Rabat from Casablanca: guided day trip or the train on your own?
Updated October 19, 2026 · 5 min read
For one day, with no wish to plan, the guided Rabat day trip with hotel transfers is the sensible default: €65 per person, eight hours, 4.7 out of 5 from 485 reviews, which is the cheapest and the most reviewed Rabat trip starting in Casablanca. Going by train costs far less in fares and takes about an hour each way, but you then have to link the sights yourself, and that is where the day goes.
See prices and dates for the guided Rabat day trip
The train, in numbers
Rabat is the capital and lies about 90 km up the coast from Casablanca. The state railway, ONCF, runs trains roughly hourly; the journey takes around an hour (route planners give 57 minutes), and a second-class ticket is in the order of €3 to €5, with first class a little more. These are planner figures, so check the timetable and fare on the ONCF site before you go. You arrive at Rabat Ville, the central station.
That is the whole transport bill: a few euros each way. The €65 of the guided trip pays for something else: the hotel pickup, the ride in between, a guide and a route that has already been worked out.
The three Rabat trips side by side
| Offer | Duration | From | Rating | Named stops |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabat guided day trip with hotel transfers | 8 hours | €65 | 4.7 (485 reviews) | medina, Chellah, Hassan Tower |
| Rabat imperial city day trip | 8 hours | €75 | 4.5 (198 reviews) | Mausoleum of Mohammed V, Kasbah of the Udayas, royal landmarks |
| Rabat heritage and highlights guided tour | 6 hours | €71.10 | 4.5 (270 reviews) | “iconic landmarks, historic sites” |
The stops come from each offer’s own description, and none of the three lists every stop. Only the first mentions hotel transfers in its title, so on the other two check where you are collected. The six-hour trip costs more than the eight-hour one; the descriptions do not explain why, which is a good reason to open both booking pages and compare group size and inclusions before choosing on price.
What the sights are
Rabat’s historic centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 2012. The Hassan Tower is the unfinished minaret of a mosque begun in the late 12th century. The Mausoleum of Mohammed V, finished in 1971, holds the king and his son Hassan II. The Kasbah of the Udayas is the oldest part of the city, built by the Almohads in the 12th century. Chellah is a walled ruin site with Roman remains and a 13th–14th century necropolis, and storks nest on its ruined minaret.
These are separate places. On a train day you will most likely need taxis between them. Agree the fare before you get in. A guided trip removes that, which is most of what you pay for.
When I would take the train instead
If you have been to Morocco before, travel light and enjoy working out a city, the train is easy and cheap. Pick two sights rather than five: the Hassan Tower and Mausoleum, then the Kasbah of the Udayas, say, and leave Chellah for another time. You will see less, and spend far less.
When the trip is not worth it
If Casablanca is your only day, do not spend it on Rabat: the Hassan II Mosque and the old streets are in Casablanca itself, with no travel. And if you travel with someone who struggles with a long day, eight hours is long, even with the transport arranged.
Other trips out of the city are collected on our Casablanca day trips page.
