Mohammed V International Airport to Casablanca — The Honest Guide

Mohammed V International Airport (CMN) is located 30 km south of Casablanca city center. The clearest option is the ONCF train, which runs from a station in the basement of Terminal 1 directly to Casa-Voyageurs in around 30 minutes. The airport publishes the fare: MAD 50 in 2nd class, MAD 70 in 1st class. Grand taxis and pre-booked transfers cover the same trip by road in 30–50 minutes depending on traffic, but neither the airport nor the taxi rank publishes a rate online — agree the fare before you set off. The train is excellent during operating hours; outside them, you need a taxi or a transfer.

CMN has two terminals — Terminal 1 handles most international flights, Terminal 2 serves some low-cost carriers and domestic flights. Both terminals are connected and manageable on foot.

After immigration and baggage claim, you enter the arrivals hall. Currency exchange booths are available but offer mediocre rates — withdraw from the ATMs (BMCE, Attijariwafa) instead, which accept Visa and Mastercard. SIM cards are sold by Maroc Telecom, Orange, and Inwi; the tourist bundles change regularly, so compare what each is offering on the day.

The arrivals area has a few cafes and a pharmacy. Signage is in Arabic, French, and English. The train station is inside the airport complex, accessible via a covered walkway from Terminal 1. Follow signs for "Gare ONCF."

The train is the best option during operating hours and the only one here with a published price. The airport gives the fare as MAD 50 in 2nd class and MAD 70 in 1st class — worth knowing, because a lot of guides quote only the 70 and travellers pay it needlessly. The station sits in the basement of Terminal 1, and the line runs without a change to Casa-Voyageurs and Casa-Port, calling at Bouskoura, Ennassim, Facultés, L'Oasis and Mers Sultan on the way. The airport's own page lists departures from the airport running until around 22:50 — check the current ONCF timetable before you rely on the last one.

Grand taxis are the large beige Mercedes sedans at the official rank outside arrivals. Fares are regulated in principle, but neither the airport nor the rank publishes a tariff online, and drivers do quote high to arriving foreigners. Agree the fare before you get in, and ask an airport officer for help if the number sounds wrong. If you want a price settled before you land, book a transfer or take the train.

Petit taxis (the small red city taxis) are not permitted to operate at the airport. You will only find grand taxis here. Once you reach Casa-Voyageurs by train, petit taxis are the normal way to finish the trip to your hotel — they are metered, so ask for the meter.

Morocco uses the dirham (MAD). The only airport-to-city fare published by anyone who actually sets it is the train:

For everything else — grand taxis from the rank, private transfers, and the long runs to Rabat, El Jadida or Marrakech — no tariff is published. The airport's own site says nothing about taxi fares beyond "allow between 30 and 50 minutes travel time". So we do not print a table of road prices here: any figure would be a guess, and a guess that looks freshly checked is worse than none.

What to do instead: agree the fare before the wheels move. For a grand taxi, settle the number at the rank. For a transfer, the price is fixed when you book. For Marrakech — a drive of several hours — always book in advance rather than negotiating at arrivals.

Tipping is customary in Morocco. Rounding up for a taxi or transfer driver is appropriate on a Casablanca run, and rather more on the long-distance trips to Marrakech or Rabat.

Many flights from the Gulf, Turkey, and sub-Saharan Africa arrive at CMN after 11 PM. The airport lists the last train from the airport at around 22:50, so most of these arrivals miss it — check the current ONCF timetable, as the first and last departures shift. Between the last train and the first morning one, your options are grand taxis and pre-booked transfers only.

Grand taxis are available 24 hours at the official rank, but the drivers at night know they have leverage, and there is no published tariff to point at. Agreeing a sensible fare at 2 AM is harder than at 2 PM. A pre-booked transfer removes the negotiation entirely, because the price was fixed when you booked.

The airport terminal stays open overnight for passengers with early departures, so if you are stuck, you can wait inside. However, there are no hotels within walking distance of the terminal.

The train is comfortable but has limited luggage space. If you travel with a stroller, multiple suitcases, and young children, a transfer or grand taxi is more practical.

Grand taxis fit 3 passengers and luggage comfortably. For families of 4–5 with heavy bags, book a minivan transfer. Standard grand taxis are large Mercedes sedans but trunk space is still limited.

Child seats are not available in Moroccan taxis. Pre-booked transfer services can arrange them with advance notice.

Train: Follow signs to "Gare ONCF" inside the airport complex. The station is a 5-minute covered walk from Terminal 1 arrivals. Buy tickets at the counter or machines.

Grand taxi: Exit arrivals and walk to the official taxi rank on the right. There is usually a queue system managed by a dispatcher.

Pre-booked transfer: Your driver waits in the arrivals hall with a name board. Most services send you driver details and a phone number via WhatsApp before your flight.

Airport Wi-Fi is free but slow. Having your driver's number saved offline is wise.

Choose the train if: you arrive between 6 AM and 10 PM, travel light, and your hotel is near Casa Voyageurs or the tramway. It is fast, cheap, and civilized.

Choose a pre-booked transfer if: you arrive late at night, travel with family, have lots of luggage, or are heading beyond Casablanca (Rabat, Marrakech).

Choose a grand taxi if: you arrive during the day, are comfortable negotiating in French or Arabic, and want door-to-door service without pre-booking.

Choose the CTM bus if: you are on a very tight budget and your schedule aligns with the limited departures.

The train makes CMN one of the better-connected airports in Africa. Use it when you can. When you cannot, book ahead.