Trains, Casablanca

Most trains arrive/depart from Casa Voyageurs station - as opposed to Casa Port. Not that it's a big operation!

I didn't see much to buy as far as food/snacks are concerned - bring your own, I guess.

Announcements (mostly delays!) were pretty clear if you speak Arabic or French.

What they really need on the PA system is a good blast of the Crosby Stills & Nash epic - Marrakesh Express.

If you are travelling to Casablanca from Marrakesh, there is a train every couple of hours or so and will take around 3 ½ hours – Casa Voyaguers. From Rabat there is an express shuttle which runs every hour and will take around 1 ½ hrs. The main train station where the Casa Voyaguers comes into is in the city centre. Casa Port is the other train station which is close to the old part of the city and there is an interconnecting train between the two train stations which will take around 45 mins – quite a bit longer than taking a taxi.

As you arrive in Cassa at noon, you might not reach Marrakech before 6pm. So I would have a reservation for at least your first night, meanwhile you can leave your luggage and check out some Riads in the Medina.
Be prepared for a wait at immigration, there are often long queues and not enough officials. Trains from the airport to Cassa Voyagers station take 45 minutes, I think they run hourly, From Cassa Voyagers to Marrakech takes 3 hrs 15 Min's, and leaves every 2 hours. Should you miss the train there are plenty of tea shops in the area for relaxation and people watching.

There are 7-8 stations in Casablanca but you'll need to know 3 of them.

The Mohamed V station where you can take the train to and from the airport. I usually take a first class ticket when I am heading to/from the airport because I am guaranteed a seat, and I have enough place to store my bag. A second class ticket could leave you standing. A first class ticket will cost you 50 Dh while a second class will cost aroud 30 Dh. the trip will last for about 50 minutes and there is a train every 1/2 hr. The last train leaving the airport at night is 22:50. The train station is located under the the Airport so you don't need to walk in the outside. from this station you can get not only to Casabalnca but also directly to Mohamadya, Rabat, Sala and Konitra.

One of the other train station is Casa Port train station, where most of the trains to Mohamediya, Rabat, konitra, and Jadeda. From this station you will be able to go to the Airport but you’ll have to change trains at Ain Esseba train station . Allow extra time if you decide to take this route

CasaVoyager train station is the main train station if you want to go Fes, Marrakesh, Tangier or anywhere else in Morocco. It is the train station if you want to go to the airport

I usually use a second class ticket. I have never had a need of pre-booking. I have used a night train and a sleeper cabin from Marrakesh to Fes but that was in 1997. All what I can remember is that it was comfortable enough. Look at the web site for scedule to various cities

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Getting to Casablanca - and out of - by train is very comfortable. Trains are mostly on time, cheap and quite nice. There are two classes - and the second class is more than adequate and quite roomy. We travelled once in first class and noticed very little difference, except perhaps that seats are reserved. Basically: take second class if you are departing from where the train is originating (you'll find a seat no problem), but if you must take it from any station in between you're better off booking first class, so that you will be sure of having a seat.

The main station where the train arrives - and departs from - is Casa Voyageurs... a nice train station not far from the new city centre. trains to the airport depart from there, too - generally one every hour. The added bonus of Casa Voyageurs is that it is right beside an Ibis hotel - which means that you can just hop in for a quick drink or lunch between trains, and use a clean toilet.

I always used trains as Casablanca is well connected by railway to Marakech rabat and Fes, count about 3 hours and half to go to Marrakech and about 4 hours to go to Fes, tikets are not expensive, but trains are usually full, first class as it is quite cheap might be a good choice(about 7.50 € to go from Casa to Fes)
Taxis during the day are not expensive, chose the petite ones, if I remember well, they are red in Casablanca, but they chage colours in the other cities, any taxi rid anyway is about 1 € during the day and about 30% more after 10 pm.

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It is efficient to travel from Casablanca Mohammed V airport to Casablance's Casa Voyageurs Stn. . The train fares for 2nd class was 30 (March 2006) and it takes about 35-40 mins). From the Casa Voyageurs Stn, you can take either taxi (DH8-10 by meter) or bus to the city central market area.

I took 2nd class and the seating is very comfortable.

I traveled from Marrakesh to Casablanca on a really comfortable and punctual 2nd class train, at a mere US$1,80. Just make sure it stops at Casa Voyageurs station;across the street is a hotel (Hotel Rif) that suits budget travelers (US$ 5 a double,hot water,clean, quiet, English spoken) and handy to get back to the station to take the early morning train that goes to the airport (I was about to fly to Tunisia on a 9 AM flight, and chose to go on my own to Casa instead of flying at 5 AM from Marrakesh; that would had been more expensive, as the taxi ride to Marrakesh airport costed several times more than go there by train and the hotel stay). That shuttle train costs little more than US$1 and takes 27 minutes to reach its destination. A taxi from Casa Voyageurs to the airport costs US$11.