There is an international airport Rabat-Sale near the city, but there is no direct connection with Russia. To avoid transfers, you can fly from Moscow to Casablanca, neighboring Rabat. Direct service is offered by Royal Air Mark and Aeroflot, travel time is 6 hours. See JIBIN123 for Morocco customs regulations and visa requirements.
You will have to fly to Rabat Airport from Moscow with a transfer in Paris: Air France and KLM have this option. The journey will take about 10 hours with a two-hour wait between flights. There are also flights through other European cities: Iberia flies through Madrid, Vueling through Barcelona.
From St. Petersburg, you can fly to Rabat with transfers in Paris (Air France, 9 hours) or Budapest (Wizz Air, but the connection between flights is almost a day).
A visa stamp is affixed at the airport upon arrival; additional permits are not required to visit Morocco.
From airport to city
From Casablanca Airport, you can get to Rabat by suburban buses of the CTM carrier (off. site in English). The second option is a taxi. The cost of the trip is not fixed, there are no meters, the fee should be negotiated in advance. On average, they take 270 MAD. The prices on the page are for September 2021.
There are two ways to get from Rabat-Sale airport to Rabat. The first one is on the shuttle No. 22. Buses leave every 25 minutes, the schedule is displayed on the electronic scoreboard. Finding a stop is easy: you need to move from the terminal building towards the Metro store.
The second option is a taxi. There are many cars, taxi drivers work around the clock, but they do not have a single tariff rate. The price depends on the season, the desire of the driver to earn money and the ability of the passenger to bargain. On average, a trip costs 150 MAD.
Transport
Public transport of the city is represented by buses. At the stops there are notes, which bus routes stop at them, the fare is inexpensive. But it is more comfortable to travel by taxi. There are many cars, you can stop them with a wave of your hand or take them in the parking lot. There are two types of taxis in Rabat: red (Petit Taxi) and white (Grand Taxi).
The first uses old Peugeot or Fiat cars and drives only within the city. The maximum number of passengers is 3 people. Grand Taxi rides on old Mercedes, both around the city (it will cost more than Petit Taxi) and beyond. The maximum number of passengers is 6 people (2 in front and 4 in the back).
The cost of a trip around the city, as a rule, does not exceed 25-45 MAD. All cars are equipped with meters; when boarding, be sure to check that the driver turns it on. Despite the presence of a counter, it is always better to specify the price before departure, bargaining is appropriate.
As in all major Moroccan cities, you can rent a bike in Rabat. There are few rental points, perhaps due to high prices: many tourists believe that it is more profitable to ride in a rented car. Moreover, due to heavy traffic, it is rather difficult to ride a bike: pedestrians, porters with bulky bales, electric bikes, and even drivers with donkeys and horses constantly cross the road.
In order to rent a bike without any problems, it is better to first check whether the hotel has such a service. If not, the locals will tell you where to turn.
- Rabat Map
Rabat Hotels
Rabat is divided into the Medina (analogue of the historical center) and modern areas, and this border is very noticeable in terms of housing prices.
Expensive hotels with European quality of service are located mainly in new neighborhoods. For 2500 MAD per day, guests can feel like members of the royal family. They will have several swimming pools, a beautiful and well-groomed territory.
You need to book a room in advance – Moroccan businessmen often come to Rabat.
More affordable accommodation options can be found in the Old Town. Prices for a cozy and clean room are much lower here, and the quality of service remains high. An added bonus is being close to most attractions. There are no hostels in Rabat, but there is an original local accommodation option: in a riad, a former private house with a patio where rooms are rented. It is easy to feel like a real Moroccan in them.
Rent a Car
Rabat is a large city, and some tourists prefer to rent a car. It is more profitable to contact international companies: SIXT, Europcar, Budget, Aircar, Hertz, Thrifty, BookingCar. One of their advantages is the convenient location of rental points: airport, railway stations, large shopping centers. Many cooperate with hotels.
Morocco is a former French colony and it affects everything. Road signs are in French, which is also spoken by traffic police representatives. French cars are rented 40-50% cheaper.
Roads in Rabat (as well as throughout Morocco) are good, there are also expressways. But a tourist driving always attracts increased attention from the traffic police: they stop often and for no apparent reason. You should not worry: if the traffic rules are not violated, then in addition to checking documents, the driver is not in danger.
There are many parking lots in the city, including free ones. But on them, a beggar-swindler can approach a foreigner and demand payment. Therefore, when entering, it is better to check with the parking employee in advance whether a fee is charged. If there are no identification or prohibition signs, you can park for free.