What's the best way to get around Morocco?

There is no single best way — the smart approach is to mix modes to suit each leg. Morocco has a genuinely good train network run by ONCF that connects the main spine of the country: Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat, Casablanca and on down to Marrakech. Trains are comfortable, affordable and reliable, and the Al Boraq high-speed line between Tangier and Casablanca (via Rabat) is one of the fastest in Africa.

Where trains stop being useful is anywhere off that northern–central spine. There is no train to Fes from Marrakech directly, no train into the Sahara, and none to the Atlas mountains or coastal towns like Essaouira. For those routes, your real choices are a private driver, a long-distance coach (CTM and Supratours are the reputable companies), a shared grand taxi, or a domestic flight.

For most travellers covering desert, mountains and the imperial cities, a private driver is the most comfortable and flexible option by a wide margin. You set the pace, stop for photos and Kasbahs along the way, and skip the logistics of timetables and transfers entirely. Within cities, the medinas are walkable and petits taxis are cheap for short hops — just agree the fare or ask for the meter.

Domestic flights (mainly via Royal Air Maroc) make sense for long, awkward hops — for example Marrakech to the far south, or to save a long backtrack. For everything else, our honest advice is trains on the northern corridor, a private driver for the scenic and off-network legs, and taxis for getting around town.