# Arriving at Marrakesh airport as a solo woman: step by step URL: https://soukytours.com/blog/arriving-at-marrakesh-airport-as-a-solo-woman Date: 2026-10-04 Passport control, cash, SIM card, taxi or bus 19 and finding your riad: how to arrive at Marrakesh Menara airport calmly as a woman on your own. The airport of Marrakesh is called Menara and is about fifteen minutes by car from the medina. The arrival itself is straightforward. The messy part starts outside, at the taxis, and ends at the edge of the medina, where your taxi can go no further. If you prepare those two moments, you arrive calmly. ## Passport control and luggage The line for passport control can be long when several flights land at once. Count on half an hour to an hour. Keep the address of your first stay at hand, because you will be asked for it. If you are given an arrival card on the plane, fill it in there. The guide on [travel documents and insurance](/en/practical/travel-documents-and-insurance) covers the other papers you need. After the baggage carousel your suitcase usually goes through a scanner one more time. Then you walk into the arrivals hall. ## Money: the ATM in the arrivals hall You can only buy dirham once you are in Morocco. The arrivals hall has ATMs and exchange offices. Withdraw an amount that gets you through the first day and get small bills right away, because a taxi driver rarely has change for 200 dirham. The guide on [money and payments](/en/practical/money-and-payments) has more on ATMs, fees and tipping. ## SIM card or eSIM EU roaming rules do not apply in Morocco, and roaming on most home plans is expensive. In the arrivals hall the Moroccan providers sell SIM cards with a data bundle. Take your passport to the counter. An eSIM that you install at home works too and saves you a line. Either way, make sure you have internet before you walk outside. You want to be able to call your riad and follow your route. ## Taxi: the board and the reality Outside the hall is the official taxi rank. There is a board with fixed fares per zone, for the day and for the night. To the medina and Gueliz, count on about 70 to 100 dirham during the day, depending on the type of taxi, and half as much again at night. Check the board, because the fares are adjusted from time to time. In practice drivers often name a higher amount. Point to the board, say the fare and agree on it before your suitcase is in the car. If the driver does not agree, walk to the next one. Pay on arrival, with exact change. ## Bus 19 Line 19 runs from the airport to Jemaa el-Fna and on to Gueliz. A ticket costs about 30 dirham and you buy it from the driver. The bus runs during the day and in the evening, not in the middle of the night. With a late flight, check the current times beforehand. If you only have carry-on luggage and your riad is close to the square, the bus is a good choice. ## A transfer arranged in advance Most riads offer a transfer. Count on about 15 to 20 euros. The driver stands in the hall with your name on a sign and takes you as close to the door as possible. Pass on your flight number, so the riad can see it if you are delayed. If you are traveling on with Soukayna, she can also pick you up from the airport. Send your flight number and arrival time in the [chat](/en/contact). ## The last stretch: into the medina Many riads are in alleys where no car can go. The taxi drops you at a gate or a small square, and from there you walk. Agree with your riad where someone will meet you and save the phone number in your phone. Often a staff member comes with a handcart for your suitcase. A tip of 10 to 20 dirham is customary. If you do end up standing there alone, boys will offer to show you the way. They expect money for it and don't always take you where you need to be. Call the riad and wait in a well-lit spot until someone comes. The guide on [safety for women](/en/practical/safety-for-women) explains how to deal with offers like these. ## Arriving late in the evening Late in the evening the bus no longer runs, the taxis charge the night fare and the alleys of the medina are quiet and dark. So with a late arrival, always arrange a transfer in advance and let the riad know what time you land. Then there is someone in the hall and someone at the door. Before you leave, download an offline map of Marrakesh and drop a pin on your riad. It takes two minutes and you will use it all week. ## A short list for on the plane - Address and phone number of your riad, on paper too - Flight number passed on to whoever is picking you up - Offline map with a pin on your riad - A bank card that is enabled for use in Morocco - The agreed amount for the transfer, or the fare from the board in your head What to do in your first days in the city is on the page about [Marrakesh](/en/destinations/marrakesh). ## Frequently asked questions **How do I get from Marrakesh airport to the medina?** By taxi from the official rank, by bus 19 to Jemaa el-Fna, or with a transfer that your riad or driver arranges in advance. The ride takes about fifteen minutes. **What does a taxi from Marrakesh airport to the center cost?** At the rank there is a board with fixed fares. Count on about 70 to 100 dirham during the day and half as much again at night. Agree on the amount before you get in. **Can I get cash and buy a SIM card at Marrakesh airport?** Yes. The arrivals hall has ATMs and exchange offices, and the Moroccan providers sell SIM cards with data there. Take your passport to the counter. --- Source: https://soukytours.com/blog/arriving-at-marrakesh-airport-as-a-solo-woman Souky Tours, contact through the chat on https://soukytours.com/contact