Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Fez airport (Aeroport International Fès-Saïss; tel: 035 524800; www.onda.org.ma in French) is in Saïss, 10km (6mi) to the southwest of the city. You can catch a taxi to the medina from the airport or, to save a bit of money, an ONCA bus from the airport to the Ville Nouvelle and then a taxi from the Ville Nouvelle to the medina.

The major car rental companies are represented in Fez and there are car parks in several locations convenient to the medina.

There are several grand taxi ranks dotted around town. Taxis for Meknès and Rabat leave from in front of the main bus station (outside Bab el-Mahrouk) and from near the train station. Taxis for Taza, on the other hand, depart from near Bab Ftouh, the medina's southeastern gate. Those going to Moulay Yacoub leave from the open ground to the west of Bab Bou Jeloud. The rank for Sefrou is located just below Place de la Résistance in the ville nouvelle. Azrou and Ifrane taxis wait at a parking lot to the west of the CTM bus station located in the south of the ville nouvelle.

The train station is in the ville nouvelle, a 10-min walk northwest of Place Florence.

Trains depart frequently for Casablanca (4.25hr), via Rabat (3.5hr) and Meknès (1hr). There are two additional overnight trains. Five direct rapide trains go to Marrakesh (8hr) and one goes to Tangier (5hr). Direct trains for Oujda (6hr) via Taza (2hr) leave three times daily.

Getting around

There is a regular bus service (No 16) between the airport and the train station (25min), with departures every half-hour or so, or you can take a grand taxi.

The local buses are dirty, uncomfortable and jam-packed. They also have a reputation for harbouring pickpockets. We suggest walking or catching a petit taxi as an alternative, particularly as the buses aren't all that much cheaper.

The city is awash with petits taxis that will take you from one point to another quickly and cheaply. Fares are calculated by the meter. There are loads of taxis in the Ville Nouvelle and you will almost always find taxis on the ranks at Batha, Ain Azleten and Bab R'cif in the medina; be warned though that at peak times, demand is high and snaffling an empty taxi from a rank or street can be a challenge of almost gladiatorial proportions. You'll need to pounce quickly, be assertive in staking your claim and wherever possible state your destination after getting into the cab rather than before (drivers can be loath to accept passengers wanting to take short trips).

Don't be surprised if on your journey the driver stops to take other passengers on board; this is accepted practice and both you and the extra passenger(s) will be expected to pay the full fare to your destination.