How to Get from Agadir to Essaouira: Local Guide

Visiting Agadir and want to travel to Essaouira? If so then you’re in luck. This expert guide will teach you how to get from Agadir to Essaouira.

After all, I live in Essaouira and have been here since January of 2023. Therefore, I travel to Agadir quite often and know exactly how to travel between these two cities.

I usually take a CTM bus since it is fast (around 3 hours), easy, comfortable, safe, and I can reserve my tickets online, in advance.

Now, the road between the two cities is a bit curvy. Therefore, if you are prone to motion sickness then I highly recommend taking something before your trip. This way you don’t get car sick.

Otherwise, just enjoy the views, It’s a really lovely drive along the coast and you can enjoy some epic panoramas of the Ocean.

Yes, there are other ways to get from Agadir to Essaouira and from Essaouira to Agadir. So, I am going to go over all of your options and help you decide which one is right for you based on your needs and your style of travel.

So, let’s look at all of the different ways to travel between Agadir and Essaouira.

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The Best Way to Get from Agadir to Essaouira is By Bus

For me, the best way to get to Essaouira from Agadir is by bus. So, no need to pick Agadir vs. Essaouira.

Your bus will depart from a giant round bus station called, “Gare Routiere de Voyageurd Agadir” and it’s a cheap way to visit one of the best surf camps in Essaouira.

To get here from your hotel, you will probably have to take a taxi since the bus station is about an hour and ten-minute walk from the beach.

Generally, I like to use the In Drive App (it’s a ride-share app) to get to the bus station since I know the price when booking and don’t have to worry about getting scammed by taxi drivers.

From the beach, the drive to the bus station will take around 15 minutes. There is also a nice restaurant across the street that you can hang out in if you’re a bit early and want to grab something to eat.

Typically, I purchase my tickets online a few days in advance to be safe. Just make sure there isn’t a major holiday during your travel dates, like Eid al Adha. If there is then I would suggest booking your tickets at least two weeks in advance.

To purchase tickets, just head to the CTM website. At the time of writing, there are three departures daily at 08:15, 11:30, and 13:30.

Tickets also cost anywhere between 95 Dirhams ($9.50) and 105 Dirhams ($10.50). However, dates and prices do vary based on the time of year. So, always visit the CTM website first before booking.

Once on the website, you’ll select your seat, enter the information from your ID, and pay by credit card. You’ll then get an instant confirmation in your email as well as a PDF of your ticket.

You do not need to print out your ticket and can present the bus driver with a download of the ticket from your phone. If you want, you can also buy tickets upon arrival. Just be sure to have cash handy.

Generally, I like to arrive between 15 and 20 minutes before my bus is set to depart. This way I can relax and take my luggage to the luggage counter. Generally, you have to pay 5 Dirhams ($0.50) for a sticker that is placed on your luggage.

You can then store your luggage beneath the bus and board the bus. Be sure to sit in your designated seat number to avoid any problems.

Typically, the journey will take anywhere between three hours and fifteen minutes and three hours and forty minutes, depending on traffic and how fast the driver is.

There are no stops along the way and no bathroom on the bus. Therefore, purchase drinks/snacks and go to the bathroom before you board the bus. You can also hit up a cool vegan restaurant in Essaouira once you get here.

On-board, enjoy comfy seats, minimal legroom, and lots of a/c. It’s a very easy trip and you can just take in the beautiful views along the way.

When you arrive in Essaouira for the day, you’ll be dropped off at the CTM station which is about a 20-minute walk from the Medina. Feel free to take a taxi to your hotel for 8 Dirhams if the walk is a bit too much for you.

Local Tip: If you’re short on a time you could also do a day trip from Agadir to Essaouira since this is one of the best day trips from Essaouira.

But, Essaouira is worth visiting, even if you’re short on time. It’s also one of my all-time favorite spots in Morocco for digital nomads.

Taking a Grand Taxi

Another way you could get from Agadir to Essaouira is by grand taxi. Essentially, this is a group taxi that is shared between six people.

So, the downside is that you have to wait for the taxi to fill up before you leave. Yeah, there is no way of knowing how long this will take.

You also won’t have a ton of room for your luggage since there will be six people sharing the cab with you.

However, you only pay per person (around 200 Dirhams) and will get to Essaouira much faster if you use a Grand Taxi. Just make your way to the Grand Taxi stand in Agadir and ask about a shared taxi to Essaouira.

Personally, I would just take the bus. Even if you don’t take a CTM bus, get tickets on arrival and just use one of the other companies that depart daily for Essaouira.

There are many different bus companies and you should have no problem finding a bus to Essaouira, even if you’re spending Christmas in Morocco.

A Private Transfer

⭐️ Rating: 5.0/5.0 (6 Reviews) Price: $120 per group of four Duration: 3 hours 📍Meeting Point: They pick you up Operator: Taxi Moroccan Details: Read more on Get Your Guide Now!

Besides flying, this is probably the most expensive way to get from Agadir to Essaouira. Prices vary from company to company but expect to pay around $120.00 (€110.00) for a private transfer for between four and six people.

Generally, this option is nice if you have a lot of luggage, are a family with small children, or just want to get picked up and dropped off right at your hotel in Essaouira so that you can enjoy all of the best things to do in Essaouira.

Additionally, it’s a great alternative if you are leaving very early or very late in the day since you can select a departure time that suits your needs.

Overall, a private transfer is super convenient and perfect if you don’t want to wait in line, enjoy door-to-door service, and want to relax inside a private vehicle with a/c.

“Wonderful transportation service, communication is prompt, professional, punctual, I highly recommend booking to save yourself time and delays of taxi and bus services and ride comfortable while capitalizing your holiday time. I wish I could give 10 stars.”

Regina (read more reviews now)

Overall, Taxi Moroccan is a great choice since the staff are professional and will quickly/safely get you to your final destination.

Plus, the cost decreases significantly if you are traveling with a group and can split the cost between four people.

Flying

I doubt anyone was thinking of flying but you definitely could fly between Agadir and Essaouira since both cities have airports (same goes for Agadir and Marrakech).

However, I would not do this for two reasons. First of all, there really aren’t any direct flights between Agadir and Essaouira. Therefore, it will take you a lot longer to fly between the two cities then to drive between the two cities.

The last time I checked on flights they cost €141.00 (one-way) and included a stop in Paris. The stop was a self-transfer layover and the trip took a total of 27 hours.

Therefore, I see absolutely no reason to fly unless you want to enjoy a long layover in Paris.

Renting a Car

If you have a bit more time and want to do a Morocco road trip from Agadir to Essaouira then I highly recommend renting a car and doing the drive in Morocco yourself.

Honestly, the road from Agadir to Essaouira features a lot of beautiful views and a lot of cool stops along the way.

Ideally, you could spend around four or five days renting a car in Morocco and making stops at Taghazout, Imsouane, Sidi Kaouki, Diabat, and finally Essaouira. You can even try camping in Essaouira along the way.

The drive between the two cities is also fairly easy since you stay on one road and make you way up the coast. Just take it slow since the road is a bit curvy and you don’t want to have an accident.

If you decide to drive yourself, PLEASE book your car rental in advance. Car rentals can be scarce in Morocco and my partner and I have had issues finding a rental in the past because we waited until the last minute.

I like to use Discover Cars since I like their full coverage option and have never had a problem renting from them.

The last time rented a car it cost us 300 Dirhams ($30.00) per day. However, these prices can soar to 400 ($40.00) and 600 Dirhams ($60.00) per day in peak season.

I would also pick up your car in Agadir and then drop off your rental car in Essaouira since you only want to do this road trip in one direction.

Generally, foreigners do not need an international license to drive in Morocco and cars drive on the right side of the road, like in the United States.

You also won’t have to worry too much about damage since the roads are paved and are easily wide enough for two cars.

Other than that, just enjoy your trip and the many picturesque stops along the coast. The scenery in this part of the country is absolutely incredible and a must-see during your trip to some of the most beautiful places in Morocco.

Then, once you arrive, take advantage of the many places for coworking in Essaouira.

Conclusion

Overall, traveling between these two cities is very easy and cost-effective, especially if you take the bus.

However, there are many different options available to you and I hope this post has helped you find the option that best suits your needs.

It’s also worth noting that you can use this post to learn how to travel from Essaouira to Agadir. Just remember that the CTM bus departs daily from Essaouira (to Agadir) at 14:30, 16:30, and 19:30.

It’s actually a great time to depart if you want to enjoy the best brunch in Essaouira before you leave the city.

If you need an earlier departure time from Essaouira, just head to the main bus station and use one of the other local bus companies since many buses depart daily from Essaouira to Agadir (same goes for the bus from Marrakech to Essaouira).

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