Most stylish routing to get to Marrakesh in 2012
 

Help me FT'ers. I am looking for the most stylish way to get from the continental US to Morocco in 2012. I am currently looking at ATL-LHR on BA with an upgrade from CW to First, then on to RAK on BA. Was thinking of trying a route on Singapore from EWR to FRA in Biz then on to RAK. Thoughts?

Not sure this is exactly stylish, but it IS adventurous!

Last year, I flew PHL-MAD in (US Airways) Envoy; train/bus to Tarifa, Spain (an absolutely lovely little port town, very close to the Rock of Gibraltar, if that interests you); ferry to Tangier; "first class" sleeping car/overnight train to Marrakech. To me, there's something special about arriving on the African continent by sea. And while the "first class" Moroccan train experience was far from comfortable, it was an experience I wouldn't trade for the world!

Bagette:

I'm considering something similiar since I am flying into BCN. Any idea on what the costs were like?

Thanks

Edited

Was thinking something different.

Bagette
That sounds cool. Definitely not what I was thinking, but very interesting. I'll look into it (translation, I'll see if my wife is up for it).

When I was planning the trip, the round trip flight from my origination (PHX) to RAK was pricing around $1500 at the cheapest. The flight to MAD was only $850. So at the time (late Sept 2010), my roundabout route to Marrakech was considerably cheaper, though more time consuming, than flying direct.

If I remember correctly, the train+bus from MAD to Tarifa was around US$60 one way (about a 6 hour trip), the ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier was US$35 one way (35 minute trip), the overnight train ("first class" sleeping car) was less than US$20 one way (10 hour trip).

I took EasyJet back to Madrid for my return to the US. That priced at about US$30. But also kept me from buying as much in the Souks since EasyJet charges a fortune for the second bag.

Just a word of warning: The overnight train was NOT comfortable! The "first class" sleeping car consisted of a tiny compartment with four bunks. The mattress was as hard as a rock. They do give you sheets that appear clean and a pillow. It was HOT and stuffy! And the bathrooms were suspect, at best. :)

You are not assigned an actual bunk when you buy the ticket. As you board the train, the conductor points you to a compartment based on gender. I was traveling alone, so I have no idea if the conductor would split up couples so that compartments are all male or female. That is my suspicion though, since they wouldn't want strange men and women in the same compartment. But you could probably just buy four tickets to have a compartment to yourselves. Tickets are inexpensive.

Like I said before, the train was miserable, but still an experience I wouldn't trade for the world! And I would totally do it again! ... The ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar was AMAZING! As was the train+bus from Madrid to Tarifa.

Have fun planning!

Just a word of caution: Since the Tangier-Med port opened, the transfer from the port to the train may be a bit more difficult. Despite it's name, I'd estimate the port is about an hour's drive from Tangier (40 or 50 km...we took the coastal route, though I think there's a highway, too). Some ferries may still arrive into the Tangier city port (I know I saw some cruise ships), but most of the ferries now seem to be going into Tangier-Med.