Morocco to modernise its rail network to promote sustainable transport
Renovating Africa's fourth largest and most modern railway system is no easy task. In search of better connectivity between the country's major cities, the Moroccan government, through Transport Minister Abdessamad Kayouh, will announce an $8.7 billion modernisation plan.
With more than 2,200 kilometres of high-speed train tracks (TGD) and more than 3,848 kilometres of conventional tracks, Morocco's trains carried 53 million people in 2024. This figure is expected to reach 55 million by the end of the year. Also, 1 in 10 travellers used the high-speed train line linking the cities of Casablanca and Tangier.
According to the information shared by the Ministry of Transport, the reforms will be carried out between 2025 and 2029, although most of the lines are expected to be operational by 2027. One of them will be the line linking Kenitra to Marrakech via Casablanca airport. This reform will make a journey time that currently takes 7 hours to 2 hours and 45 minutes. The other line to be completed ahead of schedule will be the one linking Marrakech to Agadir.
According to the forecasts announced by the Ministry, the Moroccan National Railway Office (ONCF) plans to spend almost $1 billion between 2025 and 2027 for the maintenance and construction of new industrial complexes dedicated to the refurbishment and construction of high-speed train engines and carriages.
The upward trend in passenger demand using the train in Morocco is due to two reasons: ticket prices and the efficiency of the Al-Boraq train. The Al-Boraq is the jewel in the crown of Moroccan rail transport. With more than 5.2 million passengers carried in 2023, and 25% more than in 2022, high-speed trains in Morocco account for an increasing share of the total number of passengers.
This increase is also being felt in terms of revenue. The Moroccan National Railway Office has increased its remuneration by more than 8 % and expects to reach 500 million dollars in profit before the end of the year. Part of the profits will be used for the construction of three new stations: Casa-Sud, Grand Casablanca Stadium and Casablanca Airport.
These stops are intended to link up with other transport, such as trams and buses, to reduce traffic jams in the country's economic centre. New stops are also planned in areas such as Sidi Bernoussi and Hay Hassani, work on which will begin soon.
All the implementations go in the same direction: to have an efficient, sustainable and clean railway structure, and an infrastructure with sufficient capacity to host the 2030 World Cup.