Luggage Bus stations in the main cities have left-luggage depots (consigne) , sometimes open
24 hours. Padlock your bags. More often than not you’ll be charged for baggage handling,
especially if your gear is going on top of the bus – Dh5 is common.
Costs Bus travel is cheap considering the distances covered. CTM fares from Casablanca to
Agadir, Marrakesh, Fez and Tangier are Dh220, Dh130, Dh70 and Dh100 respectively.
Companies including Supratours offer 1st- and 2nd-class tickets, although the difference in fare
and comfort is rarely great.
Reservations Where possible, and especially if services are infrequent or do not originate in
the place you want to leave, book ahead for CTM and Supratours buses. Particularly busy
routes are Marrakesh– Essaouira and Casablanca–Marrakesh, where you may need to reserve
seats two days in advance in high season.
Daytime journeys Many buses have rather meagre curtains, so to avoid melting in the sun,
pay attention to where you sit. Heading from north to south, sit on the right in the morning and
the left in the afternoon; east to west, sit on the right, or on the left if travelling from west to
east. You will often be assigned a seat when you purchase your ticket, but you can ask to
choose a place.
Night-time journeys Operating on many intercity routes, night buses can be both quicker and
cooler, although not necessarily more sleep-inducing.
Stops Most bus trips longer than three hours incorporate a scheduled stop to stretch your legs
and grab a snack. Buses are often delayed at police checkpoints for about 10 minutes – longer
than grands taxis, whose local drivers usually know the police.
TRAVELLERS’ CODE OF ETIQUETTE
When travelling on public transport, it’s considered both selfish and bad manners to eat while those around you go without.
Always buy a little extra that can be offered to your neighbours; a bag of fruit is a good choice.
Next comes the ritual. If you offer food, etiquette dictates that your fellow passengers should decline it. It should be offered a
second time, a little more persuasively, but again it will be turned down. On a third, more insistent offer, your neighbours are
free to accept the gift if they wish to.
If you are offered food, but you don’t want it, it’s good manners to accept a small piece anyway, and to pat your stomach
contentedly to indicate that you are full. In return for participating in this ritual, you should be accorded great respect, offered
protection and cared for like a friend.Bus Operators
CTM
Compagnie de Transports au Maroc (www.ctm.ma) has the most comprehensive nationwide
network, serving most destinations of interest to travellers. Established in 1919, it’s Morocco’s
oldest bus company.
» » On CTM buses, children aged four years and over pay full fares, which tend to be 15% to
30% more expensive than most other lines – comparable to 2nd-class fares on normal trains.
» » Tickets can normally be purchased in advance.
» » Most CTM buses are modern and comfortable, and some 1st-class buses have videos (a
mixed blessing), air-conditioning and heating (they sometimes overdo both).