Getting around — Fes-Meknes Region

The region is well connected to Morocco's main cities. Fes has its own international airport (Fes-Saïss), with direct flights from London, Paris, Lyon, Brussels and several other European cities. Meknes, with no airport of its own, is easily reached by train or taxi from Fes. The ONCF rail network is also handy: Fes connects to Casablanca in about 3h30, Tangier in 3 hours, on comfortable and punctual trains. The Al Boraq high-speed line stops in Casablanca with onward connections.

The train between Fes and Meknes is the most convenient way to link the two imperial cities: the trip lasts around forty minutes with frequent departures throughout the day. For Volubilis and Moulay Idriss, no rail line serves the sites; the options are a shared grand taxi from Meknes (about 30 minutes to Moulay Idriss), an organised tour from Fes or a hire car for more freedom. A hire car is also recommended if you want to explore the Middle Atlas, the surroundings of Ifrane or the isolated Berber villages of the region.

Inside the medinas of Fes and Meknes, everything is done on foot. Motor vehicles are banned in most of the Fes el-Bali medina, and the alleys wouldn't allow them anyway. A licensed local guide for the first day in Fes saves time and helps you sidestep the fake guides at the gates. Horse-drawn calèches and small taxis (red in Fes, blue in Meknes) link the neighbourhoods and the new town. For day-trips — Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, Ifrane or Azrou — local agencies offer affordable turnkey packages.

In short, getting around the Fes-Meknes region requires little organisation: the Fes-Meknes-Volubilis triangle is easily covered in two to three days by combining train, grand taxi and excursion. A hire car only becomes genuinely useful for venturing into the Middle Atlas or the most remote villages. For travellers who prefer to switch off the logistics, entrusting the trip to a local driver-guide remains the most comfortable solution — and often the most enlightening.