Originally Posted by
MikeMpls
If I'm reading this right (seems almost too good to be true), the first class fare one way is 140.00 MAD (Morocco Dirhams) = 16.81 USD at current exchange rates; second class fare is 90 MAD = 10.81.
I would suggest we take the 2:50 p.m. train, which will give us time for lunch in Casablanca & allow for some late arrivals.
You are absolutely correct on the pricing, at least as of 8 days ago when we took that trip.
We did it in 1ere and, as you noted,
the experience on the Marrakesh Express is much different than that of Mr. Nash many years ago.
I would HIGHLY recommend taking a train no later than the 12:50pm that we took. By the time you get collected from the train station, get a cab and get into your hotel (or Riad) it'll be dark out if you're on that later train. The Medina is hard enough to figure out in daylight but doing it for the first time in the dark is a recipe for disaster.
If enough folks are interested and you can find a cooperative proprietor, renting out a whole Riad for the group might be an interesting way to go. There are chain hotels in town (Cash+Points rate at the Le Meridien was a great deal IIRC) but they are all outside the Medina and a ways from the fun stuff.
My wife and I were
just in Marrakesh for 4 nights and I can offer some suggestions as desired for things to do, itineraries while there and other bits. Let me know if I can help.
There is an Ibis right next to the train station in Casablanca that is completely tolerable, though the breakfast is pretty awful. It was cheap though, and it precluded needing a taxi that morning. Also note that you cannot really buy train tickets way in advance or from outside the country. If you have a big group it probably makes sense for someone arriving that Friday to get all the tickets then rather than waiting until the day of just in case.