Key Takeaways
- Yennayer 2977 falls on Thursday 14 January 2027: a paid national holiday since the royal decision of May 2023.
- Monday 11 January (Proclamation of Independence) is also a holiday: two longer weekends, 9 to 11 and 14 to 17 January.
- Book trains and coaches early; government offices and banks are closed on the 11th and the 14th.
- BoxSpot has points in Marrakech, Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fès, Mohammédia and Bouskoura; 4 days for one bag: 176 MAD.
On Thursday 14 January 2027, Morocco celebrates Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year, which opens the year 2977 of the Amazigh calendar. It is a paid public holiday, and it falls three days after another public holiday, Monday 11 January. For travellers that makes for an unusual week in January: two longer weekends, busier trains and a few services closed. Here is what you need to know to plan ahead.
Short answer
Yennayer 2977 falls on Thursday 14 January 2027, a national public holiday since the royal decision of May 2023. Monday 11 January (Proclamation of Independence) is also a holiday. Expect busy trains and coaches around Saturday 9 to Monday 11 and Thursday 14 to Sunday 17, and closed government offices and banks on both holidays. To travel light, BoxSpot has points in Marrakech, Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fès, Mohammédia and Bouskoura, from 9 MAD per hour per bag.
Yennayer 2977: a national holiday since 2023
Yennayer marks the first day of the year in the Amazigh calendar. Long celebrated within families, especially in Berber-speaking regions, it became a paid national public holiday by a royal decision announced in May 2023, then entered the official calendar. It has been a day off every 14 January since 2024. In 2027 it opens the Amazigh year 2977 and falls on a Thursday.
The festive meal is often held the evening before, on Wednesday 13 January, with family.
Monday 11 and Thursday 14 January: two holidays in one week
11 January commemorates the 1944 Proclamation of Independence. In 2027 it falls on a Monday. As a result, the week of 9 to 17 January looks like this:
- Saturday 9 to Monday 11 January: a first three-day weekend.
- Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13: normal working days.
- Thursday 14 January: Yennayer, public holiday.
- Friday 15 January: a working day. Many Moroccans will take a day off to bridge through to Sunday 17, but it is not an official holiday.
For a foreign traveller, this matters mainly for two things: domestic transport demand and closed services.
What it means for travel
- Trains and coaches: departures the evening before and returns on the last day (Monday 11 in the evening, Sunday 17 in the evening) are the busiest. Book Al Boraq or Al Atlas tickets on oncf-voyages.ma as soon as your dates are set, and do the same for CTM or Supratours coaches.
- Government offices and banks: closed on Monday 11 and Thursday 14. If you need a counter, plan it for Tuesday or Wednesday. Cash machines keep working.
- Shops, cafés and restaurants: most stay open, but some hours change on a public holiday. Museums and monuments may also adjust their hours: check on site or with official sources.
- Hotels and riads: towns near the Atlas and in the south draw many Moroccan visitors on these weekends. Book early.
To find out what closes on which day in Morocco, see also our guide to closing days in Morocco. And if you travel by high-speed train, our article on Al Boraq and travelling light will help.
Yennayer traditions
Yennayer is mostly celebrated at the table. Recipes vary from region to region, but a few dishes come up often:
- Tagoula: a semolina porridge (barley or maize depending on the region), served with butter and honey or argan oil.
- Ourkimen: a slow-cooked dish of pulses and grains, made for the occasion in some families.
- The date stone: tradition has it that a stone is hidden in the dish; whoever finds it is meant to be lucky for the year.
Celebrations are most visible in the Souss around Agadir, in the Atlas and in the Drâa valley. At the end of October, no public programme of festivities had been announced for 2027 in the big cities: watch local announcements as the date approaches rather than counting on a specific event.
Where to leave your bags over the two weekends
This is the classic moment for a three- or four-day getaway: the Atlas from Marrakech, the north from Tangier, or a round trip between two cities by train. Leaving with a small bag and keeping the big suitcase behind makes everything easier. Cities where BoxSpot has points:
- Marrakech: two points, near the Medersa Ben Youssef and at Bab Aghmat. Handy before a trip into the Atlas. Luggage storage in Marrakech
- Tangier: three points, including one near the Grand Socco and the Gran Teatro Cervantes. Luggage storage in Tangier
- Rabat: one point near Place de Russie, between Rabat-Ville and Rabat-Agdal. Luggage storage in Rabat
- Casablanca: one point about 17 minutes on foot from Casa-Voyageurs. Luggage storage in Casablanca
- Fès: one point in the ville nouvelle, open from noon to 10pm. Luggage storage in Fès
Mohammédia and Bouskoura also have one point each. There is no point in Agadir or elsewhere in the Souss: if you celebrate Yennayer there, check the BoxSpot explorer to see which cities on your route are covered.
Hours to check
Two points are closed on Sunday: the one near the Medersa Ben Youssef in Marrakech and Cash Plus Riad Ahlan in Tangier. On Sundays 10 and 17 January, collect your bags elsewhere or the day before. The Fès point only opens at noon. The hours shown on each point's booking page are the reference, including for 11 and 14 January.
It is simple: you show your booking, the partner scans your QR code and takes a photo of your bags with the drop-off time. When you come back, bags are only returned against that same QR code.
What it costs: three examples
The rate is 9 MAD per hour per bag, with a 4-hour minimum (36 MAD), and an hourly booking never costs more than 59 MAD for the first bag for the day. Each following day costs 39 MAD; an extra bag costs 49 MAD on day one, then 39 MAD a day.
| Situation | Price |
|---|---|
| Noon check-out on Thursday 14, train at 6pm: 6 hours, 1 bag | 54 MAD |
| Getaway from Thursday 14 to Sunday 17: 4 days, 1 bag | 176 MAD |
| Same getaway with 2 bags | 342 MAD |
The 4-day calculation: 59 + 3 × 39 = 176 MAD. With a second bag: 176 + 49 + 3 × 39 = 342 MAD. Payment is online, in dirhams, by card.
Plan the Yennayer long weekend
Find a BoxSpot point in your departure city, drop the big suitcase and travel light. From 9 MAD per hour per bag, 39 MAD per extra day.
See BoxSpot pointsFrequently Asked Questions
- Yes. Thursday 14 January 2027 is Yennayer, the Amazigh New Year 2977, a paid national holiday since the royal decision of May 2023 and a day off every 14 January since 2024.
- Friday 1 January (New Year's Day), Monday 11 January (Proclamation of Independence) and Thursday 14 January (Yennayer). Friday 15 January is not a holiday, even though many people bridge it.
- Recipes vary by region. Tagoula, a barley or maize semolina porridge, and ourkimen, a slow-cooked dish of pulses and grains, are often mentioned. A date stone is sometimes hidden in the dish for luck.
- BoxSpot has points in Marrakech, Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fès, Mohammédia and Bouskoura, but not in Agadir. It costs 9 MAD per hour per bag (minimum 36 MAD), at most 59 MAD for the day, then 39 MAD a day: 176 MAD for 4 days and one bag.
About the author
Soufiane Ajana
Data Scientist
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