Rabat is best crossed by tram, with buses, blue petit taxis, and walking filling the gaps. The city has two railway stations, and the airport that serves it stands in Salé, across the Bouregreg.
1. Getting around the city
**The tram.** The Rabat-Salé tramway, in service since 2011, is the main spine for getting around the city. It has two lines, operated by Transdev. Line 1 runs from Hay Karima, in Salé, to Madinat Al Irfane, in Rabat, through Agdal and Souissi. Line 2 runs from Yacoub Al Mansour, in Rabat, to Moulay Abdellah Hospital, in Salé. Both lines cross the Bouregreg on the Hassan II bridge and share a central section, where passengers change lines. Salé is a separate city: the tram links it to Rabat, it does not make Salé a district of Rabat.
It passes near Rabat-Ville station and through the medina wall by a specially arranged opening, but it serves neither Rabat-Salé Airport nor Rabat-Agdal station.
**Buses.** The city buses of the Rabat-Salé-Témara area are run by ALSA Citybus. They cover the main avenues and the outer districts the tram does not serve. Bus Line 30 links Rabat to Témara and can be combined with the tram on a Trambus ticket.
**Petit taxis.** Rabat's petit taxis are blue, run only within the city limits, and carry at most three passengers. Hail them in the street or near tram stops and stations. The law provides for a meter: ask for it to be switched on, or agree the price before getting in.
**On foot.** The city centre and the medina are walked on foot. The medina's lanes are narrow and unsuited to cars. The seafront promenade and the banks of the Bouregreg are also walked.
2. Getting to and from the city
**By air.** Rabat-Salé Airport (code RBA) stands in the city of Salé, about 8 kilometres north-east of Rabat, and serves Rabat. It is run by the national airports office, ONDA. From the airport, the ALSA shuttle links Rabat-Agdal station. No tram serves the airport, so plan that leg by shuttle, bus, or taxi.
**By train.** The national railway operator, ONCF, runs the trains. Rabat has two stations: Rabat-Ville, in the centre, and Rabat-Agdal, in the south of the city. Conventional trains serve both stations. The high-speed Al Boraq train, which links Tangier to Casablanca through Kenitra, stops at Rabat-Agdal only, not at Rabat-Ville. For an Al Boraq, go to Rabat-Agdal. Times and prices should be checked on ONCF's booking site, oncf-voyages.ma, because they vary by service and date.
**By coach.** Intercity coaches run from Rabat to other Moroccan cities. The two most established companies are CTM (ctm.ma) and Supratours, ONCF's coach company (supratours.ma). Times and tickets should be checked on their sites: this page gives none, because they change.
**By grand taxi.** Grand taxis are larger, shared cars that link Rabat to nearby towns. The price is agreed before departure. They do not replace the petit taxi for a trip inside Rabat.
3. Commuting in general terms
For a daily trip, the tram is the clearest spine: two lines, fixed stops, and a change in the central section. Line 1 serves Agdal, Souissi, and the university area of Madinat Al Irfane; Line 2 runs past the medina and serves the western districts as far as Yacoub Al Mansour.
Buses take over to the outer districts and to Témara. The train links the city's two stations and also serves Casablanca, Kenitra, and the other towns of the northern Atlantic corridor. To cross the Bouregreg to Salé, the tram uses the Hassan II bridge; it is the same trip in both directions, between two separate cities.
At busy hours, road traffic slows buses and taxis, while the tram runs on its own track. For an appointment at a fixed time, the tram or the train are therefore the most predictable modes inside the city and to nearby towns.
4. What a newcomer needs to know first
**Tram tickets.** On the tramway's official site, tram-way.ma, consulted in November 2026: a single ticket costs 7 dirhams and stays valid for one hour from the first validation, with changes between lines. Validation is mandatory at every boarding, even when changing. The Trambus ticket costs 10 dirhams and covers the tram and bus Line 30 to Témara. The park-and-ride return ticket (P+R) costs 14 dirhams and gives access to the two park-and-ride sites at the termini, Madinat Al Irfane and Hay Karima. Fares change over time: check them on tram-way.ma before travelling. Subscription cards exist; their prices are not given here, because no official source consulted for this page confirms them.
**Airport shuttle.** On ALSA's official site, alsa.ma, consulted in November 2026: the shuttle between Rabat-Salé Airport and Rabat-Agdal station costs 25 dirhams one way and 40 dirhams return, valid for 15 days. Check the day's timetable on alsa.ma, because the frequencies given by guides disagree.
**Three habits.** First, buy and validate your tram ticket before boarding: validation is mandatory at every boarding. Second, for the airport or an Al Boraq, start from the right place: the airport is in Salé, the Al Boraq leaves from Rabat-Agdal. Third, do not mix up Salé and Rabat: a home, a station, or a stop in Salé is not in Rabat, even though the tram links the two cities.
This page gives general transport information. It sells no tickets and checks no timetable, price, or live availability.