roughly every hour from 06:00 to 21:00. The first train of the day doesn't run on Sundays or public holidays, and the 20:00 runs only on Fridays and Sundays. The trains stop at four stations: Tanger Ville, Kenitra, Rabat Agdal and Casa Voyageurs.

• Tanger Ville to Kenitra: about 50 minutes
• Tanger Ville to Rabat Agdal: about 1 hour 20
• Tanger Ville to Casa Voyageurs: 2 hours 17

The trains are double-deck, with a café-bar on board. In Rabat, Al Boraq stops at Rabat Agdal, not Rabat Ville, so check which station your hotel is near.

The classic lines

Al Atlas trains are slower but cover far more ground:

• Marrakech–Casablanca–Rabat–Fes: roughly hourly through the day. Casablanca to Marrakech takes about 3 hours, Casablanca to Fes about 4 hours, and Marrakech to Fes about 7 hours on the same train.
• Tangier–Fes: four trains a day each way, taking 4¼ to 5¼ hours, two of them continuing to Oujda. You can also take Al Boraq to Kenitra and change there.
• Fes–Oujda: about four trains a day, taking 5½ to 6½ hours, including an overnight train from Casablanca.

Night trains. The September 2026 timetable shows overnight trains from Casablanca to Oujda and to Nador. Some guides, including Seat61, describe couchettes on a Tangier–Marrakech night train. In this works timetable, though, the evening train from Marrakech runs only as far as Kenitra, so check with ONCF before you plan around it.

Main routes and journey times

Times from the ONCF timetables valid from 14 September 2026.

First or second class?

Both Al Boraq and Al Atlas have first and second class. According to Seat61, first class on Al Atlas trains is mostly in six-seat compartments, and second class in eight-seat compartments. Many Al Atlas trains have only one first-class car, so those seats can sell out.

On long Al Atlas trips, first class is usually worth the extra money: more space, a reserved seat and somewhere to put your bags. The gap is often modest (see the fares table below). Two things travellers mention: the air conditioning doesn't always work, even in first class, and Al Atlas trains have no vending machines, so bring water.

Tickets and fares

Buying tickets

• Online and in the app: on oncf-voyages.ma or in the ONCF Voyages app you choose your train, class, fare and seat, then show the e-ticket's QR code on your phone. Seat61 says sales open three months before departure. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards generally work, with 3-D Secure. If yours is refused, try another card or buy at the station. Resellers usually add a mark-up, so buy from ONCF directly.
• At the station: buy at the ticket windows or machines, paying by card or in cash.
• Fare types: Non-flex fares can't be exchanged or refunded. Semi-flex fares can be exchanged once, with 50% refunded before departure. Flex fares can be exchanged up to five times and are fully refunded up to 24 hours before departure (80% after that).
• Yalla Al Boraq: a fixed fare of 89 MAD in second class and 129 MAD in first, available on Tanger Ville–Casa Voyageurs, Tanger Ville–Rabat Agdal and Tanger Ville–Kenitra. Buy at least 7 days ahead. Seats are limited, and these tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
• Children: under-4s travel free on an adult's lap, and children aged 4 to 15 pay the child fare.

Tip: Keep your ticket and ID handy. Tickets are checked at the station, on board and sometimes at the exit. A photo or copy of a paper ticket isn't accepted, and travelling without a valid ticket means paying the highest fare plus a surcharge of up to 20%.

Typical fares in 2026

Fares rise as trains fill up, so the low end of each range is for tickets bought early. Check the current price on ONCF before you travel.

Luggage

ONCF's rules are generous. You can bring, free of charge, bags you can carry and lift into the racks yourself, up to 1.2 m × 0.6 m × 0.4 m. On top of that, each traveller may bring one bulky item: a folding bike or a surfboard in a cover (up to 1.2 m × 0.9 m), skis, a folded pushchair or a folding wheelchair. Nobody weighs your bags. The real limit is space, especially in a full second-class carriage. Electric scooters are banned on Al Boraq and Al Atlas trains, and ONCF fines offenders 300 MAD. Your bags are your responsibility on board, so keep them in sight.

The airport train and Supratours coaches

From Casablanca airport by train

The airport station is a 5-minute walk from the terminal: follow the "Gare ONCF" signs along a covered walkway. Trains run hourly. In the September 2026 timetable, the first leaves the airport at 05:55 and the last at 22:55, and the trip to Casa Voyageurs takes about 45 minutes. ONCF lists fares from 60 MAD to Casa Voyageurs, 90 MAD to Rabat, 194 MAD to Tangier, 198 MAD to Marrakech and 203 MAD to Fes. For those last three, change at Casa Voyageurs.

Beyond the rails: Supratours coaches

Supratours, ONCF's coach subsidiary, picks up where the tracks stop. ONCF's journey planner lists coach stops such as Essaouira, Agadir, Ouarzazate, Zagora, Merzouga, Tetouan and Al Hoceima, so you can buy one ticket that combines train and coach. In Marrakech, coaches leave from right next to the train station. Agadir takes about 3½ hours and costs about 110 MAD, according to Seat61. Essaouira takes about 3 hours and costs slightly less. Wikivoyage says bags stowed in the hold are charged separately, and you shouldn't pay more than 5 MAD a bag. Like CTM, Supratours coaches stop only at main bus stations.

Tips, checklist and where to stay

Tips for a smooth trip

• Book ahead for Al Boraq, weekends and school holidays. ONCF added extra capacity for the 16–26 October 2026 school holidays, a sign of how busy trains get.
• Leave slack between connections, because delays are common on the classic lines.
• Check your station. Rabat Agdal or Rabat Ville? Casa Voyageurs or Casa Port? Your ticket says which.
• Check for works in ONCF's "Info travaux" notices, or call the ONCF customer line on 2255, which answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Stay alert as you would anywhere busy. Emergency numbers (checked on GOV.UK and France Diplomatie, October 2026): police 190 (or 19), ambulance and fire 150 (or 15), gendarmerie 177 outside towns.

Checklist

• Check the current timetable on ONCF (it changed on 14 September 2026)
• Book Al Boraq 7 days or more ahead for the 89 MAD Yalla fare
• Choose first class for long Al Atlas trips
• Pack water and snacks
• Keep your ticket and ID together
• For Essaouira or Agadir, book a combined train and Supratours coach ticket

Then pick your bases along the line: stays in Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Fes and Marrakech. For more ideas, read all our guides.