riding the sleeper train from Marrakesh to tanger

In 2018, my friend, Gabrielle, and I spent 2 weeks exploring Morocco from the medinas of Fes and Marrakesh to the dunes of the Sahara and the winding streets of Chefchaouen. We had planned this trip by ourselves, and except for the hike in the Atlas Mountains and our stay in the desert, we didn't hire a guide or a driver so we went from city to city on our own using public transportation like the bus, big taxis and the train. The night train from Marrakesh to Tanger was the easiest and cheapest way to explore the north of the country and I don't regret choosing this option.

I don't know if it has changed, but at the time, we couldn't make reservations for the night train and could only purchase tickets the day of. So, early in the morning, Gabrielle and I walked to the train station and bought our tickets. We opted for a sleeper car instead of seats, as the price wasn't much different and we would be departing Marrakesh at 10 PM and arriving in Tanger at 6 AM and we had planned to visit so we were hoping for a good night's rest.

That evening, we took a small taxi to the train station and had diner there before boarding the train and finding our cabin. I don't know if the employees had chosen to put us all in the same room so we would be more comfortable or if it was just a coincidence, but we ended up sharing our cabin with two other girls that were about our age and traveling by themselves. The cabins in the sleeper cars have two bunk beds, one on each side, and a window. There are sheets that are folded on the bed when you arrive, but no pillows.

We ended up talking with the other girls until pretty late in the evening considering we started talking at 10 PM when the train left. We then put on our pajamas and went to bed and I fell asleep really quickly as we had had a big day and the mattress was surprisingly comfortable. The next morning, about 10 minutes before we arrived at the train station, one of the employees came to knock on the door and wake us up so we had just enough time to get ready before it was time to disembark the train

It was my first time taking the train ever and it didn't disappoint. The ride was comfortable, it cost us one less night of accommodation since we were sleeping on the train and we were lucky, but we had a great time with our bunkmates. We just spent hours exchanging stories of our travels and where we were from and what had brought us to Morocco. It was a simple way to travel and a lot of fun!

For more information on our trip to Morocco, click here.