In short
There is no direct train, because Essaouira has no station: the safest route is the train to Marrakech and then the Supratours coach, about 6 hours in all. Driving, it is 430 km via the motorway and Marrakech, or 375 km along the coast — slower and far more interesting.
From Casablanca or Rabat, Essaouira isn't far in kilometres, but it is awkwardly connected: there is no train, because Essaouira has no station. Everything else follows from that.
Here are the four ways to make the journey, from the most reliable to the most enjoyable.
The options at a glance
| Option | Time | Rough price | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train to Marrakech + Supratours coach | ~6 h | train + ~100 MAD | The default, and the safest |
| Direct CTM or Supratours coach | 6 h 15 – 7 h | 220 MAD | One seat, no changes |
| Driving via motorway and Marrakech | ~5 h | tolls + fuel | Getting there fast |
| Driving the coast (El Jadida, Oualidia, Safi) | a full day | tolls + fuel | Anyone who wants to see something |
Train to Marrakech, then the coach
This is what we'd suggest by default. Moroccan trains are comfortable, punctual and cheap, and Supratours is the coach arm of the national rail company: its coaches are designed as the train's connection, leaving from a station beside Marrakech's railway station.
- Casablanca to Marrakech by train: about 3 hours, several departures a day from Casa-Voyageurs.
- Marrakech to Essaouira by coach: 3 to 3.5 hours, around 100 dirhams.
Ask at the counter for the combined train + coach ticket: the railway and Supratours sell it as one, which saves buying twice and protects the connection. Leave margin between the two — missing the last coach of the day means a night in Marrakech.
The Marrakech leg is covered in full here: Marrakech to Essaouira — distance, bus, taxi and transfer.
The direct coach
CTM and Supratours also run direct services from Casablanca, with no change at Marrakech. In September 2026 CTM showed three direct departures a day in the Essaouira to Casablanca direction, taking 6 h 15 to 7 h for 220 dirhams. It's slower than the train, but you only get off once, with your bags in the hold — a real argument if you're travelling alone with suitcases.
Book online or at the counter the day before, especially in summer.
Driving: two very different roads
Via the motorway and Marrakech, about 430 km: motorway to Marrakech, then the main road across the plain and the argan forest. Fast, easy and unremarkable.
Via the coast, about 375 km: the road follows the Atlantic nearly the whole way, and it is one of the finest drives in the country. Allow a full day, or better, two with a night on the way.
What you pass through, north to south:
- El Jadida and its Portuguese cistern, an underground hall of columns where the ceiling reflects in a centimetre of water. An hour is enough, and it stays with you.
- Oualidia, its lagoon and oyster beds: this is where to sleep, and one of the few sheltered beaches on the whole coast.
- Safi, a fishing and ceramics town, with its potters' hill and traditional kilns.
- Then the last straight run to Essaouira, between fields and argan trees.
What about flying?
You can't. No domestic flight serves Essaouira: its airport takes European low-cost carriers only. If you land at Mohammed V from abroad, the rest of the journey is by road, or by train to Marrakech and coach — unless you can find a direct flight from Europe into Essaouira itself, which is usually the better idea when one exists.
Everything about arriving: Essaouira airport.
And from Rabat?
The principle is identical, with about an hour more on the train: Rabat to Marrakech by rail, then the coach to Essaouira. Driving, add the same hour on the motorway — or join the coast at El Jadida if you want the scenic version.
Arriving
Whichever you choose, you'll arrive at the medina gates, and the medina is pedestrian: taxis and coaches stop outside the ramparts, and a porter with a handcart takes your bags to the riad for a few tens of dirhams.
After six hours on the road, the best cure is still to get in the water the next morning:
Common questions
How far is Essaouira from Casablanca?
About 430 km via the motorway and Marrakech, or 375 km along the coast road. The first is faster, the second far more rewarding.
Is there a train from Casablanca to Essaouira?
No, Essaouira has no railway station. You take the train to Marrakech and then the Supratours coach, which is the rail company's own connection and sells as a combined ticket.
How long does Casablanca to Essaouira take?
About 6 hours by train plus coach, 6 h 15 to 7 h by direct coach, and 5 hours driving via the motorway. By the coast road, give it a full day with stops.
Is there a flight from Casablanca to Essaouira?
No, and it is a stubborn myth: Essaouira has no domestic flights at all. Its airport is connected only to Europe, by low-cost carriers. From Casablanca you travel by road, or by train to Marrakech and coach from there.
How do you get from Rabat to Essaouira?
The same way as from Casablanca, with an extra hour on the train: Rabat to Marrakech by rail, then the Supratours coach to Essaouira.
Is the coast road worth it?
Yes, if you have a car and a day: El Jadida's Portuguese cistern, the oysters at Oualidia and the potters of Safi make one fine leg, with a night in Oualidia.
