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Marrakech - public bus from airport

caffcaff
edited August 2011 in - North Africa
I'll be staying at a hotel very close to Bab Doukkala bus station, can you advise how I get there from the airport using public transport? And will the bus drive expect the correct change - I'll only jusst have changed money at the airport? Thanks
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Comments

  • GuestGuest
    edited 2:57PM
    you can get small taxi " en french '"petit taxi" it Between 40 dh and 60 dh if u need more help contact me this my email ou.arka@hotmail.fr

    take care have nice holiday here in morrocco
  • MissBebetiMissBebeti
    edited 2:57PM
    I went to Marrakech the previous week. we arranged to have a taxi driver to pick us up and het to the hotel. our man offers also tour guiding and we had a very good time going to the Atlas mountians, visiting a local market on the way as well as Berber house and d'Argand oil feminine cooperative as we all a walking track in the mountains. he showed us a few things and told us a bit about Morroco and places. we really enjoyed his services. If you want I can send you his details.
    as for public transport - don't know anything. didn't see a bus at the airport so I think taxi would be best.
    also - I think it's best to change money at the airport because it's safe and you don't have to worry about being without local currency.
  • johnk9159johnk9159
    edited 2:57PM
    Getting a taxi from the airport can be a costly affair, typical rates are anything between 80 and 150Dirhams as the drivers do try it on with visitors.
    It may help to know at which hotel you are staying.
    Bus service number 19 goes from the airport to Marrakech centre and costs 20Dh for each person or you can purchase a return ticket for 30Dh. There may also be a small charge for luggage but I’m not sure what this is or if it is included in the fare.
    Come out of the airport doors and go across the parking area, the bus stop is just to the left, no need to cross the road. There is a large lit up poster with a picture of the bus and bus times. Buses depart on the hour and half hour.
    The driver may stop as close to the hotel as he possibly can if you tell him where you are staying; surprisingly some bus drivers do speak English.
    If you just miss the bus you may have to wait quite a time during which you will be hassled by taxi drivers, just say no thank you or La Shokran and ignore them.
    If the bus driver does not go near the hotel, then get off near Jemaa el Fna square and get a petit taxi for about 20Dh.
    If you need a map of the centre get in touch, my e-mail is jklejna@aol.com.
  • johnk9159johnk9159
    edited September 2011
    When at the airport, you can use either the Bureau de Change or an ATM of which there are two. ATM's frequently run out of money of Friday and weekends and are not stocked up again until the following week.
    You will probably be given large notes so ask for smaller denominations for bus/taxi.
    When bringing paper currency into Morocco (U.S. Dollars, British Pounds, Euros etc.), these must be in near perfect condition - no tears or ink marks. Do not bring Scottish or Irish Sterling notes as they are impossible to cash as are Australian and Canadian Dollars.
    Furthermore, if you intend to use a debit card, advise your bank or card issuer that you intend to travel abroad so that no block will be put on the usage of your card. Notify the issuer and give them a 'phone number where you can be contacted abroad.
  • GuestGuest
    edited 2:57PM
    Hi I am planning my first trip to marrakech and I would like to know if the number 19 bus from the airport goes into the place jemalfna itself and if so where does it stop. I have read that it stops outside the KFC but can anyone tell me if that is inside the place and if so where. The reason I need to plan in such great detail is because I am disabled and don't want to walk a long way to get to my hotel. I haven't booked my hotel yet because I want to look for one as close as possible to where the bus stops. Please don't tell me to get a taxi, I prefer to be more independant and more adventurous than that despite my disabilities. I have travelled all over the world and have managed fine, partly I think because I do lots of research before I go to a new place and try to anticipate potential difficulties.
  • johnk9159johnk9159
    edited 2:57PM
    Perhaps you could say at which hotel you are staying so we can get an idea of how best to get there.
    There are a number of stops at which the 19 bus parks up, mainly outside of hotels for the benefit of travellers not wishing to use outrageously overpriced taxi's.
  • caffcaff
    edited 2:57PM
    Hello Jakki

    The bus goes to Djemaa el Fna but not into the square itself, which is mostly pedestrianised. The no. 19 stops on the main road opposite the Koutoubia Mosque.
  • GuestGuest
    edited 2:57PM
    Hi Johnk9159, thank you for your response. I haven't booked a hotel yet because I am trying to find a hotel near a bus stop if possible. I am not going for a couple of month yet so I should have time to get it sorted before I go.

    Hi caff, thank you for your response as well. With the information that you have given me here plus other information I have found elsewhere since I posted my query I think I now have a good idea about where the bus stops are.

    Kind regards to both of you.
  • johnk9159johnk9159
    edited March 2013
    Just found this info: The number 19 Marrakech Menara airport bus offers a half hourly service from Marrakech Menara airport and stops at the destinations below. These are not in order of the actual stops but feature on the Alsa bus leaflet – ask the driver for your intended destination.

    1. The Mamounia hotel
    2. The Royal Mirage hotel (now Albatross hotel)
    3. The Kenzi Farah hotel
    4. Es Saadi hotel (all hotels above are on Avenue de Menara)
    5. Ryad Mogador (at Bab Doukkala)
    6. M. Eddhabi
    7. The Meridian
    8. Siaha Farah
    9. Sofitel
    10. Le Marrakech hotel (in Guilez)
    11. El Andalous
    12. Ryad Opera
    13. Kenza
    14. Corail
    15. Hivernage & Spa
    16. Agdal
    17. Les Almoravids (Guilez, near to Bab Nkob)
    18. Atlas Marrakech
    19. Les Idissides
    20. Imperial Borj - CLOSED DOWN
    21. Golden Tulip (Siaha)
    22. Chems
    23. Caspien hotel
    24. Amalay
    25. Al Boustane
    26. Ibis hotel (Guilez/Hivernage)
    27. Hasna
    28. Oudaya
    29. Tafoukt
    30. Al Kabir
    31. Hotel Diwane (Guilez)
    32. Pacha
    33. Menara
    34. Mont Guilez
    35. L Hamra
    36. Imperial Holiday
    37. Tazi (the square)
    38. Hotel Foucauld (the square)
    39. Le Gallia
    40. Central Palace
    41. The palmeries (multiple hotels)
    42. Bahia (medina)
    43. Club Med (the square)
    44. Jnane el Harti
    45. Al Charaf
    46. Toulousain
    47. Hotel Nassim (Guilez)
    48. Amani
    49. Atlassy
    50. Atlas Medina
    51. Ryad Opera
    52. Royal Mirage Palace
    53. Akabar

    This is a link for YouTube where you can see info on the airport and map, although this is not very clear so try setting to 1080p for higher resolution: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-7ml0Dxkmo
    Additionally, this is the link to the Alsa website who run the 19 bus. It shows the route for the bus but not hotel names along the route: http://www.alsa.ma/en/marrakech
    If you wish to match this a map, I can send you a copy by e-mail, contact me at jklejna@aol.com
  • GuestGuest
    edited 2:57PM
    Thank you to everyone who posted bus information for the benefit of people like myself who will be visiting marrakech for the first time. Does anyone have any experience of travelling in Marrakech with a wheelchair? How easy is it to move around the narrow streets and the souks in the old city? What is the attitude of locals to people in wheelchairs?
  • johnk9159johnk9159
    edited 2:57PM
    You will see but a few of the local people in wheelchairs although you will be looked at as something of an oddity but not in a menacing way. People will just leave you to do your own thing here.
    When first in Morocco, one of my fellow travelers was in a wheelchair which he made himself in a workshop. Thus he was able to dismantle it into pieces so he could get into a taxi and put the sections in the boot. His problem though was he could not walk at all and relied on the wheelchair completely. When getting around town, he was a bit of a mercenary plowing into people!
    Most of the terrain in Marrakech, including the souks, is fairly flat so easy to negotiate.
    Hotels may not have lifts so consider this when choosing one. Do a lot of research beforehand so that you are informed as to what facilities they may or may not have.
  • GuestGuest
    edited 2:57PM
    Thanks again johnk9159
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