To get to Marrakesh from Spain, you pretty much want to take a 2 1/2 hour ferry ride across the Strait of Gibraltar from Algeciras, Spain to Tangiers, Morocco.  From Tangiers, there is a night train to Marrakesh that will get you into town at around 8am the next morning, which gives you plenty of time to find a place to stay. I prefer night trains, especially for a long trip (it's a 9 hour train ride from Tangiers to Marrakesh). There are earlier trains (one at 8am and another at 11am), but you get into Marrakesh kind of late to be looking for accomodations.

Follow these easy steps to get yourself in and out of Morocco unscathed.

Getting To Marrakesh

  1. Take a train to Algeciras, Spain.
  2. Unless you arrive in the evening, don't bother heading straight for the port. There is one daily train to Marrakesh and it leaves at 11:00pm Morocco time (which is two hours behind Spain time...yep, it's odd). Click here for the latest schedule. Go instead to the "Lighthouse Cafe", a backpacker haven which is a few short blocks down the street directly in front of the train station.
  3. Drop your packs off here. Have a shower. Eat. Hang out. The hosts are very nice.
  4. Walk down to the port and look for a sign that says "Trasmediterranea". Get your two-way ticket to Tangiers here (unless you plan on staying in Morocco). Show your EurRail or equivalent pass to receive up to 30% off. They should give you some customs forms. Fill them out now to save yourself time later.
  5. Take the 8pm ferry across to Tangiers. Click here for an up-to-date ferry schedule. Ferries usually depart on the hour Spain time and arrive in Tangiers 30 minutes later Morocco time (its a 2 1/2 hour trip, but subtract 2 hours for the time change).
  6. You will have to go through customs in the ferry terminal at Algeciras. Have your customs form handy.
  7. Get on the ferry.
  8. VERY IMPORTANT!!! As soon as you get on the ferry, go looking for the police desk. You have to get your passport stamped here BEFORE you try to get off the ferry in Tangiers. They do announce this over the PA, but it may not be in English and you probably wouldn't be able to hear it anyways. Do it as soon as the ferry leaves port to avoid lines.
  9. Relax for the 2 1/2 hour trip. Drink beer here if you like, because you won't find much alcohol once you get to Morocco. Muslims don't generally drink alcohol.
  10. Once in Tangiers, get off the ferry and ignore anybody who offers their services as a tour guide. You don't need them.
  11. Just outside the ferry terminal, there should be a cash machine. I arrived in Morocco without a penny on me. You shouldn't have much trouble getting some coin. 10 dirham = 1 euro. Wave off the hordes of taxi drivers who will want to give you a ride.
  12. With money in hand, flag down a petit taxi, rather than a grand taxi (generally beat up old Mercedes). Petit taxis are cheaper than grand taxis.
  13. Agree on a price to the train station BEFORE getting in the taxi. Get used to haggling. He will likely start at 20 dirhams (about 2 euros). You should not pay any more than 10 dirhams.
  14. At the train station, get yourself a first or second class sleeper for the ride to Marrakesh. A first class sleeper costs about 280 dirhams. Click here for fares. The main difference between first and second class sleepers is that first class has 4 bunks per compartment, while second class has 6. Don't cheap out here and get a second class seat. You will not sleep. The seats are not very comfortable, especially over a 9 hour trip. For those who are wary of theft, the sleeper car is locked after departure.
  15. Sleep. Earplugs are a godsend. The train is not quiet.
  16. Wake up the next morning refreshed and ready for your time in Marrakesh.
  17. Get off the train and flag down a petit taxi again for the ride to the central medina. Again, this should not cost more than 10 dirhams.
  18. Once in the medina, you are on your own and should not have too much trouble finding a place. I highly recommend the Hotel Ali. Cheap and lots of cool tours start from here.

After your fill of Morocco, here's how you can get back to Spain.