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This page explains how to plan & book a journey from London to Morocco (Tangier, Marrakech, Fez, Rabat or Casablanca) without flying, in comfort & safety by train.  And what a journey!  Take Eurostar to Paris, grab a beer in a Parisian café and board the excellent 'trainhotel' sleeper train to Madrid.  Enjoy a meal with wine in the restaurant car and a nightcap in the bar before retiring to your sleeper for the night as the train speeds south across France, then wake up to breakfast as the sun rises over distant Spanish mountains.  Spend a day in Madrid, visit the Prado Museum or soak up the atmosphere in the Plaza Santa Ana before taking an afternoon express across Andalusia to Algeciras on the Straits of Gibraltar.  Next morning, take the ferry from Europe to Africa, the Rock of Gibraltar close on the port beam and the African coast getting slowly nearer.  Once in Morocco, let the real Marrakech Express speed you south towards the incredible High Atlas mountains...

On this page:

London to Tangier train times

Tangier to London train times

Fares & costs 

How to buy tickets

Train travel within Morocco, Tangier to Marrakech, Fez, Rabat, Casablanca

Hotels & accommodation in Morocco  Car hire in Morocco

Escorted tours to Morocco by train

Above:  The fantastic mud-built town at Aït ben Haddou, south of Marrakech...

Train times London ► Morocco

• Day 1: London to Paris by Eurostar.  Travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 13:37 arriving in Paris Gare du Nord at 17:08.  By all means book an earlier Eurostar if you'd like to spend some time in Paris or if it has cheaper seats available.  There are left luggage lockers at both Paris Nord and Paris Austerlitz.

• Cross Paris by metro to the Gare d'Austerlitz. 

• Day 1: Paris to Madrid by trainhotel.  Travel from Paris to Madrid overnight on the excellent Elipsos 'trainhotel', leaving Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 19:45 and arriving next morning at Madrid Chamartin station at 09:13.  The Paris-Madrid trainhotel normally runs daily, but will not run on Tuesday or Wednesday nights between 14 December 2008 & 27 March 2009 (but will run on 22 & 29 Dec & 5 Jan).  See the London to Spain page for an alternative on these days.  The trainhotel is a special articulated sleeper train with 4-berth tourist class sleepers, 1- & 2-berth 1st class sleepers, and 1- & 2-berth Gran Clase sleepers with private shower & toilet.  The trainhotel has an elegant restaurant car and a vibrant café-bar, see the London to Spain page for more information about this train, or the excellent virtual tour at www.elipsos.com.

• Spend some time enjoying Madrid.  Map of Madrid.  There are left luggage lockers at both Madrid Chamartin where you arrive and Madrid Atocha from where you depart.  You can take the metro from Chamartin into the city centre, see www.metromadrid.es, or take a suburban train free of charge to Atocha (show your trainhotel ticket) and deposit your bags there.  In the late afternoon, make your way by metro to Madrid's Atocha station, or simply walk there from the city centre, it's about 25 minutes walk.

• Day 2: Madrid to Algeciras by Altaria train.  Travel from Madrid to Algeciras (the Spanish town across the bay from Gibraltar) on the afternoon 'Altaria' air-conditioned 125mph train, leaving Madrid Atocha station at 15:05 and arriving in Algeciras at 20:33.  It's a scenic ride, though the last part may be after dark.  Altaria trains have 1st class (Preferente) and 2nd class (Turista) and a cafe-bar with full length wooden bar and barstools.  The Preferente fare includes a complimentary aperitif of sherry or cava then an airline-style hot meal with choice of wines followed by coffee and chocolate.  Preferente passengers may also use the Sala Club (1st class lounge) with complimentary coffee, juices and free beer, in Madrid Atocha station.

• It's possible to reach Tangier the same night, by taking the 21:00 bus from Algeciras to Tarifa arriving 21:45, then the 23:00 fast ferry from Tarifa to Tangier, run by www.frs.es.  The ferry from Tarifa takes just 35 minutes, and because of the difference in time zones it arrives in Tangier at 21:35 or 22:35 Moroccan time, depending on the time of year.  The bus to Tarifa leaves from Algeciras main bus station, just across the road from the rail station, the fare is just a few euro.  However, arriving in Tangier late at night is not ideal.  It's nicer to spend the night in Algeciras and cross the Straits of Gibraltar next morning in daylight, as suggested below

• Day 2:  Spend the night in Algeciras - easily the nicest place to stay is the historic 4-star but relatively inexpensive Hotel Reina Cristina, set in its own grounds 10 minute's walk from both the railway station and the ferry terminal.  Algeciras hotels.  Map of Algeciras & Gibraltar area.

• Day 3: Algeciras to Tangier by ferry.  In Algeciras, the modern ferry passenger terminal is only a 10-minute walk from the station straight ahead of you.  Sail from Algeciras to Tangier by ferry, on either a leisurely ship taking 2½ hours or a fast ferry taking 1 hour.  There are a range of departures throughout the day, operated by a variety of ferry companies.  The fast ferries are more modern & quicker, but you'll  be sealed-in except for a windy observation deck at the rear which may or may not be open.  The conventional ships are older and slower, but their open decks allow you to enjoy the crossing and take photographs in the open air. 

• Whichever you choose, the ferry sails out of Algeciras harbour in a wide arc to starboard with the Rock of Gibraltar to port, then sails through the Straits of Gibraltar from east to west before turning across the shipping lane into Tangier.  It's a scenic trip, and you can see for yourself just how narrow the straits between Europe and Africa really are, between the two famous 'Pillars of Hercules'!  There's usually a ship leaving at either 08:00 arriving Tangier at 08:30/09:30, or at 09:00 arriving Tangier 09:30/10:30 (arrival times vary because the time difference between Spain & Morocco varies at different times of year). 

• There's no need to book in advance for any of the ferries, just turn up and buy your ticket at the ticket offices at the entrance to the passenger terminal, then go inside the terminal and upstairs to the check-in windows.  To check ferry times and fares, see www.trasmediterranea.es (ship & fast ferry), www.comarit.com (ship) or www.euroferrys.com (ship & fast ferry, also bookable through www.trasmediterranea.es) or www.nautas-almaghreb.com (fast ferry).  In Tangier, it's a few minutes walk from the ferry terminal to the town centre, old medina & Continental Hotel.  The Seat61 Ferry Shop will give ferry times, fares and online booking for both Nautas and Trasmediterranea.

• An alternative if you'd prefer to spend the night in Madrid instead of in Algeciras:  On day 2, stay the night in a hotel in Madrid, then on the morning of day 3 take the 08:40 Altaria train from Madrid Atocha station to Algeciras, arriving at 14:05.  An afternoon ferry from Algeciras will get you to Tangier in the evening on day 3.  Although a half day slower overall, this option gives you a full day and evening in Madrid, and the morning Altaria train to Algeciras will show you the wonderful mountain scenery in southern Spain in daylight.

• Onwards travel by train:  For onwards travel from Tangier to Marrakech, Fez, Rabat & Casablanca, see the train travel in Morocco section.

On board the trainhotel from Paris to Madrid...

The trainhotel's café-bar...		The trainhotel's elegant restaurant...

Gran Clase sleeper, in evening mode with the seats folded out...		...return from dinner to find the attendant has made up the beds...		Gran Clase sleepers have a private toilet & shower...		The trainhotels from Paris to Madrid and Barcelona are articulated Spanish 'Talgo' trains, jointly run by French & Spanish railways.

On board the Altaria train from Madrid to Algeciras...

The afternoon train to Algeciras about to leave Madrid Atocha...		Turista (2nd class) on Altaria...		In Preferente, passengers get a complimentary meal with wine...

The ferry from Algeciras to Tangier...

Above:  Conventional ferries take 2½ hours, and their decks allow you to enjoy the crossing of the Straits of Gibraltar in the open air. Here, a ferry from Algeciras approaches Tangier...		Above:  Alternatively, fast ferries take just an hour, although you're largely sealed in.  Here, a fast ferry from Tangier arrives in Algeciras with the Rock of Gibraltar in the background...

Why not see Gibraltar on the way?

Buses link Algeciras bus station (across the road from the station) with La Linea, the frontier with Gibraltar, every 30-45 minutes, taking about 30 minutes, fare about 1.90 euro.  You then walk from La Linea across the frontier into Gibraltar town centre in about 10 minutes. The walk takes you across Gibraltar Airport's main runway, but don't worry, they stop the cars and pedestrians when a plane comes in to land!  The bus operator website is www.ctmcg.com.  Alternatively, a taxi from Algeciras railway station all the way to Gibraltar costs around 24 euro.

A fast ferry occasionally operates from Gibraltar to Tangier (the operator is www.frs.es) but there were no sailings at all in 2007 and only Friday & Sunday evening crossings in 2008, so after visiting Gibraltar just return to Algeciras for the regular ferries from there.

Train times Morocco ► London

• For train connections from Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fez, Meknès to Tangier, see below.

• Day 1, evening:  Take a ferry from Tangier to Algeciras.  On most days there's a ship which sails from Tangier at 18:00 arriving in Algeciras at 21:30 or at 19:00 arriving Algeciras at 22:30.  It's a 2½ hour crossing by ship or 1½ hours by fast seacat.  See www.trasmediterranea.es, www.comarit.com, www.euroferrys.com, or www.nautas-almaghreb.com to check ferry times & fares.  Spend the night in Algeciras.

• Day 2, morning:  Travel from Algeciras to Madrid by high-speed Altaria train.  You leave Algeciras at 08:30 and arrive in Madrid Atocha at 13:57.  Altaria trains have air-conditioned 2nd class (Turista), 1st class (Preferente) and a cafe-bar.  The Preferente fare includes an at-seat meal with aperitif and selection of wines.  Make your way by metro or suburban train to Madrid Chamartin.

• An alternative if you'd prefer a day and night in Madrid:  On day 1, leave Tangier on a lunchtime ferry around 10:00 or 11:00 arriving Algeciras, see www.trasmediterranea.es, www.comarit.com or www.euroferrys.com to check sailing times and fares.  Then take the afternoon Altaria train from Algeciras (departing at 15:15) to Madrid (arriving Madrid Atocha at 20:50), and spend the night in Madrid.

• Day 2, evening:  Travel from Madrid to Paris on the excellent overnight trainhotel, leaving Madrid Chamartin at 19:00 and arriving in Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 08:27 next morning.  The Madrid-Paris trainhotel normally run daily, but will not run on Monday or Tuesday nights between 14 December 2008 & 26 March 2009 (but will run on 23, 30 Dec & 6 Jan), see the London to Spain page for an alternative on these days.  Sleepers, bar, restaurant are available.  Trainhotel passengers in Preferente and Gran Clase sleepers may use the Sala Club (1st class lounge) at Madrid Chamartin near platform 14, with complimentary tea, coffee, juices and free beer.  On arrival in Paris, take the metro to the Gare du Nord:  Metro line 5 links Paris Nord & Paris Austerlitz, just follow the signs 'M5 direction Bobigny Pablo Picasso'.

• Day 3, morning:  Travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 11:13 and arriving in London at 12:38.

How much does it cost?

Can I stop off on the way?

Of course.  The Eurostar, the trainhotel and the Altaria train are ticketed as three separate journeys, so feel free to book each leg of the journey on whatever dates you like, spending however long you like in Paris or Madrid on the way.  The Altaria trains all stop at Ronda on the way to and from Algeciras, a wonderful town to visit.  Left luggage facilities in Paris & Madrid.

How to buy tickets online...

The easiest and cheapest way to book your London-Morocco train journey is online.

• Step 1, book the London-Paris Eurostar & the Paris-Madrid trainhotel, following the step-by-step instructions on the London to Spain page for using either www.raileurope.co.uk (UK residents) or www.voyages-sncf.com (residents of any country).

• Step 2, book the train from Madrid to Algeciras & back.  There are two ways to do this.  Option 1, painless but usually more expensive, is to stay with www.raileurope.co.uk, click 'continue shopping' and book it along with your London-Paris-Madrid tickets as one transaction.  Remember that the outward date will be the day after your departure from London.  If it refuses to book a return, try booking as two one-ways.  However, www.raileurope.co.uk can only sell the normal flexible fare between Madrid & Algeciras, it can't sell the cheap 'Web' or 'Estrella' fares.  So option 2 is to book the Madrid-Algeciras & Algeciras-Madrid trains using the Spanish Railways website www.renfe.es, looking for these cheap deals.  Before trying to use www.renfe.es, please read these step-by step instructions.

• Step 3, tickets for the ferry can easily be bought at the ferry terminal when you get to Algeciras, as there are always places available, no pre-booking necessary.  Alternatively, you can pre-book using the Seat61 Ferry Shop, which will book either Trasmediterranea (ship or fast ferry) or Nautas (fast ferry).

How to buy tickets by phone...

You may prefer to book by phone.  To book train travel all the way from London to Algeciras, call www.spanish-rail.co.uk on 020 7224 0345 (lines open 09:30-17:30 Monday-Friday), or Rail Europe on 0844 848 5 848 (lines open 08:00-21:00 Mondays-Fridays, 09:00-18:00 Saturdays and 10:00-17:00 Sundays).  There is no need to book the Algeciras-Tangier ferry in advance, just buy a ticket at the ferry terminal when you get to Algeciras.  See the 'how to buy tickets' section on the Europe page for more info about how to book European trains.

Alternative journey London ► Morocco:

This means more time on trains and less time in Madrid, but you can leave London a couple of hours later, and it can be handy if the trainhotel is fully-booked, or (as on Mondays & Tuesdays in January & February) the trainhotel isn't running.  Railpass holders may also find this option cheaper:  InterRail or railpass holders need to pay a £59 sleeper supplement or £27 reclining seat supplement to travel on the Paris-Madrid trainhotel in each direction- the following option only requires a £18 couchette supplement plus a £8-£10 InterCity or Talgo supplement.

• Day 1 afternoon, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 17:35 and arriving in Paris (Gare du Nord) at 21:14.  Cross Paris by métro to the Gare d'Austerlitz.

• Day 1 evening, travel from Paris to Irun on the Spanish frontier overnight leaving Paris Austerlitz at 23:11 and arriving 07:32 next morning. This train has 6-berth 2nd class couchettes & 4-berth 1st class couchettes, but no longer any sleeping-car.  What are French couchettes like?

• Day 2 morning, take a connecting air-conditioned Alvia train (supplement payable) leaving Irun at 08:15 and arriving Madrid Chamartin at 13:53.

• Day 2 evening, travel from Madrid (Atocha station) to Algeciras by Altaria train, leaving Madrid at 15:05 arriving Algeciras at 20:33.  Spend the night there.

• Day 3 morning, take a ferry to Tangier as shown above.

Alternative journey Morocco ► London:

• Day 1 morning, take a ferry from Tangier to Algeciras around 10:00, a 2½ hour crossing, see www.trasmediterranea.es for ferry times.

• Day 1 afternoon, travel from Algeciras to Madrid by Altaria train as shown above, leaving Algeciras at 15:15 and arrives at Madrid Chamartin at 20:50.  Spend the night in Madrid.

• Day 2, travel from Madrid to Hendaye on the French frontier on an air-conditioned 'Altaria' train leaving Madrid Atocha at 16:10 arriving Hendaye at 22:00 (double-check times at www.renfe.es).

• This connects with the overnight train to Paris, leaving Hendaye at 22:19 and arriving in Paris Gare d'Austerlitz at 07:10.  Couchettes (2nd class 6-bunk & 1st class 4-bunk) are available.

• Day 3 morning, a Eurostar leaves Paris Gare du Nord at 09:07 arriving back in London St Pancras at 11:16.

France - Morocco by sea...

If you prefer a longer sea voyage, there are regular passenger ships from Sète in the South of France to Tangier, run by Comanav (Compagnie Maroccaine de Navigation).  See www.southernferries.co.uk/comanav_ferries.htm  for sailing dates and fares.  It's easy to get from London to Sète by train - use http://bahn.hafas.de for train times.

Railpasses:

If you just want to travel to and from Morocco, just buy normal tickets as a railpass is unlikely to save money.  For example, if you have a railpass you have to pay a 67 euro supplement to travel on the Paris-Madrid trainhotel in a 4-berth sleeper, but you can find a 67 euro special fare if you book in advance, without a railpass, so why bother with the pass?!  However, if you already have a railpass or InterRail card, or if you want to make other trips in France, Spain or Morocco so that a railpass becomes worthwhile, here are approximate supplements which railpass holders need to pay on this route:

• A 2-zone InterRail pass giving unlimited travel for a month in France, Spain and Morocco.  See the railpass page to check prices & buy online.

• You will need to add at least £59 return for the Eurostar from London to Paris as railpasses do not cover Eurostar.

• You will need to budget for the following supplements: (1) £15 each way for a couchette or £49 each way for a berth in a 2-berth sleeper on the overnight train between Paris and Irun;  (2) about £8 each way to cover the Talgo or InterCity supplement between Irun and Madrid;  (3) about £10 each way for a couchette or £30 each way for a sleeping-car room between Madrid and Algeciras.

• If you want to use the trainhotel option, the approximate supplements are:  (1) £51 each way for a trainhotel sleeping-car berth between Paris and Madrid and (2) about 9 euros (£7) each way for the Altaria supplement each way between Madrid and Algeciras.

Train routes in Morocco

The trains in Morocco are some of the best in Africa, and they're the ideal choice for getting around between cities.  Fast, modern, air-conditioned 'trains rapides climatisés' link Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Meknès, Fez & Oujda, see the route map above.  Regular trains link Casablanca airport with the city centre.  Agadir and Essaouira have no railway station, but are linked to Marrakech by connecting bus.

Above:  A Moroccan train at Sidi Kacem...		Above:  The 11:00 express from Tangier has just arrived in Fes...

How to check train times & fares...

You can easily check Moroccan train times & fares at the Moroccan Railways (ONCF) website, www.oncf.ma, which now has an English language button at top left.  Fares are very cheap, see fare examples below. 

How to buy tickets...

There is no easy way to book trains from outside Morocco, and you don't generally need to book in advance anyway.  Just buy your ticket at the station on the day, or perhaps the day before.  In 2nd class, seat reservation isn't even possible, you just buy a ticket and hop on.  Seats can be reserved in 1st class, up to a month in advance.  In Morocco, you can also book by phone on 090 20 30 40, but this number is not accessible from overseas.  Sleeping-berths (4-berth couchettes) on the convenient Tangier-Marrakech overnight train can be reserved up to 2 months in advance.  These can somtimes get fully-booked, so book as far in advance as you can, but it's reportedly sometimes possible to find berths available on the day of travel.  One seat61 correspondent suggests arranging couchette tickets on this train through local travel agency Travel Link (www.travellink.ma, 83 Rue de la Liberté, Tanger, call +212 39 93 58 77 or email nait@travellink.ma), though reports about this agency have been mixed. 

Tangier's new station...

The old station in Tangier near the port & medina was closed a few years ago, but an impressive new Tanger Ville station has now been completed just inland from the far end of the sea front.  Walking from the port, the medina or the Continental Hotel to the new station takes around 30-35 minutes, so take a petit taxi as this only costs 20 dirhams or so (about £1.30).

Above:  Tangier's new station		Above:  Inside Tangier station, showing ticket windows

Taking the train South from Tangier...

Here is the complete train timetable from Tangier to the rest of Morocco.  Tangier is on a branch line, the main line links Fez, Meknès, Rabat, Casablanca & Marrakech with a train every two hours or so, see www.oncf.ma for a complete timetable.  Note that for some reason the journey planner at www.oncf.ma doesn't always show every connection to or from Tangier where a change of trains is involved, for example it shows the first train of the day from Tangier to Fez as 11:00, when (as you can see from the timetable below) there is indeed an 08:00 train from Tangier to Sidi Kacem and another onward train from Sidi Kacem to Fez arriving 14:35.  If you break the Tangier-Fez journey down into Tangier-Sidi Kacem & Sidi Kacem to Fez, it easily finds both trains!