What is the tram in Casablanca / Rabat like?

The trams in Casablanca and Rabat are one of the quiet pleasures of travelling in Morocco's modern coastal cities, and I wish more visitors used them. Both are recent, well-run light-rail systems — sleek, air-conditioned trams gliding on dedicated tracks through the heart of the city. Casablanca's Casa Tram network has several lines linking major districts, and the Rabat-Salé tramway connects the capital with its twin city across the river, including handy stops near the medina and key sights. They're clean, frequent, and a world away from the stereotype of chaotic North African transport.

Using them is genuinely easy, even with no Arabic or French. At every stop there are ticket machines on the platform where you buy either a single-journey ticket or, better for a few days, a rechargeable travel card that you top up. You validate by tapping the card or ticket on the reader as you board, and you keep it for inspections. The fare is tiny — just a few dirhams a ride — which makes the tram far cheaper than taxis for getting across town, and you skip the traffic that clogs these big cities at rush hour.

For a visitor, the trams shine on specific journeys: getting from a business hotel into central Casablanca, reaching the Hassan II Mosque area, or hopping between Rabat's old town, the modern centre, and across to Salé. They run from early morning until late evening at good frequencies, so you rarely wait long. I'd note they don't blanket every corner of these sprawling cities, so you'll still pair them with the odd petit taxi for the last stretch, but as a backbone they're excellent.

On the practical side, they're safe and used by everyone — commuters, students, families — and feel comfortable for solo travellers and women, though like any busy transit they get packed at peak hours, so keep your bag in front of you and your phone secure in the crush. Beyond the cities, note this only applies to Casablanca and Rabat-Salé; Marrakech, Fes and the rest rely on taxis and buses rather than trams. But where the tram exists, it's a clean, cheap, stress-free way to move, and I happily point travellers toward it.