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In
The Maghreb
People
Of The Furthest West
Three
Millennia Of History
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and Regions
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and Culture
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Marrakech Riad
Map
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Getting
Around | Business
Hours | Communications
Public Holidays
Morocco
is an easy country to navigate. Here's some information that will
ease your experience in the country:
Getting Around
By Car:
Although
the
roads in Morocco are quite good, driving is not for the
faint hearted. Driving after dark is not recommended as animals
may dart out into the road, and moped drivers are not required
to have lights. The official speed limit outside towns is
62 miles per hour (100 KM/h). A four-wheel drive vehicle is
recommended for the mountain and desert areas. National licenses
are accepted; however, international driving licenses are
recommended.
By Taxi:
Grands taxis
seat six passengers and will take fares between towns or to
destinations out of town. Fares should be negotiated. Petits
taxis operate only in town and will carry up to three people.
Passengers should check the meter.
By Train:
Morocco
has the most comfortable and efficient train lines in Africa.
The network of L’Office National des Chemins de Fers
(ONCF) goes as far south as Marrakesh, links up with Safi,
el Jadida, Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Fez, Meknes and Oujda.
First and second-class carriages are air-conditioned. Tickets
are purchasable at the station.
By Bus:
Buses offer
an inexpensive, reliable way to travel in Morocco as well
as an excellent way to meet local people. On longer routes,
there are several companies offering comfortable, regularly
scheduled buses. They include CTM (Compagnie de Transports
Marocains) and STAS, which connects conveniently to the train
service, ONCF. Bus fares are about 20% cheaper than train
fares. Express coaches run along the southwest and northern
coasts, where the railway doesn’t run.
By Ferry:
Visitors
can travel from Spain to
Morocco by ferry in two-and-a-half
hours from Algciras to Tangier. The cost one way per person
is approximately $25 and the cost for a car is approximately
$80.
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Business Hours:
Banks are
open Monday
to Friday, 8:30 am – 11:30 am and 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
during the summer. They close earlier, at 2pm, in the summer,
and hours vary during Ramadan.
Shops and
Souks and generally open from 9:30 am – 1:00 pm and 3:00
pm – 6:30 pm
Government
Offices are open from Monday to Thursday,
8:30 am – 12:00 pm and 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm; Friday,
8:30 am – 11:30 am and 3:00 pm–6:30 pm.
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Communications:
Public Internet
cafes provide very reasonable access to the Web and email in
all major cities and administrative centers. Costs vary from
10-20 dh per hour of use.
The country
code for Morocco is 212. The outgoing international code is
00.
Fax services
are available in many hotels, and in "Teleboutiques"
which offer telecom services to the public.
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Public Holidays:
| January
1 |
New Years Day |
| January
11 |
Independence
Day
Manifesto Day |
| March
6* |
Eid
Al Adha
(Feast of the Sacrifice) |
| May
1 |
Labor
Day |
| May
23 |
National
Day |
| June
4 |
Mouloud
(the Prophet’s Birthday) |
| July
30 |
Coronation
Day |
| August
14 |
Reunification
Day |
| August
20 |
King’s
and People’s
Revolution
Day |
| August
21 |
His
Majesty
Mohammed VI’s Birthday |
| November
6 |
Anniversary
of the
Green March |
| November
18 |
Independence
Day |
| December
27* |
Eid
al-Fitr
(end of Ramadan) |
* These holidays
are part of the Islamic occur approximately 10 days earlier
each year.
Unlike other
Muslim countries, which include Friday, the Muslim day of rest,
as part of the weekend, the weekend in Morocco consists of Saturday
and Sunday.
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Related:
Prehistoric Morocco
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