Find out everything you need to know about your arrival in Marrakesh here. The journey from Europe is uncomplicated, but with our insider tips you can start your trip in a more relaxed way.
After 8 years of experience with guests from all over Europe, we have compiled the most important answers to your questions here and will guide you step by step through the immigration process at Marrakesh airport.
If you land in Marrakesh late at night and just want to go to your riad, you should know what to expect.
In our article Departure from Marrakesh Airport you will find all the important information for your return journey.
Marrakesh is also changing — and we are keeping this article up to date for you. Last revised in April 2026.
Meet the author:
Svenja Keller is a german architect from the Black Forest and has been running the Riad Selouane in the medina of Marrakesh since 2019.
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- North Africa is easy to reach from Europe
- Marrakesh-Menara Airport: One of the most beautiful terminals in the world
- Entering Marrakesh: passport control and important information
- The waiting time at passport control and VIP services
- Continue to baggage claim
- Not a good idea: changing money at the airport
- Check again: drone import
- A good idea: buy a Moroccan phone card
- Finally out of the airport
- And how do you get from the airport to the hotel?
- Small and large taxis and bus no. 19
- Further transfer options
- Frequently asked questions about arriving in Marrakesh
Important to know:
You need a valid passport to enter the country!
Moroccan dirhams can only be exchanged in Morocco!
You are not allowed to import drones!
North Africa is easy to reach from Europe
There are direct flights to Marrakesh from many major European cities. Easyjet, Ryanair and Vueling in particular offer many flights to Morocco. There are many flights to the Maghreb, especially from France, and some airlines even serve Marrakesh twice a day from certain departure airports. There are now also direct flights from the USA and Canada, e.g. from New York, Atlanta or Toronto.
Unfortunately, many airlines tend to arrive very late and it is not uncommon to land after midnight. Airlines such as Ryanair now have several aircraft stationed in Marrakesh, which explains the very late arrival times and sometimes very early departure times.
Your hotel is used to this, but it would be nice if you could let them know your arrival time in advance. In many riads, only the night watchman is on duty at this time of day. If you arrive late in the evening, it would be nice for him to know when to expect the guests.
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Just under 4 hours flight from Germany and you are already in Marrakesh, the ochre-colored city. It’s easy to see where this name comes from when approaching the airport.
All shades of earthy reds and yellows dominate the picture, peppered with the occasional olive grove. But then the airport comes into sight, the arrival in Marrakesh draws closer and the anticipation of the next few days takes on concrete forms.
Especially in winter, you may be lucky enough to catch a beautiful view of the snow-covered High Atlas.
Incidentally, there are no flights over the medina, so you can see more of the new town and the outskirts of Marrakesh.
Incidentally, in most cases it doesn’t matter which side of the plane you are sitting on, as the approach direction and the approach lanes change depending on the weather and it is therefore impossible to predict which side will offer the better view on approach. The view tends to be better on the left-hand side.
When it is very warm in Marrakesh, the landing approach can sometimes be quite shaky. Due to the heat and the nearby mountains, thermals develop, especially in summer, which do not allow for a smooth landing.
Marrakesh-Menara Airport: One of the most beautiful terminals in the world
Opened in 2014, the terminal of the international airport with the melodious name Marrakech-Ménara (abbreviation RAK) is considered by insiders to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Up to 5 million passengers are handled here every year. However, before you can admire the successful combination of modern, airy architecture and traditional Arabic elements of the airport, you usually have to take a short walk across the tarmac.
You can smell it as soon as you get out of the car: Marrakesh, so foreign, so spicy, so different. Also usually so much warmer than here. If you get on a plane in Germany early in the morning in winter, you want to get rid of your thick winter jacket quickly. If you’re lucky, it’s 20 degrees higher than at home.
Marrakech-Menara Airport is generally barrier-free. For travelers who require assistance of any kind, this is provided by the airline and should be ordered a few days before the flight. Spontaneous assistance on the ground is usually associated with long waiting times.
Entering Marrakesh: passport control and important information
There’s no need to dawdle when disembarking: first you go up the stairs, then down the stairs through the terminal and then you have to queue: passport control is the first hurdle on your arrival in Marrakesh. Important: Entry to Morocco is only permitted with a valid passport, an identity card is not accepted. The current entry requirements for Great Britain for example can be found on the ministry of foreign affairs website.
The previously obligatory entry document in paper form has no longer been necessary since the end of 2019. However, it can still happen that you have to queue for over an hour until you finally have the necessary stamps in your passport. If it’s quick, the whole thing can be done in five minutes.
Please note: each traveler must go through passport control individually. Families should split up and children over the age of 16 need to see the customs officers alone at the checkpoint. That’s why we always send our teenage children ahead of us to passport control, so that we are still with them in case any questions arise. If you have already passed through immigration before your child, security staff will sometimes ask you to leave the area and of course you don’t want to do this if your children have not yet officially entered the country. Passport control takes quite a long time, which is not due to the Moroccan customs officers, but to the slow computer system.
Afterwards, please do not put your passport away yet — at the exit of passport control it will be checked again that each passport actually contains a stamp. It is quicker if you have opened the page with the stamp and the inspector does not have to search for it. I suspect this is also the reason why the passport is always stamped on the last available page.
The waiting time at passport control and VIP services
Marrakesh is booming — and visitor numbers are increasing every year. In 2025 alone, over 10 million passengers were handled at the airport.
Since the beginning of 2025, the passport control area has been massively expanded and the horror stories of waiting times of several hours are a thing of the past. At the moment, the normal waiting time is around 15–30 minutes, depending on the volume of passengers.
Friday and Saturday evenings are generally busy, with many planes landing at the same time and waiting times can be long.
Similarly, long queues are inevitable at the start of the French summer vacations, when Moroccans living in Europe visit their families, and during major Islamic holidays such as the end of Ramadan and the Feast of Sacrifice.
The main tourist seasons in Marrakesh are October, Christmas and March to May. Increased visitor numbers are to be expected, especially at the start of the European vacation season.
Incidentally, there are no fast lanes in Marrakesh as we know them from Europe or the USA. Families with small children are often waved into a separate lane, but this tends to happen at the whim of the staff.
If you would like to use a VIP service so that you can get through the checks more quickly, you must book this in advance with a private provider. The cost per person is approx. 100 — 150€. Direkt bei Ankunft ist es nicht mehr möglich, diesen Service zu buchen.
I have already used the VIP service myself and it was very pleasant to get through the controls within a few minutes, which doesn’t help when waiting for the luggage.
Unfortunately, I keep hearing from guests that they paid a lot of money for the Fast Track, but when they arrived no one was waiting for them, the Fast Lane was not staffed or the booking did not exist — the money was still gone.
As we have not yet found a trustworthy provider, I am unfortunately unable to recommend this rather expensive service.
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Continue to baggage claim
Those who have passed passport control in just a few minutes can now wait for their suitcases. Good for those who only have hand luggage.
There are only a handful of baggage carousels, all of which are in a row. You can find the correct baggage carousel on a display board in the baggage hall.
If you have to wait for checked baggage, you can expect it to take at least half an hour from the time you get off the plane until the first suitcases are handed out, if not longer. So there is time to take care of other things: in this area of the terminal there are (clean!) toilets and exchange offices in addition to the baggage claim area.
Not a good idea: changing money at the airport
The Moroccan currency is called Dirham (MAD) and is not a freely convertible currency. This means that you cannot exchange dirhams at a bank outside Morocco.
When you arrive in Marrakesh, you must make sure that you can exchange dirhams.
On your departure, you must exchange any remaining funds back, as dirhams may not be exported except for small amounts.
When exchanging dirhams, you should always keep the exchange voucher, otherwise the exchange office may refuse the exchange.
However, I would advise caution with the exchange offices at the airport. The exchange rates are rather unfavorable for the traveler and in the city there are exchange offices with better rates as well as ATMs where you can withdraw money with your credit card.
If you do want to change money at the airport, do not under any circumstances have a card loaded with credit handed to you. These cards cost a basic fee and you can only use them to pay in large restaurants or hotels, but not at the small traders in the souk. You also have no overview of how much money is left on the card. And if there is still credit on the card at the end of your stay, the refund will also cost a fee.
In Morocco, you always have the option of withdrawing money from an ATM with your credit card. However, most banks have a limit of 2000 dirhams, which roughly corresponds to around €200. You can usually withdraw several times in a row without any problems, but you will be charged a fee of around €5 for each transaction. Important: If you have the choice, choose to debit in dirhams or without conversion, as this is cheaper for you.
At the airport you will find ATMs from various banks in the baggage hall.
If you need money for a taxi or bus, only change a small amount to cover your arrival in Marrakesh and make sure you also have small bills. The taxi driver will certainly not be able to hand over large amounts. It is customary to pay the taxi driver appropriately and not to expect change. The tourist taxis sometimes also accept euros, but you should clarify this before setting off.
When you stay with us at Riad Selouane you can exchange your money at the exchange office just around the corner and our manager will be happy to accompany you if you need help. ATMs are also available a short distance away.
Check again: drone import
Once you have collected your baggage, you will have to queue again — even if you are only traveling with hand baggage. Your luggage will be checked and scanned and you will be informed that drones may not be imported into the Kingdom of Morocco without authorization.
To bring a drone to Morocco, you need a permit in advance, which you will not actually receive as a traveler, as Morocco classifies drones as security-relevant.
The scanners at the airport reliably detect drones and immediate confiscation is the result. This also applies to mini-drones. Anyone who flies a drone without a permit risks serious legal problems.
A good idea: buy a Moroccan phone card
If you also want to have internet reception outside the hotel, you can purchase a SIM card from a Moroccan telephone company before leaving the airport. Incidentally, Morocco has much better 5G network coverage than Germany. You can expect excellent reception even in the middle of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes.
As it’s easy to get lost in Marrakesh, I can only advise everyone to buy a map like this. This means you can no longer be reached by phone by your regular telephone number, but you can be reached via the Messenger service.
The employees of the telephone companies install the card and you are online right away. The cards usually cost 10–20 euros with enough gigabytes for a week’s vacation and you can usually pay in euros, because Moroccans are enterprising people. The PIN for the SIM card is 0000 by default in case you need to change the card.
Recently, e‑SIMs have also become available in Morocco, which you can also obtain from phone card providers or buy online in advance.
Detailed information about Moroccan phone cards can be found in our article on the use of eSIM and SIM cards in Morocco.
Finally out of the airport
After the final check, you come out of the airport building through the large arrivals hall and land in a large crowd.
At this place, drivers wait for their guests to take them to their hotels, tour groups are welcomed and family members greet their relatives from Europe.
There is shouting, pushing, searching and finding.
It’s not easy to keep an overview, because by now you’ve arrived in the Moroccan hustle and bustle.
And how do you get from the airport to the hotel?
It sounds simple, but it’s the most common source of confusion on arrival: no taxi driver at the airport knows your riad. There are hundreds of riads in the medina and all of them are located in alleyways that are inaccessible to cars. A taxi will take you to the edge of the old town — but from there you have to walk and know where to go.
Especially at night, when the alleyways are empty and orientation is difficult, a pre-booked transfer from the hotel is by far the most stress-free option: the driver knows the way and the hotel staff will pick you up at the edge of the medina.
Based on many years of experience, we recommend booking the transfer directly through your hotel. Your driver will know in advance where you need to go and the hotel staff will meet you at the edge of the medina. This way you can avoid nerve-wracking searches in the alleyways of the medina right at the start of your vacation.
Alternatively, platforms such as GetYourGuide* and Booking.com offer reliable private transfers at a fixed price.
For more information on how to get to Riad Selouane, please visit how to find us. You can book a transfer to the Riad Selouane via our contact page.
A transfer usually costs around 15–30€ for 2–3 people, depending on the location of the riad. This converts to around 150 to 300 dirhams.
Transfers to hotels in the Marrakesh area cost up to €50 / 500 dirhams, depending on the distance.
Looking for a hotel in Marrakesh?
Top location in the medina, breakfast included, an oasis of peace in the middle of the souks:
The Riad Selouane is the ideal address for your city trip!
Small and large taxis and bus no. 19
Unlike in European cities, there are no organized public transfers between the airport and the city centre in Marrakesh. Buses and taxis do exist, but are geared towards the everyday life of the locals — for visitors with luggage and a hotel in the city center, private transfers are the much more reliable choice.
As already mentioned: Please do not expect your taxi driver to know the riad you have booked in the old town — there are hundreds of riads in Marrakesh and they are all within walking distance. In order to get out of the taxi at a suitable point on the edge of the medina, you should know near which entrance gate your hotel is located and indicate this to the taxi driver as your destination. You can usually ask your hotel for this information in advance.
There are three types of taxis: tourist taxis, small taxis and grand taxis.
With a tourist taxi, usually a van with enough space for 4 people and luggage, you have to negotiate the price in advance. Here, too, the price is around €15 per trip. The drivers are geared towards tourists and usually speak English as well as French.
Petit taxis, which are small (beige) vehicles with little space for luggage, are metered. These taxis for a maximum of 3 passengers are mainly used by locals and it may well be that the driver only speaks Arabic. Depending on traffic conditions, you can get from the airport to the old town for around €5, making your arrival in Marrakesh an adventure in the first half hour.
There are also Grand Taxis, which are also beige but slightly larger. Here the taximeter does not have to be set and the price should be negotiated before the journey begins. These drivers are also not necessarily geared towards tourists and do not always speak English.
The official cab rank is located directly in front of the exit of the arrivals hall — well signposted and hard to miss. There is a price sign on the stand with the official rates for Grand Taxis, so you know what you will pay before you set off. A trip to the city center during the day costs around 100 dirhams (approx. €9–10). Please note: A night surcharge of 50% applies between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Payment is made in cash only — credit cards are not accepted. Taxis are always available in sufficient numbers.
Important: there is no Uber in Marrakesh, but you can book a driver in advance from home or at short notice on arrival via GetYourGuide*.
There is also the option of taking bus no. 19 to Place Jemaa el Fna and walking to the hotel from there. To be honest, we only recommend this for hardened backpackers: the bus stop is not directly in front of the terminal, the bus does not run at night, and anyone arriving in Marrakesh for the first time will quickly get lost in the medina.
Further transfer options
If you want to travel on to Agadir, Essaouira or Casablanca, you can book your transfer quickly and reliably in advance via Booking.com, GetYourGuide or the hotel.
If you have planned a self-drive tour with a rental car, it is a good idea to hire the car after your stay in the medina, as there are virtually no parking facilities. The rental car station is located in the immediate vicinity of the airport.
Usually the car rental companies also deliver the vehicles to a pick-up point near our Riad, so that after a few days in the old town you don’t have to go back to the airport to pick up the car.
Marrakesh airport is located just 6 kilometers outside the city. It usually takes about half an hour to arrive at the hotel from the airport and you can finally process your first impressions over a Moroccan mint tea .
And then the Marrakesh adventure can begin! You can find more information for a great stay in our travel guide. If you are looking for restaurants for your first evening in Marrakesh, our article on the best restaurants in the medina will help you.
Marhaba in Marrakesh!
Frequently asked questions about arriving in Marrakesh
Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions from our guests.
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How far is Marrakech-Menara Airport from the city center?
Marrakech-Menara Airport is only about 6 km from the city center — a short drive of around 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic. The journey to the medina usually takes no longer than 20 minutes by taxi, to the hotels outside Marrakesh up to 1 hour.
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How do I get from Marrakesh airport to the medina?
The most convenient option is a transfer organized by the hotel — relaxed, punctual and directly to the door of the riad, without the stress of finding your way around the medina. If you prefer a cheaper option, take a beige petit taxi directly in front of the arrivals area; the price to the medina is usually 70–100 MAD (approx. 7–10 €). For newcomers to Marrakesh, however, we recommend a private transfer — just ask when booking!
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Do I need a visa to enter Morocco?
For German, Austrian and Swiss citizens, entry to Morocco is visa-free for stays of up to 90 days. All you need is a valid passport. Please check the current entry requirements for your country before traveling.
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Is there a currency exchange facility at Marrakech-Menara Airport?
Yes, there are bureaux de change directly in the arrivals area of the airport. We recommend changing a small amount in dirhams (MAD) at the airport — for the taxi and your first errands. Larger amounts can often be exchanged in the city at better rates.
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What can I expect when I arrive at Riad Selouane?
As soon as you leave the narrow streets of the medina behind you and step through our door, we welcome you with a traditional Moroccan mint tea in the courtyard under the date palm. We will show you to your room, give you all the important information about the city — and from this moment on, Marrakesh is all yours.
Looking for more information about Marrakesh?
Visit our travel guide to learn more about the sights of Marrakesh and Morocco!
About the author:
Svenja Keller is an architect from the Black Forest and has lost her heart to Marrakesh — to the souks, the handicrafts, the colors and a city where beauty is not a concept, but everyday life. She has been running the Riad Selouane in the medina since 2019. What she writes about Marrakesh does not come from a travel guide, but from years as a hostess, observer and passionate connoisseur of this city.