Marrakech to Fes is one of Morocco's busiest traveler routes — and there's no high-speed train between them, so the 'obvious' option isn't always the right one. Here's every way to do it (train, bus, flight, private driver), honestly compared on time and cost — plus the route most people don't realize is the best part of the trip.
Marrakech to Fes is one of the most-travelled routes in Morocco, and the first thing to know is the thing most people get wrong: there's no direct high-speed train between them. Morocco's Al Boraq high-speed line runs Tangier–Kenitra–Rabat–Casablanca, not across to Marrakech–Fes, so the 'just take the fast train' instinct doesn't apply here. Your real options are the regular train (~7 hours), a flight (~1 hour but usually via Casablanca), a long bus, or — the one most first-timers don't consider — turning the journey itself into the best part of the trip via the desert. Here's the honest comparison.
| Option | Time | Rough cost | Honest verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train (ONCF, direct) | ~7 hrs | ~$20–35 (1st class) | Comfortable, no driving; books out in summer — reserve ahead |
| Flight (often via Casablanca) | ~1 hr air + airport time | ~$60–150 | Fastest in the air, but transfers/check-in eat the saving; rarely worth it |
| Bus (CTM / Supratours) | ~8–9 hrs | ~$15–25 | Cheapest; long, less comfortable than the train |
| Private driver (direct) | ~8 hrs | driver day-rate | Door-to-door, stops where you like; overkill if you only want A-to-B |
| The desert route (3–4 days) | 3–4 days | tour cost | Not a transfer — the highlight: Aït Benhaddou, the gorges, a Sahara night, then Fes |
Should you take the train from Marrakech to Fes?
For most travellers who just want to get between the two cities, the train is the right answer: around 7 hours, roughly $20–35 in first class, comfortable, no driving, and you can read or sleep. Book ahead (online via ONCF or at the station) in summer and around holidays, when it sells out. It's not high-speed, but it's the easy, low-stress choice — and you arrive in the centre, not at an airport.
Is it worth flying from Marrakech to Fes?
Usually not. The flight is about an hour in the air, but there's often no direct service (you connect through Casablanca), and once you add getting to the airport two hours early, check-in, and the transfer at the other end, the door-to-door time isn't far off the train — for several times the price and more hassle. Fly only if it's part of a wider international routing.
What about the bus?
CTM and Supratours are the reliable intercity coach companies — clean, safe, and cheap (~$15–25), but the Marrakech–Fes run is 8–9 hours and less comfortable than the train for similar journey time. Choose it to save money; otherwise the train is the better long-haul.
The option most people miss: don't transfer — travel
Here's the reframe. The fastest way between Marrakech and Fes treats the middle of Morocco as empty space to cross. But the best part of a Morocco trip is exactly that 'empty' middle — the Tizi n'Tichka pass, the UNESCO kasbah of Aït Benhaddou, the Dadès and Todra gorges, and a night on the Erg Chebbi dunes at Merzouga. Done as a 3-to-4-day private journey from Marrakech, ending in Fes, the 'transfer' becomes the highlight of the holiday, and you arrive in Fes having seen the Atlas, the desert and the kasbah road in between — instead of having watched it blur past a train window.
This is the single most popular thing we run, precisely because it solves two problems at once (getting to Fes, and seeing the desert) in the days you'd otherwise spend just transferring. If you're weighing how many days to give it, our honest Marrakech to Fes in 4 or 5 days comparison breaks down the difference, and the Marrakech-to-Merzouga desert playbook covers the route in detail. Our 3-day Fes–Sahara route runs it with a private driver-guide; tell us your dates and we'll sequence it whichever way your flights land.
Quick rule of thumb: just need to be in Fes tomorrow? Take the train. Have 3–4 days and want the desert anyway? Make the journey the trip — it's the better use of the same days.
Written by
Youssef El Alaoui
Lead Morocco Specialist
Born in Fes, based in Marrakech. Designs private itineraries for Morocco Beauty Spots and still argues mint tea is best in the Atlas.
