The choice at a glance
| Option | Duration | Price seen | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supratours bus | About 3 h | 100 to 140 dh one way | Solo or couples, tight budget |
| CTM bus | About 3 h | 90 to 130 dh one way | Same profile, fewer departures |
| Shared transfer | 2 h 30 to 3 h | About $11 to 17 | Fixed schedule, pickup possible |
| Private transfer | 2 h 30 to 3 h | About $70 to 181 per vehicle depending on the offer | Groups, luggage, families |
| Day trip | 5 to 6 h on the road | See our comparison | Only one day on site |
Sources do not all agree on fares and departures: keep orders of magnitude in mind, not a timetable.
By bus: Supratours or CTM
Both companies leave from Guéliz, near the railway station: see our guide to trains and buses from Marrakech and the Marrakech station page. Supratours has the most departures through the day, from morning to evening; CTM has fewer, often one or two in the morning and around midday. The trip takes about 3 hours, with a break.
- Booking: online or at the ticket desk. Buy the day before at weekends, in high season and during holidays.
- Comfort: air-conditioned coaches; Supratours also has a more comfortable, slightly pricier version.
- Luggage: tagged in the hold for a small fee; keep the stub.
- Tickets: at the company's desk or online, never from a middleman in the street.
- Return: check the last coach from Essaouira before planning a single day.
By transfer: pricier, simpler
A private transfer picks you up at your hotel or riad and drops you in Essaouira, with no station to reach. On GetYourGuide, the private Marrakech to Essaouira transfer offers range from about $70 to $181 depending on the offer, usually per four-person vehicle rather than per person, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before on most. The price gets interesting with three or four people. A local quote runs around 600 to 700 dh for a sedan with up to four passengers, but that figure is an estimate to confirm.
- Drop-off point: specify it. Part of the lanes of Essaouira's medina are closed to cars; the driver will leave you at a gate.
- Stops: an argan cooperative is a common stop on the road; decline it if it does not interest you.
- Shared price: a shared transfer costs clearly less but follows a fixed schedule.
What about a day trip?
If you stay only one day, an all-inclusive tour can work out better than two tickets: our comparison of day trips to Essaouira from Marrakech gives the prices. The 5 to 6 hours on the road still weigh; a night on site is better. Once there, see the Essaouira page and our help in choosing between Ouzoud, Ourika or Essaouira.
Which option to choose?
- Solo or two, small budget: the Supratours bus, taken in the morning.
- Three people or more, or lots of luggage: a private transfer.
- One day only: the day trip.
- Freedom on the coast: a car, see renting a car in Marrakech.
For the overall budget, read the Marrakech travel budget; for other journeys, getting around Marrakech.
