The 5 Marrakesh Modes

July 14, 2017

The below are the top 5 modes of transportation I have used while staying in Marrakesh.

1. Get the local bus 12 or 13

From our (myself and Alfe, the other NEU student) house in Firdouss we can walk to a shopping center 15 min away. Here we would wait for either the 12 or 13 bus which would get us to the CLC in 30 minutes. All buses, regardless of trip time, costs 4 dirhams (less than $1).

Pro: Only 4 dirham, most common mode of transportation (local experience)

Con: Long wait, usually standing, VERY hot (literally a greenhouse)

2. Get local bus 11

From house we could walk behind the neighborhood for 5 min to get another public bus, 11. This bus we would normally take to go to the Medina. Again the price is a whole 4 dirham.

Pro: Closer walk in the heat

Con: Usually more crowded (Very crowded)

3. Get a taxi

This was the most frequent mode of transport that we used. Taxis were frequently passing and were able to fit up to 3 passengers. There were taxis that were more tourist-oriented and had a fixed price, but we used the taxis with a meter. The average taxi ride for me was around 20 dirham (roughly 2 dollars- cheaper than any Uber).

Pro: Quickest mode

Con: Directions focused on landmarks not roads (difficult to describe where we needed to go instead of giving an address), double paying was frequent when the driver would pick up another passenger and we had to pay half their fare

4. Walk to different destinations

Brave souls walked from various destinations and meeting points during lunch breaks. It was a great way to see the city but the heat sometimes made it dangerous. The city seemed to be spread out, but once you reached the central locations it was fine to walk.

Pro: More interaction with the city

Con: Heat, lost due to lack of street signs

5. Van

This mode was used when we participated in big group travel. For instance, when we all went to and from the airport, out to a resort for a pool party, and when we went hiking in the mountains.

Pro: A/C equipped, roomy, comfy for sleeping

Con: No one was safe from a glorious sleeping pic

Written By

Kelsey Lawler

Hi, I'm Kelsey, and I'm going into my fourth year as a finance major and international affairs minor. I'm wrapping up my co-op in London as I write and quickly switching gears to sharing my perspective with you as I begin the Economic and Cultural Dynamics of Muslim Immigration Dialogue this summer. The program seems just as complex and interesting as the title. I hope to walk away with a deeper understanding of the history of Morocco, how it has shaped the country it is today, and how it plays in a larger global economy.