How do I know which platform / when to get off?

Working out the platform and your stop is the bit of train travel that makes first-timers anxious, and the honest truth is it's easier than it looks once you know where to look. For the platform — signposted as 'voie' or 'quai' — Moroccan stations use departure boards (in Arabic and French, with train times and destinations) and the platform is typically posted and announced shortly before the train pulls in, sometimes only a few minutes ahead. So you match your train's departure time and final destination on the board, and it'll show you the platform. At a big station like Casa Voyageurs there are clear screens; at a small one, there are only a couple of platforms and it's obvious.

If the board hasn't shown your platform yet or you're unsure, just ask — station staff and other passengers are used to it, and showing your ticket while saying your destination gets you pointed the right way even without much shared language. I never feel embarrassed double-checking; it beats sprinting to the wrong platform. Give yourself those fifteen-to-thirty minutes so you're watching the board calmly rather than scrambling when the platform flashes up late.

Knowing when to get off is the part people most fear sleeping through, and the reliable method is your own preparation, not the train's announcements. Before you board, note the scheduled arrival time at your stop and ideally the station before it. As the train slows into each station, the platform carries large signs with the station name — watch for them, count down through the stops, and you'll know yours is coming. Onboard audio announcements do exist but can be quiet, easy to miss, or in Arabic and French only, so I treat them as a bonus rather than my primary cue.

A few habits that make it foolproof. Keep a maps app or the journey list open on your phone so you can see the next station as you go (the GPS works even offline once the route's loaded). For a key stop, set a gentle phone alarm a few minutes before the scheduled arrival. And if you're worried, mention your destination to a fellow passenger or the conductor when they check tickets — people will happily give you a nod when your stop is next. With the board for your platform and the station-name signs for your stop, you'll get on and off in the right places without drama.