The conference venue is the beautiful Fes Jnan Palace Hotel, located in downtown Fez.
Arrival in Fez airport or train station:
The organizers can arrange for pick up from the airport or train station providing that attendees send their ETA by email or text. The taxi fare from Fez Airport to the hotel should be around 100MAD ($10US) and from Fez train station to hotel approximately 20MAD ($2US).
There are some daily direct flights to Fez from major European cities. You can purchase round trip flights on major airlines from the U.S. or other counties to either Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, Frankfurt or London with options on low-cost airlines (Ryanair, easy jet, Al-Arabia, etc.) from these cities directly to Fez.
A popular option is to fly to Casablanca and take a train, taxi or rental car to Fez. There are daily flights to Casablanca from major international cities with direct flights from major European cities, including direct flights with Royal Air Maroc from New York JFK airport and Washington DC, Dulles airport
Arrival in Casablanca:
Taxi to Fez from Casablanca is possible. Rates are about $150 one way; this is a cost-effective option for a party of 4 people. Negotiate the price before you hop in the taxi. The drive should take around 3 hours.
Car rentals are available in Casablanca airport. Rates are similar to what you’d find in the US/Europe (~$250 a week). Book online and in advance via company websites or Expedia, Priceline etc. Most major car rental companies brands (Avis, Budget, Hertz, etc.) are represented.
Trains depart from Casablanca Airport to Casablanca (Casablanca Voyageurs station) or vice versa every hour between 06:00 am and 10:00 pm approximately, 7 days a week, with a journey time of about 45 minutes. From Casablanca Voyageurs station there are trains to Fez.(see below).
- Location: The airport train station is located at level-1 in the arrivals area of Terminal 1. The station is called Aeroport Med V. You can purchase your ticket at Casablanca Airport train station at both booths and ticket machines.
- Fares: The single second class ticket cost is around MAD 42.00 (around USD 3.00) from the airport to Casablanca. For a first-class single ticket (RECOMMENDED), it usually costs 50% extra. You can purchase tickets beforehand on the ONCF website, or in person. The ONCF website is only in French and Arabic, however, Google has the option to translate the entire page.
- If you wish to get to the city center, the best stop is the Casablanca Port Station. But, to connect to other Moroccan cities (i.e. Fez) your best option is to go to Casa Voyageurs, however, this station it is a little bit far from downtown. The cost of a single second class ticket is around MAD 130.00 (around USD 13.50). For a first-class single ticket (RECOMMENDED), it usually costs 50% extra. Travel time from Casablanca to Fez by train is approximately 4 hours. NOTE: Casa Voyageurs is notorious for pickpockets, so keep track of your belongings!
- Once in Fez: The train station is approximately 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from the hotel. It is approx. 8-minute taxi ride, which costs about 20 MAD ($2US). If needed, the organizers can arrange for pick up from the train station.
Arrival in Marrakesh is another option. But keep in mind Marrakesh is about a 5-hour drive from Fez
Arrival in Marrakech (Menara Airport):
There is no train directly connected to the airport. The airport itself is located about 4.6 miles (7.4km) outside of the city center. The easiest way to get from the airport to the train station located in the city center is either by bus or by taxi.
- Taxis: There are two main types of taxis that you’ll find at the airport
- Petit taxi: Seats up to 3 people, costs about 70 MAD (7.30 USD).
- Grand taxi: Seats up to 6 people, costs about 100 MAD (10.42 USD).
- Be vigilant of common scams. See link to learn more. Make sure to negotiate a price before entering the taxi.
- Bus: The airport bus service (line 19) operates from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and leaves every 30 minutes from outside the terminal building. Approximate price per person is 30 MAD (50 MAD return).
There is only one train station in Marrakech and just one line into and out of the city.
- Fares: The single second class ticket cost is around MAD 230.00 (around USD 24.00). For a first-class single ticket (RECOMMENDED), it usually costs +50%. You can purchase tickets beforehand on the ONCF website, or in person. The ONCF website is only in French and Arabic, however, Google has the option to translate the entire page. Total travel time on the train is about 6 hours.
- Once in Fez: The train station is approximately 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from the hotel. Google maps suggest its either a 25-minute walk or approx. 8-minute taxi ride.