Built-in 2008, the Marrakech Menara Airport is one of the largest and busiest of Morocco. I believe it’s one of the most beautiful airports in the world. The Abdellah El Ghari Architects, in collaboration with French Architect, Claude Costantini, combined the contemporary architecture of the airport with traditional Moroccan styles.
Marrakech airport is located only 7 km of the main Jemaa el-Fnaa square. By car, it takes around 20 minutes to get to the centre.
HOW TO GET FROM MARRAKECH AIRPORT TO THE CITY CENTER (MEDINA)
To get into from the Marrakech airport to the Marrakech centre (I call center the Medina/old town), you can use a public shuttle bus, private airport transfer or a taxi.
PUBLIC BUS
The airport bus line 19 operates from 6.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. The bus leaves from the stop located after the parking lot. The price is 30 MAD one way, and 50 MAD to return (around 3&5 euros).
How to use Marrakech Airport Bus 19 to Marrakech City Center?
Line 19 takes you directly to Jemaa el-Fnaa square, and after stops at the local Bab Doukkala bus station, then continues toward Gueliz, stops at the train station and comes back to the airport. If your hotel is located in Gueliz, I would recommend taking a taxi, as the bus makes a big circle around the town.
TAXI
After leaving the Marrakech airport building, find the stairs that lead to the taxis place. There is an employe redirecting travellers to the empty taxis. He will show you the available driver. Small taxis circulate within city boundaries only and can take only 3 people. Big, Grand Taxis can seat up to 6 people.
How much is a taxi from Marrakech airport to the city?
The board next to the taxis states that prices are fixed:
SMALL TAXI in the city (3 people max): 70 MAD/taxi day time and 100 MAD night time
BIG TAXI in the city: 100 MAD/taxi day time and 150 MAD night time
If your hotel is located outside the city, in Palmeraie district or around, prices jumps 50 MAD more.
It’s rare that taxi driver at the airport will take you for 70 MAD, so I would say 100 MAD is a good bargain. Often taxi drivers will tell you that your hotel/riad is far from the airport, but it’s not true. Most of the riad’s are located in the old town, Medina.
Negotiate the fare before boarding the taxi and remember this rule for any taxi ride in Marrakech. It’s common experience that the taxi driver without asking first takes your luggage and travellers don’t have time to negotiate. Never step into the taxi before negotiating the price.
However, if you are staying in a big hotel chain, probably it will be located outside Marrakech. Double-check first the map before flying to Marrakech.
Private transfers
If you booked an airport transfer, your driver will be waiting outside the airport, right after you leave the main door. Only some drivers are allowed to wait inside the airport at the arrival gate.
ALTERNATIVE
To save money, walk outside the airport to the roundabout and catch a taxi. If the meter is on, it will cost you around 15-20 MAD to reach Medina. Or, stop a shared grand-taxi which is already travelling to Medina. The cost will be 5 MAD per seat. Close to the same roundabout, you can also catch No 11 city bus which also stops at Jemaa El Fna. The bus costs 4 MAD.
These local options are not suitable if you have bigger luggage as you share the taxi with other people or the local bus is often crowded.
TO CONCLUDE
I hope that this step-by-step guide on how to get from Marrakech airport to the city centre will help you to start your Moroccan adventure smoothly. Taxi drivers love ripping off tourists in many world airports, and the Marrakech ones is not an exception.
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