Fez transportation smooth organized simple

Introduction

This article is about urban transport in Fez Province, Morocco. This article highlights the current situation and historical development of urban transportation, both public and private, within the urban area of the state of Fez. 

Unlike the previous century, the historic city of Fez remained for 1,100 years a primitive city with a high population density within its ancient city (Fez el-Bali). With its narrow and complex paths, the city, despite the illumination of its paths, remained without any public transportation system within its walls. Since 1913, after the French colonizers took control of Morocco and thus the city,

A modern city was built surrounding the ancient city and was called Ville Nouvelle (French: Ville nouvelle). With the presence of the modern city, the French garrison established a public urban transportation system in this part of the city with nine lines at first [more precision needed] to increase over the years. In addition to accrediting taxis. 

Walking fes transportation

Walking

BLUE GATE 

Start our Fez Medina walking tour at the Bab Bou Jeloud (Blue Gate), on the west side of the Medina. Originally built in the 12th century, it was reconstructed as a triple-arched gate in 1913 by the French to create a grander entrance to the city. 

MEDERSA BOU INANIA 

After entering the gate, take a quick left, then right onto Talaa Kebira. Passing a plethora of interesting stalls and cafés, pop into Medersa Bou Inania (20 Dh). Built in the 1350’s the madersa is the finest theological school in the city and contains an entire mosque. 

CHRABLIYINE MOSQUE 

Continue on Talaa Kebira, popping into numerous fondouks (houses where traders and their animals could spend the night passing through the city). Next, make a right and then an immediate left to arrive at the green-tiled Chrabliyine Mosque. A little further on, turn left after Palais de Mérinides and then next right. 

You are now just one street off the main tourist route where souvenir stalls are replaced by local food markets. Follow the map below, dipping into the textiles souk, where you’ll find hundreds of women crammed into a small square in a seemingly desperate attempt to sell fabrics and shoes. Next, follow the road clockwise to the tanneries. 

THE TANNERIES 

The tanneries are an assault on the senses. Workers stand in large pungent vats of dye producing leather in a method that hasn’t changed for centuries. It’s at the tanneries where you’re likely to get hassled the most. If you attempt to enter at ground level, you’ll more than likely be chased away. Instead, pay the owner of Number 10 a few dirham and head into his store to view the tanneries from three floors up. He’ll try to sell you some leather goods from the staggering assortment he has crammed into every inch of his store, but the photo opportunities are worth it. 

PLACE IALLA YDOUNA & PLACE R’CIF 

Exit the store to take in some fresh air and head south, then turn left into Place Ialla Ydouna. Cross over the river, turn right and amble along the water into the large open square of Place R’Cif. Cross back over the river, explore the R’Cif market full of local goods and clothes. Turn right passing the dyers souk and mirror stalls along Leather street before arriving at charming Place Seffarine. 

 

Taxis

Small red taxis are the most convenient means of transport to get to Fez. Its price is very cheap for all tourists, since a trip costs on average 10 dh (€0.90). 

Unlike other countries, taxis can be shared. In other words, if you see a taxi with empty seats, you can stop it and, if you are heading in the same direction, you will divide the fare among all passengers. 

Although not as common as in Marrakech, taxi drivers sometimes do not want to activate the meter. If this happens, remind him to turn on the “meter” or get out of the taxi and take another one. Discussing the price at the end of the trip is not fun. 

Large Taxis

The large taxis, old white Mercedes 300s, are used to go to and from the airport and to travel between different cities. 

Grand taxis depart from several points in the city, the most central being Place de la Resistance, at the start of Avenida Hassan II, in the New Town. 

Like small taxis, these vehicles are collective and have 6 seats in addition to the driver. These taxis can accommodate 2 passengers in the front and 4 in the back. If you do not want to share these taxis, you can pay for the entire trip without problems. 

Bus Fez transportation

Bus

The city of Fez has known, and continues to know, urban development and tremendous demographic growth in the years of the new millennium, in contrast to a very old system of urban transportation by buses, as the transportation indicator is one bus for more than 7,000 citizens. At a time when the city counts about 1.5 million Fassis in addition to more than 200 thousand people who are visiting students, internal tourists or short-stay traders. 

Despite the establishment of the Independent Urban Transport Agency for the State of Fez on January 1, 1971, at the initiative of the Municipal Council of the city of Fez, with the aim of rehabilitating urban bus transportation within the city, the level of renewal of the bus fleet and linking the new city neighborhoods to the network did not keep pace with the city’s demographic and urban development. 

 Starting in 1990, the agency had only 199 buses, while the number rose to 284 buses in 1994. About 40 buses were added to it, and then 50 double buses after that. Others were retired. 

The fleet of the Fez City Bus Company consists of 160 operable buses. The road network that is exploited on the territory of Fez consists of 56 lines, including 46 lines covering the urban area, two lines in Sefrou and its environs, and 8 lines that provide connectivity between Fez and neighboring communities. 

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