Are you used to planning everything down to the minute? Prepare for the fact that in Morocco it is a bit more complicated than at home or in Europe. To get to Chefchaouen and back without any adventures or incidents, you’ll have to work a little harder in advance, and most importantly, you’ll need to be prepared for the possibility that something could go wrong at any moment.
This information is for those who don’t like surprises on the road. Here are all the things that 2019—2020 Moroccan bus companies websites or travel forums don’t have answers for. There’s a lot of things «approximately and not exactly» in Morocco. The lucky ones go to Chefchaouen by car, and if you’re attached to public transportation, don’t expect German punctuality here and try to enjoy the local relaxedness.
What’s important to know when planning a trip to Chefchaouen:
- Buy your ticket at least a day in advance to avoid disrupting your own plans. This is especially true in summer, during the high season: buses fill up very quickly on the day of departure, and there may be no tickets available day-after-day.
- There are no round-trip tickets. You buy your ticket to Chefchaouen first and your return ticket on the spot. To ensure you leave at the right time, it is best to buy your return ticket as soon as you get off the bus in Schauen. How and where to get to and from Chefchaouen by bus
How to get to Chavin by bus
The most interesting bus company for tourists in Morocco is STM. It is convenient for the spoiled European traveler: there is a website with schedules and prices, flights all over the country, comfortable air-conditioned buses, as we are already used to.
STM buses can be used to reach Chefchaouen from the nearest major cities:
| Itinerary | Travel time | Ticket price | Number of STM flights per day |
| Tangier — Chefchaouen | 2 hours | 4,5 € | 4 flights |
| Rabat — Chefchaouen | 4.5 hours. | 12,5 € | 1 flight |
| Fez — Chefchaouen | 4 hours | 7,5 € | 5 flights |
| Tetouan to Chefchaouen. | 1 hour | 2,5 € | 7 flights |
But it’s not just STM that fills Chavain with tourists. For example, STM only makes one flight a day from/to Rabat, but several other small local companies will gladly take you. The little Moroccan nuance is that they don’t have websites, and you can only find out their schedules and prices at the main station (Gare Routiere) of the city you plan to depart from. You can try to check schedules and prices directly with the companies at the links below.
I do not recommend taking a bus from Casablanca, Marrakech or Agadir: there are few flights, and you will spend almost a whole day on the road. If you are traveling from the southwest, it is more convenient to stop for an intermediate overnight stay in the area of Fez or Meknes.
Bus companies in Shaven
- STM. On long routes, STM buses make a stop along the way, which is not included in the time shown on the website. Prepare to arrive 30—60 minutes later than planned from Fez to Chefchaouen.
- Nejme Chamal
- Al Wissam Addahabi
- Supratours. This company’s station in Chavin is a short distance from Gare Routiere, and the main station does not sell tickets for these buses. At the time of writing, the Supratours website does not show active flights from Chavin to anywhere. Check the website for up-to-date information. If you manage to use the services of this company, tell us.
The bus station in Chefchaouen
Shawena station is a 20 minute walk from the medina. It’s an uphill walk from the station to the center, so if you come with luggage, don’t spare 20—30 dirhams for a pti-taxi. Save your energy for a walk around the city and neighborhoods. The parking lot of blue-colored cabs is located right outside the station gates.
The station has a police station and a small diner inside the station building, with access to the street next to the pti-taxi parking lot.
There is no single ticket office at the station. Tickets are sold by company representatives in separate offices.
