Under The High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco
Seventh annual conference 2015
Impact of Quality and Accreditation in Education
7-8 December 2015
Travel Information
Travel Information
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Greater Casablanca region. Home to over 3.1 million people, Casablanca is Morocco’s largest city as well as its chief port, which is also happens to be one of the largest artificial ports in the world. The Royal Moroccan Navy has its primary base here. Architects began designing this model city in 1912, bringing a visionary charm to this modern metropolis and organizing its phenomenal development, so that today it is the largest major city in Northern Africa and stunning for its architectural beauty. The centre of Casablanca has elegant buildings that are an admirable blend of art deco and neo-Moorish styles, featuring cupola’s, belvederes, columns, cedar wood balconies and turrets.
Being the business centre of the country has earned the city the title of economic capital with Rabat being the country’s political capital. Casablanca is a city where international business dealing takes place, where luxury goods and services flourish, high-tech industries are concentrated and top quality hotels host world-class conventions and congresses-all making Casablanca the shining light of modern Morocco.
60% of Morocco’s companies are based in Casablanca, including all those in the high-tech sector. The city consumes 30% of the nation’s electricity and is the headquarters of practically all the major banks.
Casablanca personifies modern Morocco living in harmony with the rich heritage it has acquired over the centuries.
Currency
Moroccan dirham (MAD) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of MAD 200, 100, 50 and 20. Coins are in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 centimes. 1 EURO is about 10.8 MAD.
The Moroccan dirham (MAD) is officially designated a closed currency, meaning it can only be traded within Morocco. The import and export of the currency is tolerated up to a limit of MAD1000. Currency purchased during a visit to Morocco should be converted back before departing the country, with the exception of the MAD1000 level. You're advised to keep the receipts of currency exchange, as these will be required for the conversion back to foreign currency before departure,
Temperature
December is one of the cooler months of the year in Rabat although temperatures remain fairly mild. The average temperature on any given day in December hovers around 56°F (14°C). This average temperature takes into account a potential low of 46°F (8°C) and a high of 68°F (20°C). While it is advised to pack layers to anticipate this range, most of the low temperatures will occur overnight. Despite the cooler temperatures, travellers will get to enjoy around eleven hours of sunshine each day in Rabat. The region sees only 20 millimetres of rainfall throughout the entire month. Much of this falls over the course of seven days so the precipitation is not heavy.
Transportation and Moving In Morroco
Airport:
Rabat's main airport is Rabat-Salé Airport.
By Air:
If your time is short and you want to get around quickly, air travel is a good option but it is expensive. Royal Air Moroc flies most domestic routes and you can look at their website to check fares and schedules.
By Trains:
Trains in Morocco are among the best in Africa; fares are cheap and trains are efficient and comfortable. You rarely have to book in advance, which is good since you can't book trains outside of Morocco. Trains travel between Tangier, Meknes, Fes, Oujda, Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech. For more information see Train Travel in Morocco.
There are overnight train services available between Tangier and Marrakech. They depart Tangier at 9 pm every night. For more information see my article about Night Trains in Morocco.
By Bus:
There are three national bus companies that operate between most major towns and cities in Morocco. They are Supratours, CTM and SATAS. According to recent traveler accounts on VirtualTourist.com SATAS doesn't have a very good reputation. Since Morocco's rail network doesn't extend to some popular destinations like Agadir and Essaouira, you'll probably use a bus service while traveling around the country. Long-distance buses are comfortable and usually air-conditioned.
You can buy your tickets at the bus depot. CTM has recently moved to a computerized booking system so you can book all your bus tickets for anywhere in the country at any CTM office. Supratours buses are handy if you are traveling onward by train since it is run by the same company. They stop at every train station. City buses are another breed of vehicle all together and it's probably easier to take a "petit taxi" to get around town.
By Taxi:
You'll usually see two types of taxis in most major Moroccan cities, "big taxis" (grand taxis) and "small taxis" (petit taxis). The grand taxis are shared taxis and will cover longer distances. The petit taxis work like regular taxis everywhere. If the meter doesn't work, negotiate your fare in advance. If you don't have a lot of luggage, then always opt for a petit taxi for trips around town. It is much cheaper.
Renting a Car:
Renting a car in Morocco is not cheap, Most of the major car rental agencies have offices in Morocco and there are plenty of online car rental portals to book from, Car Hire Express is just one of them. The roads in Morocco are quite good but be aware that the distances between major towns can be significant. This distance finder should help you plan your trip.
See getting around Morocco for more information.