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ONCF · 2026 Fares & Discounts
Cheap Train Travel in Morocco: ONCF Budget Tips
Advance fares, second-class savings and hidden discount schemes that can cut your rail costs by up to 40% on the routes that matter most.
Yasmine El Amrani· Marrakech & Atlas Editor
Marrakech-born travel writer who has spent the last decade walking the medina’s souks and the High Atlas trails above Imlil. She covers the Red City, Berber villages and day trips into the mountains. Marrakech · 12+ years covering Morocco
Published 2 July 2025 Last updated 20 April 2026
Morocco’s national rail operator ONCF runs a comfortable, air-conditioned network linking all the main tourist cities — Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes, Tangier and Rabat — and the fares are already modest by European standards. But they get significantly cheaper if you know where to look. The Billets Coups de Cœur advance-purchase scheme, off-peak departures and the under-26 Carte Jeunes discount are genuinely underreported in English-language travel guides, yet they are the tools Moroccan students and budget travellers use every day.
This guide covers the main intercity routes with indicative second- and first-class fares, every discount scheme worth knowing about, how to book online from outside Morocco, and an honest answer to when a private transfer actually beats the train on value — especially once your group grows beyond two people and you factor in the stops you could be making along the way.
All fares below are indicative 2026 figures. ONCF prices change with demand and advance-booking timing, so treat them as a planning benchmark rather than a guaranteed quote.
Key Routes: First Class vs. Second Class Fares
Second class is the smart default on any journey under four hours. The carriages are air-conditioned on all express services and the saving is real — 30–40% on most routes.
| Route | Duration | 1st Class | 2nd Class | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casablanca → Marrakech | ~2h 45m | 195 MAD | 130 MAD | Al Boraq high-speed not available on this route; best via Al Atlas express |
| Casablanca → Fes | ~3h 45m | 200 MAD | 135 MAD | Frequent departures; change at Casa-Voyageurs |
| Casablanca → Tangier | ~2h 10m (Al Boraq) | 250 MAD | 140 MAD | Al Boraq high-speed is single class; regular trains also run |
| Fes → Marrakech | ~8h | 310 MAD | 215 MAD | Long ride — overnight couchette available on some departures |
| Tangier → Fes | ~4h 30m | 240 MAD | 155 MAD | Scenic Rif foothill stretch; popular with budget travellers heading north |
| Casablanca → Rabat | ~35m | 55 MAD | 35 MAD | Most frequent service — trains every 15–20 min at peak times |
* Indicative standard fares — Coups de Cœur advance prices can be 20–40% lower. Fares in MAD.
Every Discount Scheme Worth Knowing
Most tourists pay the walk-up fare because they do not know these exist. Each one is legitimate, widely used by Moroccan travellers, and available to foreign visitors.
Billets Coups de Cœur
ONCF's advance-purchase scheme. Book 7–30 days ahead online and fares drop by 20–40% on intercity services. Seats are limited — routes like Casablanca–Marrakech sell out on weekends.
Off-Peak Fares
Early morning (before 07:00) and late-evening departures carry lower base prices. The 05:55 Casablanca–Marrakech, for instance, is often 20–25 MAD cheaper than the same journey at 10:00.
Youth & Student Cards (Carte Jeunes / Isabelle)
Under-26 travellers and full-time students with a Moroccan student card can apply for a Carte Jeunes at any ONCF ticket window. It costs around 50 MAD annually and gives 25–30% off most fares. Worth it if you're spending more than a week riding trains.
Family Reduction
Families of four or more travelling together qualify for reductions of roughly 25% per ticket. Ask at the ticket window — it is not always advertised in English-language booking interfaces.
How to Book and What to Expect at the Station
Booking online from abroad is possible — but it comes with small practical hurdles you should know about before you try at midnight.
Booking online
The ONCF website (oncf.ma) and the ONCF Voyages app both sell tickets with QR-code pickup. International Visa and Mastercard work on most transactions, though some European-issued cards trip over 3D Secure authentication. If your card is declined, try the app rather than the website — it has a slightly different payment flow. Trainline also carries selected ONCF routes with a small booking fee added.
At the ticket window
Moroccan train stations use a queuing system, but Casa-Voyageurs (Casablanca’s main intercity hub) gets very busy on Friday evenings and Sunday mornings. If you are buying on the day, arrive 30 minutes before departure. Ticket windows accept cash dirhams and most Moroccan-issued cards; some accept foreign Visa with chip-and-PIN.
On the train
ONCF express intercity services (marked "TGV" or "Rapide" on the timetable) are reliable and clean. Second-class compartments seat six; open-plan second-class cars seat eight across, like a standard European regional train. Take a window seat if you can — the Atlas silhouette arriving into Marrakech on a clear morning is worth pausing for. Luggage goes in overhead racks or under seats; there are no dedicated bike or large-bag cars on most services.
The one gap in the network: no train serves Fes–Marrakech directly without going via Casablanca, adding 2–3 hours. The overnight train covers it, but for daytime travellers a shared grand taxi or a private transfer via Aït Benhaddou is worth pricing up — especially since that route passes some of southern Morocco’s best scenery.
When a Private Transfer Actually Beats the Train
The train wins on pure price for one or two people on a direct route. The maths shifts once a group grows or the route involves a gap in the network.
A private transfer from Marrakech to Casablanca runs from around 900–1,400 MAD for the whole vehicle (indicative). Split four ways, that is 225–350 MAD per head — similar to a second-class rail ticket without the Coups de Cœur discount, but door-to-door and on your own schedule.
More compellingly: on routes like Marrakech to Fes, the train requires going via Casablanca and takes around 8 hours minimum. A private driver doing the southern route — through the Tizi n’Tichka pass, Aït Benhaddou and the Dades Valley — turns the same transit into a two-day journey that covers the most scenic part of Morocco. That is where the cost calculation stops being about dirhams per kilometre and starts being about what you actually see.
For those situations — or when you want flexibility, stops and someone who knows the road — a private guided transfer makes sense. The SerenityCTA below covers exactly that.
ONCF Train FAQs
How far in advance should I book ONCF trains in Morocco?
For popular routes like Casablanca–Marrakech or Casablanca–Tangier on a Friday afternoon or Sunday evening, book at least a week out — ideally two. The Billets Coups de Cœur discount seats are finite and go fast on high-demand departure times. For quieter mid-week journeys, 24–48 hours in advance is usually fine, but you will miss the cheapest fare tier. The ONCF website (oncf.ma) and the official ONCF Voyages app both allow online booking; you can pay by card and show a QR code at the gate.
Is the Morocco rail pass worth buying for tourists?
Probably not for most visitors. Morocco does not have a single "tourist rail pass" in the Eurail sense. ONCF sells multi-journey carnets and the Carte Réseau (a points-based card), but these suit residents more than short-stay tourists. If you are covering three or four city pairs — say, Casablanca, Fes, Tangier and Marrakech — buying individual advance tickets is almost always cheaper than any bulk pass equivalent, especially when Coups de Cœur discounts apply.
How much cheaper is second class on Moroccan trains?
Second class (2ème classe) typically costs 30–40% less than first class on most ONCF routes. On the Casablanca–Marrakech run, that is roughly 130 MAD versus 195 MAD (indicative 2026 prices). Second-class carriages on intercity express services are air-conditioned and perfectly comfortable for journeys under four hours. On longer overnight runs to Fes or Marrakech from Tangier, a first-class seat or a couchette berth is worth the upgrade for the extra space and peace of mind with luggage.
Can I buy ONCF train tickets online from abroad?
Yes — oncf.ma accepts international Visa and Mastercard, though some users report issues with non-Moroccan 3D Secure authentication. If the main site declines your card, try the ONCF Voyages app, which sometimes has fewer payment friction issues. You can also book via third-party platforms like Trainline, which carries select ONCF routes, though with a small service fee. Arrive early at the station on the day of travel: ticket control at Moroccan stations can be slow, especially at Casablanca's Casa-Voyageurs during busy periods.
Are there student or youth discounts on Moroccan trains?
Yes. The Carte Jeunes is available to under-26 travellers and provides roughly 25–30% off most journeys. It costs around 50 MAD and is issued at any ONCF ticket window on presentation of a passport showing your date of birth. Moroccan students with an ISIC card or a valid university card get similar benefits. If you are over 26, the standard Coups de Cœur advance fares are the next best option — and they do not require any paperwork at all.
Which Morocco train routes have the best scenery?
The Fes–Tangier corridor through the Rif Mountain foothills is strikingly green in spring and early autumn, with the Sebou Valley visible for much of the journey. Casablanca–Marrakech crosses the flat Chaouia plains but ends with a clear High Atlas horizon as you approach Marrakech on clear-weather mornings. The newer Al Boraq high-speed line between Tangier and Casablanca runs largely elevated and coastal, with Atlantic views north of Kenitra. For pure scenery, Fes–Tangier wins.
When does a private transfer actually work out cheaper than the train?
Once a group reaches three or four people, a private transfer from Marrakech to Casablanca (indicatively 900–1,400 MAD total for the vehicle) can match or beat four second-class rail tickets — and it door-to-door, meaning no taxi costs from the train station. The bigger calculation is time: a private driver on a route like Marrakech–Fes can add stops at Ait Benhaddou or the Ziz Valley at no extra cost, effectively turning a transit into a tour day. That is where a private guided transfer earns its price.
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