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Voykit pocket guide · Morocco
Rabat
الرباط
Give Rabat 1–2 nights: Kasbah of the Udayas and Chellah in a half day, Hassan Tower in an hour, then move on by train.
Rabat is Morocco's capital and a UNESCO World Heritage city on the Atlantic at the mouth of the Bou Regreg, facing Salé across the river. It is calmer and easier to walk than Fes or Marrakech, with a compact historic core. Most travellers use it as a 1–2 night stop on the Tangier–Casablanca train line, or a half-day from Casablanca.
- Country
- Morocco
- Local name
- الرباط
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (coastal heat and crowds)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MAD
- Money
- Currency is the Moroccan dirham (MAD). Hotels, larger restaurants and chain shops take cards; souks, taxis, small cafés, guides and tips are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget MAD 350–600 excl. bed · Mid MAD 600–1,100 excl. bed · High MAD 1,100+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Maroc Telecom, Orange and inwi sell tourist SIMs at airports and shops with a passport; 20–50 GB costs about MAD 100–200.
- Emergency
- Police 19 · Gendarmerie 177 · Ambulance and fire 15 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin plugs; bring an adapter for UK or US devices.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up or leave MAD 2–5.; Restaurant: 5–10%.; Porter or bag carrier: MAD 10–20.; Guide, full day: MAD 100–200.; Desert camp staff and driver: MAD 100–200 per day shared.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; carry water in the south.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; squat toilets in older cafés and on the road. Carry tissue and MAD 2–5 for attendants.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Mint tea at a medina café | MAD 10–20 |
| Fish or salad sandwich from a market stall | MAD 20–40 |
| Tagine or rotisserie chicken plate | MAD 50–90 |
| Petit taxi across the centre | MAD 15–30 |
| Tram ride | MAD 6 |
| Chellah entry | MAD 70 |
| Rabat Zoo entry | MAD 50, students 35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- RBA · Rabat–Salé Airport
- In Salé, about 10 km northeast of the centre. AE bus to Rabat-Ville and Rabat-Agdal stations, about 25 MAD; petit taxi on the meter nearer 30 MAD.In Salé, about 6.2 mi northeast of the centre. AE bus to Rabat-Ville and Rabat-Agdal stations, about 25 MAD; petit taxi on the meter nearer 30 MAD.
- CMN · Casablanca Mohammed V
- Main international hub; train to Rabat Ville about 1 h, 45 MAD 2nd class.
Typical fares
- RBA airport → Rabat Ville, AE bus
- about MAD 25, roughly 30–40 min
- RBA airport → centre, metered petit taxi
- nearer MAD 30; white taxis may quote 100–200
- Train Rabat → Casablanca, 2nd class
- about MAD 45, about 1 h
Get around
The centre, medina, Kasbah and monuments are walkable. Two tram lines link Rabat and Salé, about 6 MAD a ride, roughly 06:00–23:00. Blue petit taxis run on the meter, minimum fare about 5–6 MAD and rarely over 25–30 MAD in town; check the meter is running. Buses cost about 5 MAD. Driving yourself is not recommended.The centre, medina, Kasbah and monuments are walkable. Two tram lines link Rabat and Salé, about 6 MAD a ride, roughly 6:00 AM–11:00 PM. Blue petit taxis run on the meter, minimum fare about 5–6 MAD and rarely over 25–30 MAD in town; check the meter is running. Buses cost about 5 MAD. Driving yourself is not recommended.
See and do
Known for
- Kasbah of the Udayas
- Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- Chellah necropolis and its storks
- UNESCO World Heritage medina
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Casablanca | Train from Rabat Ville or Rabat Agdal, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Salé medina | Tram across the Bou Regreg, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| El Jadida | Train toward Casablanca then onward, or bus | 2.5–3 h |
| Asilah | Train north via Kenitra and Tangier | About 3 h |
| Larache | Train or bus north | About 3 h |
| Moulay Bousselham | Bus or shared taxi north | 2–2.5 h |
Sleep
- Medina and Kasbah of the Udayas
- Oldest quarter, walkable to the river and ocean; guesthouses in the lanes. Best for atmosphere and short stays.
- Centre Ville (around Rue des Consuls and Ave Mohammed V)
- Downtown hotels, cafés and the tram; 5–10 min walk to the medina and Rabat Ville station.
- Agdal
- Modern district around Rabat Agdal station; chain hotels, restaurants and the Al Boraq high-speed stop. Good for one night with bags.
- Salé (across the river)
- Cheaper, quieter, older medina; reachable by tram from Rabat in about 15 min.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Peace be upon you | السلام عليكمas-salaam alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much is it? | بشحال؟bech-hal |
| Please use the meter | الكونتور عافاكle compteur afak |
| The bill, please | الحساب عافاكl-hisab afak |
| Where is the toilet? | فين البيتو؟fin l-bitou |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum' and a handshake; hand on heart after; avoid: Offering a hand to a woman first unless she does
- Eating: Right hand, bread as your spoon; avoid: Refusing all food at a home
- Bargaining: Smile, take your time, walk away kindly; avoid: Naming a price you will not pay
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in medinas and villages; avoid: Beachwear away from the beach
- Photos: Ask and accept no; avoid: Photographing women or children without consent
- Ramadan: Eat discreetly indoors in daytime; avoid: Snacking on the street
Scams and watch-outs
- Petit taxis at the airport may refuse the meter and quote 100–200 MAD; wait for a metered blue taxi or take the AE bus.
- Some airport taxi drivers and a few in town refuse the meter: agree the fare or insist on the compteur before you set off.
- Pickpockets on crowded buses and in the medina market; keep bags in front.
- Summer heat and strong Atlantic sun on the coastal walk; carry water.
- Chellah and some museums close for restoration at times: check before you go.
Rabat is one of Morocco's calmer big cities and generally safe for tourists by day and in the main districts. The real issues are taxi meters, pickpockets on crowded buses, and summer heat: insist on the meter and keep bags in front.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rabat yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Kasbah of the Udayas
- Hassan Tower and the Mausoleum of Mohammed V
- Chellah necropolis and its storks
- UNESCO World Heritage medina
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Morocco — Rabat: www.visitmorocco.com/en/travel/rabat
- ONCF (Moroccan railways): www.oncf.ma/en/Home
- Wikivoyage: Rabat, revision 5300803 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5300803
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Rabatالرباط
لهذا العنوان عافاك
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Most embassies are in Rabat as the capital; the US embassy is in Agdal (check the address). Others: consulates in Casablanca.
Tipping is expected for small services: MAD 10–20 for porters and guides' helpers, 5–10% in restaurants.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/rabat). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.