Getting Your Bearings
Fes is a city of distinct quarters, and understanding them is the key to moving around efficiently. The two old medina quarters, Fes el-Bali and Fes Jdid, sit alongside the much larger modern Ville Nouvelle area, which was founded during the French colonial era. The Medina of Fes is a World Heritage Site and one of the world's largest and oldest urban pedestrian zones — it is car-free. That single fact shapes almost every transport decision you will make as a visitor.
In the medina, the main street is Talaa Kbira, which runs from Bab Boujeloud to the Kairouine mosque in the heart of the old city. Talaa Sghira also begins at Bab Boujeloud and eventually merges back into Talaa Kbira. A useful trick once you are deep in the narrow, winding heart of the medina is to keep heading downhill: this will eventually lead you to Place R'cif, a drop-off point for buses and taxis where you can pick up a petit taxi out of the medina. Gates (babs) ring the city, and taxis are cheap, so a common strategy is to ride to the nearest gate and walk from there.
Rail: The Train Station and Intercity Connections
Fes has a main train station, Fès-Ville, at the northern end of the Ville Nouvelle. It is the anchor of the city's rail connections and also a useful landmark for local transport, since the main bus hub in the Ville Nouvelle is near the station.
Trains operate almost hourly for much of the day on a line running between Marrakech and Fes via Casablanca, Rabat, Kenitra and Meknes, so rail is a practical way to arrive from most major Moroccan cities. There are also direct trains from Tangier, though that is the slower option. At Kenitra, connections are available to and from the Al Boraq high-speed train. Note that hustlers sometimes operate on trains into Fes, so keep your wits about you on arrival.
A petit taxi between the train station and Bab Boujeloud is inexpensive. Insist on using the meter — if necessary, say "khdm l-koontoor" (work the counter) to the driver.
Metro and Tram
There is no metro or tram network in Fes. Public transport around the city is handled by buses and taxis, so plan accordingly and do not expect a rail-based urban system.
Buses
Local buses are operated by ALSA Fes. They do not run inside the medina; instead they connect the Ville Nouvelle with areas just outside the medina ramparts and with other neighbourhoods. Route numbers are marked on the side of buses, and route maps are posted at major stops and some terminals.
You pay cash to the driver on boarding, so it helps to carry exact change and small denominations. Buses generally run from around early morning until late evening, with frequency varying by route. They can be crowded, and the older vehicles are generally not wheelchair accessible.
A few routes are especially handy for visitors: bus 9 runs between Place Atlas in the Ville Nouvelle and near the Dar Batha Museum; bus 16 connects the airport with the railway station; and bus 19 runs between the railway station and Place er-Rsif in central Fes el-Bali.
For intercity travel, there are two main bus points. The CTM terminal sits in Place Allal el-Fassi in the Atlas neighbourhood of the Ville Nouvelle, with taxi stands nearby. The older Gare Routière is just outside the old city on the north side, near the Ain Zleten entrance to the medina and Bab Boujloud place; grand taxis (intercity taxis) can also be found here. From the Gare Routière you can leave by bus for almost any direction in North Morocco. Buses are usually basic, with the exception of CTM, which offers European-quality service at roughly double the standard fare, usually including the small charge for transporting luggage, and is not overcrowded. People often come to the station in the morning to book a ticket for the afternoon or the next day and collect luggage stickers, so avoid showing up at the last minute. Touts at the station may try to sell tickets to tourists — avoid them. While the Gare Routière covers more routes more cheaply, many visitors prefer CTM for its reliability and cleanliness.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Fes has two kinds of taxi, and knowing which is which saves confusion. Petits taxis are the small red cars that operate within the city limits. They are metered, inexpensive, carry up to three passengers, and a short trip rarely costs much. They are often shared, and a driver may wait until the car is full before departing, though you can request one exclusively. Cash is the norm, and small denominations are preferred.
Grands taxis are larger, often beige or white, and are used for intercity travel or shared fixed routes. They mostly depart from the main bus station (gare routière), and there are also grand taxi stations next to the train station and next to the CTM station for routes toward Azrou and Ifrane. Seats are sold individually, so to travel in relative comfort you may need to buy more than one seat. Grand taxi fares are regulated, and it is worth checking the official rates with the tourist board, since some drivers or hotels will quote inflated prices.
Because the medina of Fes el-Bali is only accessible by car from a few points, popular drop-off spots include Bab Boujeloud, nearby Place Batha, and Place R'cif. There is parking at Ain Zleten on the northeast edge of the medina, and another open-air parking area near Hotel Batha.
Ride-hailing apps such as Careem and inDriver are used in Fes, but they are less common here than in Marrakech or Casablanca, so treat them as a supplement to taxis rather than a replacement.
Walking the Medina
Fes el-Bali is pedestrian-only, and walking is the only practical way to get around inside it. Travel guides often insist you will get lost and must hire a guide, but a workable approach is to take a red taxi to the nearest gate and walk from there until you get your bearings. A rough map of where the sights are helps, and a GPS navigation app doesn't hurt either, although GPS readings are sometimes unreliable inside the medina. Expect some wrong turns and confusion on your first visit.
If you have a poor sense of direction, are particularly worried, or want to see all the main sights in limited time, a guide can be worthwhile. Arrange a licensed guide through your hotel or the tourism office; they can give accurate history and make fewer shopping stops. Faux-guides, by contrast, will simply take you from shop to shop where you will be pressured to buy goods, with a hidden commission going to the guide. Hotels and riads should be able to provide medina maps locating their property, since the medina is very difficult to navigate.
There are several well-marked trails through the city: follow the green (Andalusian palaces and gardens), orange (walls and fortifications), or blue signs and you will not get lost in the narrow twisting streets. Be discreet when taking out a map, or you will attract many offers from false guides.
Walking conditions vary by area. Fes el-Bali has uneven, narrow, stepped streets and is largely inaccessible for wheelchairs and challenging for anyone with mobility issues. The Ville Nouvelle has wider pavements, smoother roads and is more pedestrian-friendly. In narrow, crowded medina alleys, be aware of donkey and cart traffic, which has the right of way. Some residential areas are not of tourist interest and may be less welcoming to visitors.
Cycling is impractical in the medina, and there is limited bicycle infrastructure elsewhere; main roads can be hazardous due to heavy traffic. There is no formal bike-sharing scheme, though some riads and tour operators rent bikes for excursions outside the medina.
Arriving from Fes-Saïs International Airport
Fes-Saïs International Airport (FEZ) lies outside the city and has a few cafes, ATMs and car rental agencies, plus a Maroc Telecom shop selling SIM cards. Several carriers serve it, including Air Arabia, Royal Air Maroc, Ryanair, Transavia and TUI Fly Belgium, with domestic links to Agadir and Marrakech among others. You have three main ways into the city.
- By bus: If you do not have too much luggage, the #16 local bus runs from the airport to the main train station. The stop is about 100 m right and then 100 m left out of the airport — follow the road and you will see a bus sign. There is no timetable, but it goes roughly hourly between 06:00 and 23:00. Going the other way, from Fes to the airport, the bus stop is on the left of the entrance to the train station; it isn't marked, so look for a crowd of people with suitcases to the left of the station. You can buy a ticket in advance at the cash desk at the bus stop. Allow plenty of time, as departures can be erratic.
- By shared taxi: From the bus stop at the airport, a shared taxi is inexpensive per person depending on your negotiation skills. Many taxis will stop if they see people waiting at the stop; just bargain hard.
- By taxi: There is a fixed price for a taxi from the airport to the city, including the medina and the train station. There is a taxi stand directly outside, and an usher will help you get one, but confirm the price before you get in, and it is best to give the exact amount rather than waiting for change.
Driving and Car Rental
If you plan to drive, note that Morocco drives on the right and seatbelts are required. Main roads are well paved, but medina roads are narrow, winding, pedestrian-only alleys. Parking inside Fes el-Bali is impossible; use the paid public car parks outside the medina gates, such as near Bab Boujeloud and Bab Ziat. Parking is widely available throughout the Ville Nouvelle. Night driving outside major cities is not recommended due to poor lighting, lack of road markings, and unlit vehicles or obstacles, and speed traps are common on highways.
Car rental companies include Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt and local operators, with offices at Fes-Saïs Airport and in the Ville Nouvelle. You will need a valid national driving licence, with an International Driving Permit highly recommended, plus a passport and credit card for the deposit. The minimum age is typically 21 or 23 with at least one year of driving experience. Reserve online early, and inspect the vehicle for damage before accepting it, making sure any damage is noted on the agreement.
A few other options are worth ruling out: motorcycle and scooter rentals are uncommon and not recommended for the medina; there is no hop-on-hop-off bus service, with organised tour buses mainly used for excursions and intercity travel; and there is no boat or water transport, nor any cable car or funicular. Donkeys and mules remain the traditional transport for goods within the medina, but they are not rented to tourists.