A modern ONCF train at a Moroccan station, the comfortable way to travel from Casablanca to Fes
Casablanca → Fes

Casablanca to Fes by Train or Private Car

Around 320 km of motorway and rail link the economic capital to Morocco's spiritual heart. The ONCF train runs it in about four hours via Rabat and Meknes; a private drive lets you turn those stops into the day.

Casablanca to Fes at a glance

Distance
Around 320 km via Rabat and Meknes
Drive time
Roughly 3.5–4 hours non-stop on the motorway
Train?
Yes — ONCF runs ~4–4.5 hrs via Rabat & Meknes
Best option
Train for value; private car to stop at Meknes & Volubilis

Coast to Spiritual Capital

Casablanca to Fes connects Morocco's biggest, most modern city with its oldest and most atmospheric. The two sit about 320 kilometres apart, joined by motorway and one of the busiest stretches of the national rail network, which threads through the capital Rabat and the imperial city of Meknes on the way. However you travel it, you are crossing the populous heart of the country, from the Atlantic coast inland to the foothills of the Middle Atlas.

As with the Marrakech run, we will be candid: the ONCF train is a genuinely good way to make this journey. It is comfortable, frequent and inexpensive, and it drops you in central Fes ready to dive into the medina. We sell private transfers, but we would rather you trust us than oversell — the train is the right answer for many travellers, and we say so plainly.

Where a private car changes the equation is the chain of remarkable places strung along the route. Rabat, Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis are all on or just off the road between Casablanca and Fes. On the train they flash past; in a private car they become a stop, a lunch, an afternoon. If your interest is the journey as much as the destination, that is the case for driving — and this page lays out every option honestly.

Four Honest Ways to Travel Casablanca to Fes

For straightforward city-to-city travel the train is excellent value. A private car earns its place when you want door-to-door comfort or the imperial-city stops along the way.

Private Driver (ours)

Our pick

Door-to-door, with Rabat, Meknes and Volubilis on the way if you wish

TimeAround 3.5–4 hrs non-stop, a full day with stops
CostGet a free quote
  • ·Direct from Casablanca airport or city to your Fes riad — no changes
  • ·Add Rabat, Meknes and the Roman ruins of Volubilis as stops
  • ·Luggage handled; comfortable after a long-haul flight
  • ·Strong value for families and groups of three or more
  • ·Licensed, insured drivers who know the medina drop-off points

ONCF Train

Frequent, comfortable and cheap — a strong default

TimeAround 4–4.5 hrs; 6–8 departures a day
CostSecond class from ~110 MAD, first from ~150 MAD
  • ·Casablanca Voyageurs to Fes, via Rabat, Kenitra and Meknes
  • ·Air-conditioned and reliable; you can work or rest en route
  • ·Connects with the Al Boraq high-speed line at Casablanca for Rabat/Tangier
  • ·Book at oncf.ma; busy on weekends and holidays
  • ·No door-to-door — a petit taxi gets you to the medina at each end

CTM / Supratours Bus

Budget intercity coach, air-conditioned and dependable

TimeAround 4.5–5 hrs
CostRoughly 100–140 MAD
  • ·Comfortable coaches from the CTM and Supratours terminals
  • ·Cheaper than first-class rail but slower and less frequent
  • ·Terminals are less central than the train stations
  • ·A reliable fallback when trains are sold out

Grand Taxi

Shared long-distance Mercedes — usually relay via Rabat/Meknes

TimeAround 4–5 hrs with changes
CostNegotiated; cheap per leg
  • ·Often done in legs (Casa–Rabat, Rabat–Meknes, Meknes–Fes)
  • ·No fixed schedule — each car leaves when full
  • ·Cheap and local but cramped and piecemeal over this distance
  • ·Best for confident, flexible travellers
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Three Cities Strung Along the Road

This is one of the great corridors for stops. A private drive lets you fold the capital, an imperial city and a Roman ruin into the journey — exactly what the train cannot do.

The rooftops and minarets of the Fes medina, destination of the route from Casablanca

Rabat

The capital · ~1 hr from Casablanca

Morocco's elegant administrative capital, with the Hassan Tower, the Kasbah of the Udayas above the Atlantic, and the Chellah ruins. An easy first stop or coffee break on a private drive; the train also stops here.

Meknes

Imperial city · on the route

One of Morocco's four imperial cities, quieter than Fes but monumental — the vast Bab Mansour gate, the Moulay Ismail mausoleum and granaries. A worthwhile lunch and walk on a private drive.

Volubilis

Roman ruins · short detour near Meknes

The best-preserved Roman site in Morocco, a UNESCO World Heritage city of mosaics, arches and olive groves. It sits just off the road near Meknes and is only reachable with your own car — the train skips it entirely.

Into the Fes medina

Arrival

A private transfer drops you at the nearest gate to your riad in Fes el-Bali, the world's largest car-free medieval medina; the train ends at Fes station, a short petit taxi from the gates. With luggage, the door-to-door drop is a real comfort.

Casablanca to Fes: Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a train from Casablanca to Fes?+
Yes. ONCF runs a frequent conventional line between Casablanca and Fes via Rabat, Kenitra and Meknes — around 320 km in roughly four to four and a half hours, with six to eight departures a day. Trains leave Casablanca Voyageurs and arrive at the central Fes station. Second class starts from around 110 MAD and first class from around 150 MAD; confirm current fares at oncf.ma. The line also connects with the Al Boraq high-speed service at Casablanca if you are coming from or going on to Tangier.
How long does it take to drive from Casablanca to Fes?+
Non-stop, the drive is around three and a half to four hours over roughly 320 km of motorway. Realistically, most people who choose a private car do so precisely to stop along the way — at Rabat, Meknes or Volubilis — which turns it into a full and rewarding day. These are planning estimates; confirm current road conditions before you travel.
Train or private transfer — which is better for Casablanca to Fes?+
For simple, fast, city-to-city travel the train is excellent: comfortable, frequent and cheap, dropping you in central Fes. We say that honestly even though we sell transfers. A private car is the better choice if you want door-to-door service from the airport, are carrying a lot of luggage, are travelling as a family or group, or — the big one on this route — want to stop at Rabat, Meknes and Volubilis on the way. Tell us your plans and we will advise truthfully.
Can I visit Meknes and Volubilis on the way from Casablanca to Fes?+
Yes, and it is one of the best reasons to take a private car. Both Meknes (an imperial city with the Bab Mansour gate and Moulay Ismail mausoleum) and Volubilis (the best-preserved Roman ruins in Morocco) lie on or just off the route. Volubilis in particular is only practical with your own vehicle, as the train and bus do not serve it. A private driver lets you spend a couple of hours at each before reaching Fes by evening.
How do I get from Casablanca airport to Fes?+
You can take a train from the Casa Aéroport station, usually changing at Casablanca Voyageurs onto a Fes service, with the full journey taking around five hours. Or a private transfer meets you in arrivals and drives you door-to-door to your Fes riad in about four hours non-stop — generally the easiest option after a long flight, and the only one that lets you add Rabat or Meknes en route.
Is there a bus from Casablanca to Fes?+
Yes. CTM and Supratours run air-conditioned coaches between the two cities, taking around four and a half to five hours for roughly 100–140 MAD. They are reliable and good value but slower and less frequent than the train, and the terminals are less central. A sensible fallback when trains are full.
How much does a private transfer from Casablanca to Fes cost?+
It depends on your vehicle, group size, pickup point and whether you add stops at Rabat, Meknes or Volubilis, so we provide a tailored quote rather than a fixed price. Request a free quote and we will reply within hours with a clear all-in figure. For groups of three or more, or anyone wanting the imperial-city stops, a private car is often the best-value way to make the journey count.
Is the Casablanca to Fes route safe?+
Yes. The motorway between Casablanca and Fes is modern and well-maintained, and the rail line is one of the busiest and safest in the country. Morocco is among the safest destinations in the region for visitors. Our drivers are licensed, insured and experienced on this corridor.
Private, licensed & insured drivers·Door-to-door, on your schedule·Free custom itinerary

Travel from Casablanca to Fes Your Way

Want a door-to-door private transfer with Meknes and Volubilis built in, or honest advice on the train? Tell us your dates and we will arrange it — and make the journey as memorable as the medina at the end.

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Continue Planning Your Trip

Fes Tours

Private medina tours and experiences in Morocco's spiritual capital.

Marrakech to Fes

The cross-country imperial route, direct or via the Sahara.

Casablanca Tours

The Hassan II Mosque and Art Deco city before you head inland.

Meknes Tours

The imperial city and nearby Roman Volubilis, a stop on this route.

Morocco Transport Guide

Train vs drive vs desert crossing across Morocco, compared.

Private Transfers

Door-to-door private transfers between every Moroccan city.