If you spend any time in Morocco outside the train network you will quickly meet its two kinds of taxi, and they are not interchangeable. The petit taxi is the small city cab — its body colour varies from city to city (often beige or sand in Marrakech, red in Casablanca, blue in Rabat, turquoise in Tangier) — and it is licensed to operate only within the urban area. It carries up to roughly three passengers and is supposed to run on a meter (the compteur). The grand taxi is a larger, older sedan, classically a cream Mercedes and increasingly a Dacia, that works the routes between towns and out to surrounding villages. It typically seats around six passengers, leaves from a fixed rank when full, and charges a fixed price per seat — or you can charter the whole car for yourself. Picking the right one mostly comes down to a single question: are you moving around inside one city, or travelling between places?
Option A
Petit taxi
Small, metered city cab for hops within one town
Best for
Getting around inside a city — to the medina, the station, your riad or a restaurant
Full guideOption B
Grand taxi
Shared or chartered sedan for travel between towns and to nearby villages
Best for
Inter-city trips and reaching outlying villages on a budget, or chartering door-to-door
Full guideSide-by-side breakdown
Petit taxi vs Grand taxi: how they compare
| Category | Petit taxi | Grand taxi |
|---|---|---|
| Where it goes | Only within the city/urban area it is licensed for — short hops across town | Between towns and out to outlying villages, on fixed inter-city routes from set ranks |
| Capacity | Small car, up to roughly 3 passengers | Larger sedan, typically fills with around 6 passengers when shared |
| Colour & look | Colour varies by city (e.g. beige/sand in Marrakech, red in Casablanca, blue in Rabat, turquoise in Tangier) | Older Mercedes or Dacia sedans, often cream; uniform across a region rather than colour-coded by city |
| Pricing | Metered — insist on the compteur, or agree a fare before you set off | No meter: a fixed price per seat when shared, or a negotiated price to charter the whole car |
| How it runs | Hail one in the street or pick one up at a rank; goes directly to your destination | Waits at a rank and leaves when full, or you pay for the empty seats to depart sooner / go private |
| Comfort | Fine for short city trips; you usually have the car to yourself or your group | Shared seats can be cramped with six aboard; chartering the whole car buys space and flexibility |
| When to use it | Moving around within a single city | Travelling between towns, or reaching a village not served by buses or trains |
Our verdict
Which should you choose?
Use the right tool for the journey. To get around within a city — to your riad, the medina gate, the bus or train station, or dinner — take a petit taxi and insist on the meter (the compteur); if the driver won't run it, agree the fare before you get in, and carry small change so you can pay close to the exact amount. To travel between towns or out to a nearby village, take a grand taxi: share it for the cheapest fixed per-seat price and leave when the car fills, or charter the whole car (une course) when you want comfort, privacy or to leave on your own schedule. The most common mistake is trying to use a petit taxi for an inter-city trip it cannot legally make, or stepping into a grand taxi without first agreeing whether you are paying per seat or for the whole car. Settle the basis and the price before you move, and both serve you well.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a grand taxi and a petit taxi in Morocco?
A petit taxi is a small, metered city cab that operates only within one urban area and carries up to about three passengers. A grand taxi is a larger sedan that runs between towns and out to surrounding villages, typically seating around six, charging a fixed price per seat when shared or a negotiated price if you charter the whole car. In short: petit taxis for getting around a city, grand taxis for travelling between places.
Do petit taxis use a meter?
They are supposed to. Always ask the driver to switch on the compteur (meter) at the start of the ride. If a driver refuses or claims it is broken, agree a fixed price before you set off rather than leaving it open. Having small change helps you pay close to the exact fare and avoid being told there is none to give back.
How much does a grand taxi cost?
Fares vary by route and change over time, so check the going rate locally rather than relying on a fixed figure. Grand taxis charge a set price per seat when shared, and the whole-car charter price is roughly that per-seat fare multiplied by the number of seats. Always agree the price — and whether you are paying per seat or for the entire car — before you depart.
How many people fit in each type of taxi?
A petit taxi is a small car and is limited to around three passengers. A grand taxi is a larger sedan that, when run as a shared taxi, typically fills with about six passengers before it leaves. If that feels too cramped, you can pay for the empty seats or charter the whole car to travel privately.
Can I take a petit taxi between cities?
No. Petit taxis are licensed to operate only within their own city or urban area, so they cannot run inter-city trips. For travel between towns or out to a village, you need a grand taxi (shared or chartered), a bus such as CTM or Supratours, or the train where the route is covered.
How do I avoid being overcharged by a taxi in Morocco?
Set the terms before you move. In a petit taxi, insist on the meter or agree a fare up front, and carry small notes and coins. In a grand taxi, confirm whether you are paying the per-seat shared fare or chartering the whole car, and agree that price first. Asking your riad or hotel for the typical fare to your destination beforehand gives you a useful benchmark.
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