World Country Guide

Travel - International

Note
Following the series of terrorist attacks that took place in Casablanca on May 16 2003, all travellers are advised to be vigilant and to avoid crowds and public places crowded with other foreigners. Most visits to Morocco are trouble-free, but violent crime - though not a major problem in Morocco - is on the increase. Visitors to the Western Sahara region should contact their relevant travel advice department for advice prior to arrival.

Air
Morocco’s national airline is Royal Air Maroc (AT) (website: www.royalairmaroc.com). Other airlines serving Morocco include Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa and SWISS. There are frequent direct flights from all major European cities, from North America and from the Middle East.

Approximate flight times
From Casablanca to London is three hours; from Tangier is two hours 30 minutes. From Casablanca to New York is six hours 30 minutes.

International airports
Casablanca (CMN) (Mohammed V) is 30km (19 miles) south of the city (travel time – 35 minutes). Airport facilities include outgoing duty free shop, post office, banking and bureau de change facilities, restaurant, bar and car hire facilities (Avis, Budget, Europcar, InterRent and Hertz). There are taxi services into Casablanca and train services available to Rabat.
Tangier (TNG) (Boukhalef Souahel) is 11km (7 miles) from the city (travel time – 20 minutes). Airport facilities include outgoing duty free shop, banking and bureau de change facilities, restaurant, bar and car hire facilities (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Tourist Car). Bus and taxi services are available into Tangier.
Other international airports include Fez (FEZ), Marrakech (RAK) and Rabat-Sal (RBA).

Departure tax
None.

Sea
Principal ports are Tangier, Casablanca and Ceuta. Lines serving these ports are Bland Line (from Spain and Gibraltar), Comanav (from France, Spain and Italy), Compaa Trasmediterrnea, Limadet, Polish Ocean Lines (from Northern Europe) and Transtour.
Car/passenger ferries: Ferry operators include FerriMaroc (website: www.ferrimaroc.com) and Trasmediterranea (website: www.trasmediterranea.com). There are cheap and regular car- and passenger-ferry links between southern Spain and Tangier and the Spanish enclaves on the north Moroccan coast. Most links are roll-on, roll-off car ferries except where shown. The routes are from Algeciras to Ceuta (Sebta) (car ferry); Algeciras to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Tarifa to Tangier (hydrofoil); Gibraltar to Tangier (hydrofoil and car ferry); Almera to Melilla (car ferry); Mlaga to Melilla (car ferry); and Almera to Nador (car ferry).
There are also car ferries between Ste on the French coast (between Bziers and Montpellier on the Golfe du Lyon) and Tangier run by Compagnie Marocaine de Navigation.

Rail
Rail links between Morocco and Algeria are currently suspended. The main international routes are from Oujda to Algiers or from Oran to Algiers.

Road
The best road link is from southern Spain or France via passenger/car ferries (see above under Sea). The road link on the north Algerian border is currently closed. Eurolines, departing from Victoria Coach Station in London, serves destinations in Morocco. For further information, contact Eurolines (52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1; tel: (08705) 143 219; website: www.eurolines.com or www.nationalexpress.com).