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-   -   Travel from Spain to Casablanca (https://www.fodors.com/community/africa-and-the-middle-east/travel-from-spain-to-casablanca-577771/)

happytrailstoyou Dec 24th, 2005 11:57 AM

Travel from Spain to Casablanca
 
While we are in Spain in April we will join a tour of Morocco that starts and ends in Casablanca. What is the best way to travel to Casablanca from Spain and then back to Spain.

I find a $174 round-trip flight from Tangier to Casablanca, but I cannot find a reasonably priced flight from Spain to Casablanca.

Would it be wise to fly from Tangier, or would it be better to take a train, bus, or those special taxis about which I have read?

We visited Tangier many years ago and do not feel the need to spend much time their again. Our tour will spend nights in Casablanca, Fez, Erfoud, Ouarzazate, and Marrakesh.




Moroccan Dec 27th, 2005 11:36 AM

Hi there,

You have different means to join Morocco (Casablanca) from Spain.
1.If you will be in Costa del Sol, there's plenty of buses that you can take to go to Algesiras.
In Algesiras you can take the ferry to Tangier and at Tangiers catch the train (www.oncf.ma) that goes to Casablanca.
The total cost will be 150 dollars maybe from Spain to Casablanca, but it will take up to one day.
2. You can take a flight with Royal Air Maroc (royalairmaroc.com) or maybe the low cost company (atlas blue), but this last one doesn't have the right to land off in Casablanca but only in Marrakech.
3. You can take the bus from Tangiers to Casablanca with the CTM company, which is sure and comfortable 9http://www.ctm.co.ma).
4. You can take a national flight with Regional Airlines, a moroccan company from Tangiers to Casablanca and will cost probably less than 174 dollars

But please don't take the White Taxis that are crazy and drive very dangerously !!!!


happytrailstoyou Dec 28th, 2005 06:53 AM

Thanks for your detailed and thoughtful reply.

I am unable to find out how to contact Regional Airlines. To your knowledge, do they have a web site or 800 in the US?

Also, I've been a little frustrated that the CTM web site isn't up and working in English.

Another question: I understand the CTM bus station is near were the ferry arrives from Spain. Would we be wise to go directly from the ferry to the bus, or would it be better to spend a night in Tangiers?

Question 2: If we stay in Tangier for one night, would you recommend staying at the Hotel Continenal (which sounds like fun) or at some other hotel. In general, we prefer to stay at a commercial hotel rather than a hotel that caters to tourists only.


Moroccan Jan 3rd, 2006 01:11 PM

I've never seen a website for Regional Airlines. Otherwise you can joined them by telephone or fax in Morocco but they don't have an American office:
Regional Airlines
Tel: +212 22 53 80 80 / 53 69 40
Fax: +212 22 53 84 11

I think that you can also book a flight with your travel agent.

For your stay in Tangiers, I've never been to the Hotel Continental. The only that I've stayed in was Movenpick (http://www.moevenpick-hotels.com/hotels/HKTNGHH/), which is very luxury but not authentic. Maybe you should see the reviews on Tripadvisor.com before booking.

From my personal point of you, if you have enough time to see all the other cities, you can spend a night in Tangiers. But this city is not very touristic, and you have to know it very well before finding some interesting places to visit. ( http://morocco.guideof.com/Villes/Tanger/ )

Sorry if the CTM's website is not working efficiently, but you don't need it in fact :) There's a lot of CTM's buses anytime of the day. You can catch a taxi and ask him in Arabic :) : Deene Lmahata deeal cetem afak, that means please go the CTM's bus station :)

Enjoy your trip

happytrailstoyou Jan 3rd, 2006 01:16 PM

Moroccan,

Thanks so much for your great information.

Whereas the CTM site isn't up and working in English, the site for trains is. It looks like there is good train service. Is the bus better than the train, or is it a toss up?

I believe I read that in Casablanca the bus station is more conveninetly located than the train station.

Moroccan Jan 3rd, 2006 01:43 PM

I prefer travel by train, which is more secure and comfortable. The roads are sometimes very dangerous in Morocco, even if the CTM's bus drivers are good.
But you will see more cities by bus I think :)

Both stations are located downtown. It depends on which Hotel will stay at.

What's the name of your hotel ?


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