Practical
Eating on the Rails — An ONCF Train Food Guide
Morocco's ONCF railway is comfortable, punctual and one of the most pleasant ways to move between the northern cities, and the high-speed Al Boraq line between Tangier and Casablanca is genuinely world-class. Trains also happen to be a fine place to eat — station platforms and concourses are lined with food, and a well-packed picnic makes the journey. Here is how to travel the rails on a full stomach.
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- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- Buy your picnic at the station concourse before boarding — options thin on board.
- Msemen, pastries, nuts, fruit and sealed water are the ideal train fare.
- Al Boraq is fast and smooth; longer classic lines reward a proper packed lunch.
What to buy at the station
Major ONCF stations — Casa-Voyageurs, Rabat-Agdal, Marrakech, Tangier, Fes — have concourses well stocked with food to take away. Look for fresh msemen and bghrir from a griddle, sfenj doughnuts in the morning, bags of nuts and dried fruit, pastries, and sealed bottled water and juice. Buying here, before you board, is the key move, as onboard catering is limited and not the highlight.
For a savoury option, station snack counters sell sandwiches — often a baguette with tuna, egg, olives and harissa, or kefta — that travel well and eat cleanly on a tray table. Grab more water than you think you need, especially in summer, and a few pieces of fruit for the journey.
Onboard and the classes of service
On the classic long-distance lines, first class gives you a reserved seat in a quieter, air-conditioned carriage, which is worth the modest premium on a hot day with a picnic to spread out. A trolley or buffet car may offer drinks and basic snacks, but it is inconsistent, so do not rely on it for a meal. Second class is perfectly comfortable but busier and unreserved on some services.
The Al Boraq high-speed line between Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca is a different experience — fast, smooth and modern, with an onboard café offering. Even so, a quick station picnic remains the tastier choice. Whatever the class, keep your food tidy and your rubbish bagged; the trains are clean and locals keep them that way.
Packing a train picnic
The ideal Moroccan train picnic is simple and non-messy: flaky msemen or a filled baguette, a wedge of cheese, olives, dates, nuts, a couple of oranges or a bunch of grapes, and pastries for a sweet finish. Everything should be eatable with your hands and unlikely to leak. Sealed bottled water and a small pack of tissues or wet wipes complete the kit.
If you are connecting to a long onward drive or a rural leg, use the station to stock up beyond the journey itself — good bread, fruit and nuts keep for hours and cover you if the next stop is thin on options. A little foresight at the station turns a transfer into one of the easy pleasures of Moroccan travel.
Frequently asked questions
Is there food on Moroccan trains?
There is some — a trolley or buffet on classic long-distance services and a café offering on the Al Boraq high-speed line — but it is limited and inconsistent. The reliable, tastier approach is to buy a picnic at the station concourse before boarding. ONCF stations are well stocked with fresh bread, pastries, nuts, fruit and sealed water.
What is the best food to pack for a Moroccan train journey?
Non-messy, hand-eatable items travel best: msemen or a filled baguette, cheese, olives, dates, nuts, fruit and a few pastries, plus sealed bottled water. Avoid anything that leaks or needs cutlery on a moving train. A small pack of wet wipes is a useful addition for tidy eating.
Is first class worth it on ONCF trains for a food trip?
On the classic lines, first class is a modest premium for a reserved seat in a quieter, air-conditioned carriage, which is pleasant when you have a picnic to spread out on a hot day. It is not essential, and second class is comfortable, but the extra space and guaranteed seat suit a relaxed eating journey. On Al Boraq the difference is smaller as all classes are modern.
How does Al Boraq change train travel in Morocco?
Al Boraq is Africa's first high-speed line, linking Tangier, Rabat and Casablanca in a fraction of the old time, and it is fast, smooth and modern with an onboard café. It makes the northern corridor effortless to travel between food cities in a single day. Even so, a station picnic remains the tastier bet over the onboard offering.