# How do you get from Marrakech to Fes: train, bus or flight? > Marrakech to Fes: the ONCF train takes about 6.5 to 7 hours for roughly 200 to 230 MAD in second class. Bus, flight and private driver options compared. - Source: https://clevertourists.com/resources/marrakech-to-fes-train-bus-flight-guide - Authors: Evan & Clara, Clever Tourists (first-hand, from years of travel across 20 countries) - Published: 2026-07-27 **For most people the ONCF train is the best way from Marrakech to Fes: about 6.5 to 7 hours, roughly 200 to 230 MAD (about $20 to $25) in second class or 330 to 360 MAD (≈ $34–37) in first, usually with a change at Casablanca Voyageurs.** The CTM bus is slower (around 8 hours) and not cheaper, so it only makes sense if trains are sold out. A flight takes about an hour in the air but direct service between Marrakech-Menara and Fes-Saïss comes and goes, so check before you plan around it. A private driver or a 2- to 3-day desert tour via Merzouga is the scenic, expensive alternative. There is still no high-speed train to Marrakech: the Al Boraq extension from Kenitra is under construction with opening targeted for 2029. ## Train from Marrakech to Fes (ONCF): times, prices, change ONCF, Morocco's national railway, runs the classic Al Atlas line north from **Marrakech station** in Gueliz, about 15 minutes by petit taxi from Jemaa el-Fnaa. Third-party timetables and travel guides updated in 2026 put the total trip at **about 6.5 to 7.5 hours**. Most journeys involve a change at **Casablanca Voyageurs**; sources disagree on whether any departure runs right through without a change, so read your ticket: it lists each leg and the connection time. Fares quoted across 2025 and 2026 cluster around **200 to 230 MAD (≈ $20–23) in second class** and **330 to 360 MAD (≈ $34–37) in first class** one way. Prices on the classic network are fairly stable, but we could not load ONCF's own fare table this session, so treat these as approximate and confirm on the ONCF site or app. First class gets you an assigned seat in a six-seat compartment or a reserved open-coach seat. Second class is unreserved on many classic trains: on a 7-hour Friday or holiday journey that can mean standing for the first stretch, which is the main reason we suggest paying the extra 120 MAD (≈ $12.2) or so for first. ## Booking the train and arriving in Fes Tickets sell on the **ONCF website and app** (oncf-voyages) up to about three months ahead, and at station counters and machines. Same-day tickets are usually available, but book a day or two ahead for first class around weekends, school holidays and Eid. Pay by card online; counters take cash and usually cards. Trains arrive at **Fes station** in the Ville Nouvelle. The medina's Bab Boujloud gate is roughly 10 minutes away by red petit taxi; insist on the meter or agree a price, and expect the driver to drop you at the nearest gate since cars cannot enter most of Fes el-Bali. Ask your riad for the gate to use and whether someone can meet you there. Our [Fes guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/fes) and [how many days in Fes](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-fes) cover what to do once you are in. ## CTM or Supratours bus: slower, rarely worth it **CTM** runs Marrakech to Fes buses several times a day. Listings from 2026 show a journey of about **7 hours 45 minutes or longer** and fares of roughly **190 to 310 MAD (≈ $19.3–31)**, depending on the class of service. That is longer than the train and no cheaper, so the bus mainly matters when trains are full or when a night departure suits you better. CTM buses leave from **CTM's own station** in Marrakech, not the main Bab Doukkala gare routière, and arrive at the CTM station in Fes's Ville Nouvelle. Expect a small checked-luggage fee paid in cash. Supratours, ONCF's bus arm, mostly feeds rail connections and is not the obvious choice here. ## Flying from Marrakech to Fes The flight from **Marrakech-Menara (RAK)** to **Fes-Saïss (FEZ)** takes about **1 hour 5 minutes**. Nonstop service has been operated at different times by low-cost and national carriers, and route listings disagree on who flies it in 2026, so search both directions on the airlines' own sites before you count on a direct flight. Royal Air Maroc connections via Casablanca exist but can take longer than the train. Add the real time cost: about 20 minutes to Menara airport, arriving 1.5 to 2 hours early, the flight, then 20 to 30 minutes from Fes-Saïss into the city. A direct flight still saves 2 to 3 hours on a good day, which matters if you only have a week; see our [7-day Morocco itinerary](https://clevertourists.com/resources/morocco-itinerary-7-days). ## Private driver or a desert tour on the way A private car directly via the motorway takes about 6 hours, but many travelers instead turn the transfer into a **2- or 3-day tour via the Atlas, Dades and the Merzouga dunes**, ending in Fes. That costs far more than the train and puts 15+ hours of driving into the trip, but it replaces a separate desert excursion. Our [Erg Chigaga vs Merzouga comparison](https://clevertourists.com/resources/erg-chigaga-vs-merzouga-sahara-desert-trip-from-marrakech-guide) helps you decide which desert suits your route. If you plan to drive yourself, read our [driving in Morocco guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/driving-in-morocco-tourist-guide) first, and see the [Morocco driver tipping guide](https://clevertourists.com/resources/morocco-private-tour-driver-tipping-guide-cash-etiquette) for the usual tip at the end of a tour. ## Our route and how to fit Fes and Marrakech together We spent 3 days in Fes in early September 2022 (after Chefchaouen, before Rabat and Casablanca), then reached Marrakech via Essaouira and finished with 5 more days there after the Sahara. Going north to south like that avoids doing Marrakech to Fes as one long leg at all: the coast-and-desert loop fills the distance. If your flights force a Marrakech-to-Fes jump, the train is the simple answer. For the whole picture see our [24-day Morocco route](https://clevertourists.com/resources/morocco-itinerary-our-24-day-route-tangier-to-the-sahara), [Marrakech and the Sahara guide](https://clevertourists.com/guides/marrakech-and-the-sahara) and [how many days in Marrakech](https://clevertourists.com/resources/how-many-days-in-marrakech). From Fes, the usual next leg is [Fes to Chefchaouen](https://clevertourists.com/resources/fes-to-chefchaouen-ctm-bus-grand-taxi-guide). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a direct train from Marrakech to Fes? Most journeys change at Casablanca Voyageurs, and sources disagree on whether any departure runs through without a change. Check the legs on your ONCF ticket. ### How long is the train from Marrakech to Fes? About 6.5 to 7.5 hours in total, including the connection. ### How much is the train from Marrakech to Fes? Roughly 200 to 230 MAD (≈ $20–23) in second class and 330 to 360 MAD (≈ $34–37) in first class one way, as quoted in 2025 and 2026. ### Is the bus or train better from Marrakech to Fes? The train: it is faster than the CTM bus (around 7 hours 45 minutes or more) and not more expensive. ### Does the high-speed train go to Marrakech? Not yet. The Al Boraq extension from Kenitra to Marrakech is under construction, with opening targeted for 2029.