Getting from a to b

Part 1

In Marrakesh, like the rest of Morocco there are multiple choice taxis.

The Grand Taxis are for use outside of the city (or from the airport).  They are usually cream coloured Mercedes with their number and home town painted on the door.   Moroccan’s use them like small buses for longer trips between cities, cramming 6 to a taxi (4 in the back and two on the front passenger seat).  Each seat is sold at a standard price and you just turn up at the taxi station and wait for the taxi to fill up.  If you are in a hurry or would prefer more space you can pay for 2 or more seats.   You can also book the whole taxi.   The fare to Agadir in the south is currently 120dh so you should expect to pay around 720dh.  If you are a tourist you could also just hire a grand taxi through your hotel.  You will get a newer plusher model, but you can expect to pay anywhere from 900 to 1500 dirham.  Remember that price is always negotiable.

For around town you have the “petit taxi” usually a Peugeot 205 or similar small hatchback, which are licensed to take 3 passengers only.  In Marrakesh they are a mustard yellow, but the colour varies from city to city.  These taxis all have a meter, but it is a good idea to make sure that they know you want the meter or “control” switched on for your journey, otherwise you should negotiate price before you get in.  Some Petit Taxis also run like buses on a predefined route.  You can get in or out anywhere along that route but always pay the same fare – in the region of 3 or 4 dirham per person.   Once you get to know your neighbourhood you will soon work out where the Petit Taxis run and where the terminus is.

Travelling round Marrakesh in a petit taxi as they dodge in and out of the rest of the traffic (pedestrians, donkeys, cars, taxis, mopeds and trucks) heading down impossibly narrow streets at breakneck speed, is probably as much excitement as you will need for a day.  When they recently ran the first Marrakesh Grand Prix, I half expected a petit taxi to win!

Luckily in Marrakesh you also have the option of the horse drawn Caleche.  Nothing could be nicer than a gentle trot round the medina walls as the evening brings some cooler air.  You can rest assured that the wellbeing of the horses is monitored closely by SPANA (a charity set up to ensure the welfare of horses and donkeys) and they are environmentally friendly – with their own horse drawn pooper catchers.  The rates are posted in the carriage – usually somewhere under 100 dh per hour.  As always – discuss what you can expect to pay with the driver before you get in.