Morocco by Train with Kids: Tickets and Seats

Use rail where it removes a long city transfer

A train can be a comfortable way to link larger cities when the stations match your arrival, departure and accommodation plans. It is less useful when the next stop is a small village, kasbah or desert camp that still needs a private transfer. Compare the whole hotel-to-hotel journey, not only the time shown between stations.

For a mixed itinerary, you may prefer rail between cities and a driver for the Atlas or Sahara section. That is a route-design decision: ask who handles station pickups, luggage and any changes between providers.

On the Atlantic corridor, compare a train from Casablanca to Rabat with a private transfer.

Book children and seats as one family group

Book the family in one transaction where you can. Check the passenger names and seat numbers before you pay. If you cannot choose seats together, ask ONCF how to arrange them before the day of travel.

Leave extra time for the station routine

Check the boarding instructions on your ticket. With children, allow time for the entrance, toilets and the walk to your carriage. Have the ticket available on your phone or printed if the fare permits it.

Plan the last mile at both ends

A family can save time on the main rail leg and still lose it on the station connection. Ask whether your hotel can arrange a pickup, how far the car can approach the riad and who will help with bags. For a private tour, confirm whether the driver meets you at the station or starts from a different city.

For a road transfer at either end, confirm a seat for each child before you book.

Protect a little time after a long rail leg

Do not schedule a guided medina visit or timed attraction immediately after the train arrives. Give the family time to reach the hotel, use the bathroom, eat and settle in before deciding whether to explore.

If the train is delayed or a child needs a break, a free evening is easier to change than a prepaid activity. Keep the first plan near the station or accommodation and move farther away on the next day.

Check where the family will sit and store its bags

When buying tickets, compare the class, carriage and seating arrangement available for your route. Ask whether the family can sit together and where a stroller or larger bag should be stored. The answer can differ by train and station, so use the rail operator’s current information rather than relying on an old trip report.

Pack the things children may need during the journey in one reachable bag. Keep snacks, water, wipes, a layer and any necessary medicine nearby instead of placing them under luggage that cannot be accessed easily once the train is moving.

Give both stations a calm arrival buffer

If you change trains, check whether the second one leaves from the same station. Leave time for a platform change with bags, and ask what the fare allows if a delay makes you miss the connection.

At the other end, agree on a meeting point before you board the first train. If a driver is collecting you, send the train number as well as the arrival time.