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Travel ...
Essaouira has a small airport but,
at present, the only
direct flights from Europe are from Paris (three times per week via
Royal Air Maroc). The airport
has just been expanded and direct flights from the UK are expected
soon. Until then,
the best option is to fly to
Marrakech and Agadir, both of which are about 100 miles from Essaouira.
The best way to find
what you want in terms of price and timing is to visit each of the
airline's websites individually rather than use on of the cheap flight
search engines.
Easyjet,
Ryanair,
Royal Air Maroc and
Atlas
Blue all have
regular flights from the UK to Marrakech;
Thomsonfly
and
FlyThomasCook both
have weekly flights to Agadir. Atlas Blue are the budget arm of Royal
Air Maroc and are sometimes substituted for RAM so beware of paying for
a full service flight and ending up with a budget one! Unfortunately there is no public transport from
Marrakech airport to Essaouira. You can pick up a 'grand taxi' outside
the airport but we would recommend arranging to be met
by a taxi from Essaouira. This costs 800 DH (about £50) - about the same
as a grand taxi but more reliable and comfortable. You can change money
to pay for the taxi at the airport (the kiosk is more reliable than the
ATM). The
taxi from Marrakech to Essaouira takes about 21/2 hours
(from Agadir takes slightly longer as the roads aren't as good). If you are staying in Marrakech for a few
days before visiting Essaouira a cheaper alternative to the taxi is
Supratours coaches (this isn't really an option if travelling direct
from Marrakech due to timings and the fact that you need to purchase a
ticket in advance). You can book tickets from the terminus, which
is next to Marrakech railway station. The service is very popular and
seats are numbered so, if you want to sit at the front, it is best to
book early. The coaches depart from Marrakech at 08:30, 10:00, 15:30 and
19:00 daily (but timings change so it is best to check). Depending on the time of your flight,
Supratours are also a good option for your return to Marrakech. Again
you are advised to book tickets as early as possible (for the location
of the kiosk in Essaouira, see
map or telehone: 00 212 24 47 53
17). Departure times are around 06:10, 12:00. 15:30
and 18:45 daily. The coach will drop you off at Marrakech railway
station from where it is a short taxi ride to the airport. The journey
takes about 3 hours, including a 20 minute stop for refreshments, and
costs 65 DH plus 5 DH for each piece of luggage in the hold.
It is possible to hire a car from Marrakech airport or in Essaouira. Please note this is relatively expensive and the cars tend to be older than those used by European car hire companies.
Car hire in Essaouira
Ailen Car 114 Ave. Al Akaba
Tel: + 212 (0) 24 47 46 23 / + 212 (0) 61 34 71 10
Tel: + 212 (0) 24 47 22 25 / + 212 (0) 61 60 14 66
Benzaid cars Quartier des Dunes, 1er étage, appt No. 2
Tel: 00 212 24 47 46 21
Mobile: 00 212 61 77 40 27
Essaouira Transport
Tel:+212 (0) 24 47 29 37 ? +212 (0) 61 20 71 64 / +212 (0) 61 20 70 32
Essaouira Travel Car 42 Boulevard El Massira
Tel: + 212 (0) 24 78 31 66 / + 212 (0) 68 58 73 97
Isfahoun Rent a Car 62 Boulevard Mohammed V
Tel: + 212 (0) 24 47 49 06 / + 212 (0) 61 20 71 56 / + 212 (0) 68 05 16 69
Car, 4WD, minibus (chauffeurs available)
Jouhara car 2 Boulevard de Fes (next to Le Comptoir)
Tel: + 212 (0) 24 47 45 58 / + 212 (0) 64 47 51 90
4- 17 seaters and 4WD
Kaouki Car 36 Lot 4, Rue Imam Mouslim
Tel: +212 (0) 24 47 51 19 / +212 (0) 60 46 30 34 / +212 (0) 77 21 73 23
Kinabo Car Quartier Borj 1 No 117
Tel: + 212 (0) 24 47 20 54 / + 212 (0) 76 48 28 14 / + 212 (0) 15 76 21 24
Louizi Rent a car 52 Avenue Moulay Driss, 1er, Borj 3 (north of Bab Doukala)
Tel: +212 (0)24 47 33 11 / +212 (0) 61 10 35 51
Rayano
Tel: + 212 (0) 24 47 55 38
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