Tangier to Fes is one of the most travelled routes in Morocco, and the fastest option is not the obvious one. The high speed train does not go to Fes. Here is how each option really works, what it costs, and the one route that lets you see Chefchaouen on the way.
See the Chefchaouen and Fes Tour
I send guests to Fes from Tangier every week, by every possible method. The honest summary is this: the train is the best choice for most people travelling alone or as a couple, a driver is the best choice if you want to see anything on the way, and the bus only makes sense if price is the only thing that matters.
Getting from Tangier to Fes: The Options Compared
| Option | Time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train via Kenitra | 3.5 to 4.5 hours | 120 to 320 MAD | Most travellers. Comfortable and reliable |
| CTM bus | About 6 hours | 160 to 290 MAD | Tight budgets, or when trains are full |
| Private driver | 4 to 4.5 hours direct | Per car, not per person | Families, groups, luggage, stops on the way |
| Via Chefchaouen with a driver | A full day with stops | Per car or as a tour | Seeing the blue city without a separate trip |
| Flying | 5.5 hours or more | High | Nobody. There are no direct flights |
The Train, and the Change at Kenitra
The Al Boraq takes you from Tangier to Kenitra fast. From there, a regular train continues to Fes.
Trains leave from Tanger-Ville station. The fastest route uses the Al Boraq high speed train south to Kenitra, where you change to a regular train east to Fes. The whole trip takes roughly three and a half to four and a half hours depending on the connection.
- Buy tickets on the ONCF website or at the station
- First class is worth the small extra cost: assigned seats and more space
- Check the connection time at Kenitra when you book. Some are 15 minutes, some over an hour
- There are also slower direct trains with no change, useful if you have heavy luggage
Fes station is in the new town, several kilometres from the old medina. Take a petit taxi to the medina gate nearest your riad, and ask your riad to meet you there, because cars cannot enter the old city.
The Bus
CTM runs comfortable coaches from Tangier to Fes, taking around six hours with stops. It costs about the same as a second class train ticket and takes two hours longer, so it only wins when the trains are full or when the bus station is more convenient for you. Book a day ahead in summer and on holidays.
The Route Through Chefchaouen
This is the option I recommend to anyone who has not yet seen Chefchaouen. Instead of heading down the coast, you drive through the Rif Mountains: about two and a half hours to Chefchaouen, a few hours in the blue medina, then around three and a half to four hours on to Fes.
You cannot really do this by public transport in one day, because buses between Chefchaouen and Fes are limited. With a driver it becomes one of the most beautiful travel days in northern Morocco. For more on the first leg, see my guide to getting from Tangier to Chefchaouen.
Chefchaouen and Fes Private Excursion
From 350 euros per person, private tour
- Pickup in Tangier, private vehicle and professional driver
- Chefchaouen’s blue medina on the way
- Fes medina with a certified local guide
- Traditional Moroccan breakfast included
- Itinerary adjusted to your dates and pace
What Waits in Fes
The Chouara tannery, seen from the leather shop terraces above it.
Fes el Bali, the old medina, is one of the largest car free urban areas in the world and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981. It is also the easiest place in Morocco to get properly lost, which is why most visitors take a guide for at least the first day.
Give Fes at least two nights. One day in the medina is not enough, and the trip from Tangier is long enough that you will want an evening to recover.
Frequently Asked Questions
About three and a half to four and a half hours. The fastest option is the Al Boraq high speed train to Kenitra with a change to a regular train for Fes. Slower direct trains also run.
Tickets generally cost between 120 and 320 dirhams depending on class, route and how early you book. First class is recommended for the extra comfort.
There are no direct flights. Connecting flights take five and a half hours or more and cost far more than the train, so flying makes no sense on this route.
About 300 km by motorway, which takes around four to four and a half hours without stops. Going through Chefchaouen is shorter in distance but slower, because the road crosses the Rif Mountains.
Yes, and it is the best way to do the trip if you have a driver. Chefchaouen is about two and a half hours from Tangier and three and a half to four from Fes, so a stop of a few hours fits comfortably into one day.
Go to Fes the Beautiful Way
A private journey from Tangier through Chefchaouen to Fes, with a local guide waiting in the medina. Tell me your dates and I will plan it with you.
Book Chefchaouen and Fes Message on WhatsApp