carcassone

I am taking the train from Fez to Marrakesh. Since it's a 8 hours journey, I am considering taking the 2:30a overnight train to maximize time. I plan to buy 1st class tickets. Has anyone done this? I'm wondering:

1) Will I have problem getting a taxi to the train station after midnight? (I will ask my raid this as well.)
2) Is the train station at Fez safe to wait around after midnight before I board?
3) If I have check-in size luggage, can I keep that in my compartment or do I have to store it outside and out of sight? I don't want to feel like I have to keep an eye on my luggage the whole 8 hours.
4) I assume I can keep my carry-on size luggage with me in the compartment?

Thanks.

MinnBeef

I can't answer your questions with any degree of accuracy as I did not take the overnight train. However, unless you think you can effectively get a good night's sleep on that train, I don't see the advantage to taking a train that doesn't even leave until 2:30 a.m.! By the time you arrive in Marrakech and get to your riad, it will be pushing noon. You will likely be tired and not have the energy (or the wits about you) to go out an explore a new city. If the train left at, say 11:00 p.m., I could see the advantage in order to minimize precious daylight hours sitting on a train. But a 2:30 a.m. departure seems to mitigate much of that advantage. I would just take a daytime train. I believe I took a train that left Fes around 10:00 or 11:00 a.m. that got me into Marrakech in the early evening. I was still alert and had the opportunity to enjoy dinner at my riad, and then hit Marrakech first thing the next morning, Infrastructure in Morocco is not like it is in Europe, so sometimes, you just have to spend a good chunk of a day getting between locations.

traveller1959

The train that leaves at 2:30 A.M. is a normal train. It has no sleeper cars (wagon-lits) but normal seats. I cannot image that you catch much sleep on this train.

You can fly from Fès to Marrakech via Casablanca. Domestic flights in Morocco are very cheap.