Tangier to Chefchaouen: Bus, Taxi and Transfer Guide (2026)

The easiest way to get from Tangier to Chefchaouen is the direct CTM bus, which takes about 2.5 hours and costs roughly 55 to 110 MAD (about $6 to $12). There are four to six departures a day. A shared grand taxi costs about the same and can be a little faster, a private transfer costs about 600 to 1,000 MAD for the car and takes around two hours, and there is no train.

The road distance is about 110 km, most of it through the green hills of the Rif. The route is simple, but the stations at both ends are outside the old towns, and buses sell out in spring and summer. This guide covers each option, where to buy tickets, how to reach the stations and whether Chefchaouen works as a day trip.

Tangier to Chefchaouen at a glance

Option	Time	Cost (approx.)	Best for
CTM bus (direct)	2 h 15 to 3 h	55 to 110 MAD per person	Most travellers
Shared grand taxi	2 to 2.5 h	70 to 110 MAD per seat	Flexible times, sold-out buses
Grand taxi via Tetouan	2.5 to 3.5 h	75 to 90 MAD in total	A backup that almost always works
Private transfer	About 2 h	600 to 1,000 MAD per car	Families, groups, lots of luggage
Rental car	About 2 h	Rental plus fuel	Stops on the way, onward road trip
Guided day trip	8 to 11 h in total	300 to 700 MAD per person	One day only, no planning
Train	Not possible

Prices are in Moroccan dirhams (MAD). Ten dirhams are roughly one US dollar or one euro.

By bus: the CTM from Tangier to Chefchaouen

The bus is the best choice for most people. CTM is Morocco's main national coach company, and its buses on this route have assigned seats, air conditioning and a luggage hold.

• Journey time: About 2.5 hours on average. The fastest morning bus is listed at 2 hours 15 minutes and slower afternoon ones at up to 3 hours.
• Departures: Four to six a day, depending on the season. Listings we checked show the first bus leaving Tangier between about 7:45 and 8:15 am and the last between about 7:30 and 8:15 pm.
• Cost: CTM advertises fares from 55 MAD. Booking sites list most seats at 80 to 110 MAD. A bag in the hold costs a further 5 to 10 MAD, paid at the luggage counter.
• Tip: Book one or two days ahead from April to October and around Moroccan holidays. Buses on this route are small in number and they do fill.

CTM's own route page gives different timetables in different places, so treat any fixed time you read online, including here, as a guide. Check the exact departures for your date on the CTM site before you plan around them.

Photo: Hamza Yasri on Unsplash

Where the bus leaves from in Tangier

CTM buses use the company's own station on the ring road in the south of the city, not the old port. It is about 15 minutes by car from the medina. Ask a petit taxi for "Gare Routière CTM" and make sure the meter is running. Arrive at least 15 to 20 minutes before departure so you have time to check your bag.

How to buy tickets

You can buy tickets on the CTM website, in the CTM app or at the station counter. The site takes foreign cards most of the time, but payments do sometimes fail. If yours does, buy at the station the day before, or use a reseller such as Omio or Busbud, which charge a small fee. Keep your passport handy when you travel.

Other buses

Supratours, the coach company linked to the national railway, also lists one or two buses a day on this route at similar fares. Smaller local companies run cheaper buses from Tangier's main bus station. They cost less, around 35 to 50 MAD, but they stop often, can take 3.5 hours or more and are less comfortable. They are a fallback, not a first choice.

By shared grand taxi

Grand taxis are large shared cars that run fixed routes between towns and leave when all six passenger seats are sold. In Tangier they wait at the grand taxi rank near the bus stations.

• Journey time: About 2 to 2.5 hours once the car leaves. Waiting for it to fill can add anything from five minutes to an hour.
• Cost: About 70 to 110 MAD per seat for a direct car. Paying for all six seats, so the car leaves at once, is usually quoted at roughly 650 to 1,000 MAD, close to the price of a pre-booked transfer.
• Tip: The fare is per seat, not per car. Confirm the price and that the car goes all the way to Chefchaouen before you put your bag in the boot.

Direct cars to Chefchaouen are not always waiting. If there is none, use the two-step route below.

The backup route through Tetouan

Tetouan is about 60 km from Tangier and roughly halfway. Shared grand taxis between Tangier and Tetouan leave all day and cost about 50 to 60 MAD per seat for the one-hour ride. From Tetouan's bus station, frequent buses and shared taxis continue to Chefchaouen in 1 to 1.5 hours for about 25 to 35 MAD.

This route takes longer, but it works when the direct buses are sold out. It also lets you see Tetouan's white medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997, if you leave your bag at the station for a couple of hours.

Photo: Youssef Mubarak on Unsplash

By private transfer

A private car picks you up at your hotel, the airport or the port and drops you at the edge of Chefchaouen's medina. It is the only door-to-door option.

• Journey time: About 2 hours, more if you ask for photo stops.
• Cost: About 600 to 1,000 MAD (roughly $60 to $100) per car. Airport pick-ups and night trips sit at the top of that range: one Tangier airport taxi operator lists about 750 MAD by day and 850 MAD at night.
• Tip: Split between three or four people, a private car costs only a little more than the bus and saves two taxi rides to and from stations.

You can book a transfer in advance at a fixed price, which removes the negotiation, or ask your riad in Chefchaouen to send a driver. Agree on the total, in dirhams, before you set off.

By rental car

Driving takes about two hours without stops. The usual route leaves Tangier on the N2 towards Tetouan, then follows the N13 south into the Rif to Chefchaouen. The first half is a fast, wide road. The second half is a two-lane mountain road with bends, slow trucks and police speed checks, so plan on a steady pace and avoid driving it for the first time after dark.

• Cost: Rental cars in Tangier start at around 250 MAD a day in low season, plus fuel. Route planners put fuel for the one-way trip at roughly 160 to 240 MAD.
• Tip: Cars cannot enter the Chefchaouen medina. Use a guarded car park near one of the gates, about 20 MAD a night, and walk in.

A car makes sense if you want to stop in Tetouan or continue to Akchour, Fes or the Mediterranean coast afterwards. For a simple return trip, the bus is cheaper and less tiring.

Photo: Youssef Mubarak on Unsplash

Is there a train from Tangier to Chefchaouen?

No. Chefchaouen has no railway station, and the line does not reach into the Rif mountains. Tangier's fast Al Boraq trains run south to Rabat and Casablanca only. Supratours buses are run by the railway's coach arm, which is why they sometimes appear in rail searches.

From Tangier airport or the ferry port

From Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport: The airport is 12 to 15 km south-west of the centre, and the drive to Chefchaouen is about 2 hours 15 minutes. No bus runs from the airport to Chefchaouen. You can take a taxi to the CTM station, about 20 to 25 minutes, and catch the bus, or book a private car straight from arrivals. City petit taxis are not allowed to leave Tangier, so only grand taxis and licensed transfer cars can make the trip.

From Tangier Ville port: Ferries from Tarifa dock beside the medina. The CTM station is a 15-minute petit taxi ride away.

From Tanger Med port: Ferries from Algeciras arrive about 45 km east of the city. Shuttle buses and taxis run to Tangier, or you can arrange a private transfer direct to Chefchaouen. If you arrive late in the day, staying a night in Tangier is easier than hurrying for the last bus. Our guide to the best things to do in Tangier shows what to do with the time.

Arriving in Chefchaouen

Buses arrive at the gare routière, about 1.5 km downhill from the medina. The walk up takes 15 to 20 minutes and is steep with luggage. A petit taxi to Bab el-Ain, the main gate, takes about five minutes and usually costs 15 to 40 MAD depending on the time of day and how many bags you have. Most riads are a short walk inside the gates, and many will send someone to meet you if you ask.

Buy your onward or return ticket when you arrive. The station is small, the popular buses to Tangier and Fes sell out, and it saves a second trip down the hill.

Photo: Austin Curtis on Unsplash

Chefchaouen to Tangier: the return trip

Everything works the same way in reverse. Listings we checked show CTM buses leaving Chefchaouen for Tangier from around midday to early evening, with the first at about 12:20 pm and the last at about 6:45 pm. There is no early-morning CTM bus back, which matters if you have a flight or a ferry to catch. For a morning departure, take a grand taxi, go through Tetouan or book a private car.

Can you visit Chefchaouen as a day trip from Tangier?

Yes, but it is a long day. The drive is about two hours each way, so you spend four to five hours on the road for about four hours in town.

• By guided tour: Group day trips cost about 300 to 700 MAD per person and last 8 to 11 hours, with hotel pick-up. Some add a stop in Tetouan.
• By bus: Take the first morning bus and the last bus back. This gives you about seven hours in Chefchaouen, but only if both buses have seats, so book both in advance.
• Tip: One night is much better than a day trip. The lanes are at their best early in the morning and at sunset, when the tour groups have gone.

If you stay, our guide to the best things to do in Chefchaouen covers the medina, the Spanish Mosque and the Akchour waterfalls.

Which option should you choose?

• Solo travellers and couples: The CTM bus. It is cheap, comfortable and reliable.
• Three or four people: A private transfer. The cost per person is close to the bus once you add station taxis.
• Arriving by air with luggage: A pre-booked car from the airport.
• Bus sold out: Grand taxi to Tetouan, then a bus or taxi onward.
• Road trip through the north: A rental car, with a stop in Tetouan.

Practical tips for the journey

• Carry cash. Luggage fees, taxis and station cafés take dirhams only, and drivers rarely accept euros or dollars at a fair rate.
• Take motion sickness tablets if winding roads affect you. The last 50 km has many bends.
• Get mobile data first. An eSIM for Morocco lets you check bus times and message your riad on the way.
• Check your cover. Travel insurance is worth having for any trip that includes mountain roads and hiking.

Getting there and around

Tangier is the main gateway to northern Morocco. It has an international airport, ferries from Spain and Al Boraq high-speed trains to Rabat in about 1 hour 20 minutes and Casablanca in about 2 hours 10 minutes. Many travellers land in Tangier, spend a night or two, go to Chefchaouen and then continue south to Fes by bus, a ride of four to five hours. Our 10-day Morocco itinerary shows how these stops fit together.

Still comparing dates? Check flight prices to Morocco here:

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Tangier to Chefchaouen?

Take the direct CTM bus from the CTM station in Tangier. It takes about 2.5 hours and costs roughly 55 to 110 MAD. The other options are a shared grand taxi, a private transfer or a rental car. There is no train.

How long is the bus from Tangier to Chefchaouen?

About 2.5 hours on average. The fastest listed bus takes 2 hours 15 minutes and the slowest about 3 hours. Cheaper local buses can take 3.5 hours or more.

How much does a taxi cost from Tangier to Chefchaouen?

A seat in a shared grand taxi costs about 70 to 110 MAD. A whole grand taxi or a pre-booked private transfer costs roughly 600 to 1,000 MAD per car, with airport and night trips at the top of that range.

Is there a direct bus from Chefchaouen to Tangier?

Yes. CTM runs direct buses from Chefchaouen to Tangier in the afternoon and early evening, in 2 hours 45 minutes to about 3 hours. There is no early-morning CTM departure, so use a grand taxi or a private car if you need to be in Tangier before noon.

Can I do a day trip from Tangier to Chefchaouen?

Yes. A guided day trip takes 8 to 11 hours and gives you around four hours in the town. Doing it by bus is possible with the first bus out and the last bus back. Staying one night is the better plan.

Is the road from Tangier to Chefchaouen safe?

The road is paved and in good condition. The mountain section has bends and slow trucks, so it needs care, especially at night or in rain. For wider advice, see our guide on whether Tangier is safe.

Do I need to book the bus in advance?

From April to October, at weekends and around holidays, yes: book one or two days ahead. In winter you can usually buy a ticket on the day, though the morning bus is still the first to fill.

Is it better to go to Chefchaouen from Tangier or from Fes?

Tangier is closer: about 2.5 hours by bus against four to five hours from Fes. The best plan is to do both, arriving from one city and leaving for the other, so you never repeat a road.

How we researched this guide

This guide is based on desk research, not a personal visit. We checked times and fares against CTM's route page, route-planner and ticket-reseller listings, and recent traveller reports, and compared taxi and transfer prices across local operators and guides updated in 2026. Sources disagree on exact departure times and on taxi fares, so we give ranges and suggest you confirm your bus on the CTM site before you travel. All figures were checked in October 2026. If you find something that has changed, let us know.

For more of the country, start with our Morocco travel guide, then see the best places to visit in Morocco and the best things to do in Fes, the usual next stop after Chefchaouen.