Many business executives and frequent flyers intentionally land at Rabat-Salé Airport (RBA) even when their destination is Casablanca. Why? Because RBA is significantly less congested than Casablanca's sprawling Mohammed V airport (CMN). You can clear immigration, pick up bags, and step into a waiting car in under twenty minutes, heading straight down the coastal A1 motorway into Casablanca in around 75 minutes.
The route is fast, four lanes wide, and completely free of mountain curves. However, unless you pre-book a direct transfer or negotiate a long-haul grand taxi, public transit requires two steps: taking the airport shuttle into downtown Rabat and boarding an ONCF train to Casablanca.
Compare your options
| Your options | Price from | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Direct private transfer Recommended 1 h 15 | €55 · 590 MAD | Business travellers, families, and late arrivals |
| Bus + ONCF train chain 2 h | €7 · 80 MAD | Solo budget travellers with light luggage |
| Airport grand taxi 1 h 20 | €60 · 650 MAD | Spontaneous intercity car travel without prior booking |
How to get there
The smoothest choice is a direct pre-booked private transfer starting around €55 (≈580 MAD). A driver meets you inside the terminal with a name board and drives non-stop along the A1 motorway straight to your Casablanca hotel, office tower in Maarif, or the Ain Diab corniche. Alternatively, an intercity grand taxi from the airport rank costs around 600–750 MAD (negotiated before departing).
For budget solo travellers, take the ALSA Airport Express Bus (Line AE, 25 MAD) to Gare Rabat-Ville, and catch a frequent ONCF train (Al Atlas or Al Boraq, roughly 40–60 MAD) to Casa-Voyageurs or Casa-Port, bringing your total travel time to about two hours.
Arrival tips
Casablanca is a massive metropolis with distinct commercial, residential, and seaside hubs. Name your specific destination to your driver: Maarif or Gauthier for shopping and dining, Casa-Finance City or Sidi Maarouf for corporate headquarters, or Ain Diab for oceanfront beach resorts. If connecting by train, Casa-Port drops you directly beside the old medina and harbour hotels, while Casa-Voyageurs connects with the Casablanca tramway network and high-speed Al Boraq lines.
Plan your arrival
- Choose your route before flying: direct motorway car transfer (75 min) or bus+train combination (2 hrs).
- Clear customs quickly in the compact RBA arrivals hall.
- If you booked a private transfer, meet your driver holding your name board and head straight onto the A1 motorway.
- If taking the train, board the ALSA Express Bus outside the terminal to Gare Rabat-Ville (25 MAD, 35 min), then buy an ONCF train ticket to Casablanca (Casa-Voyageurs or Casa-Port).
- Allow extra buffer time if driving into central Casablanca during weekday morning or evening rush hours.
Failing to book transport in advance and expecting a local petit taxi to take you to Casablanca. Petit taxis cannot leave city boundaries. Only licensed grand taxis or pre-booked private chauffeurs can legally make intercity journeys.
If your meeting or accommodation is in northern Casablanca or along Boulevard Mohammed V, taking the train from Rabat-Ville to Casa-Port skips the infamous evening traffic jam entering Casablanca via the A1/A3 motorway interchange.
Good to know: A direct private transfer takes you door-to-door in 75 minutes, bypassing the hassle of intercity train changes with heavy luggage.
