Morocco’s King approves major rail expansion worth $10b
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has approved a major rail expansion plan worth 96 billion dirhams ($10.3 billion) on April 24th, Middle East Monitor via Reuters reported.
The key part of the plan is the construction of a high-speed rail line connecting Kenitra to Marrakesh, with the latter being Morocco’s key tourist destination.
This development is partly driven by Morocco’s arrangements to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, which has prompted the need for improvements to the country’s rail infrastructure. The upcoming sports event signifies the ties between Spain and the North African country.
The high-speed line, costs 53 billion dirhams ($5.7 billion), and will run across 430 kilometers, passing through Rabat and Casablanca. Created for a speed of up to 350 kilometers per hour, it will cut the travel time between Marrakesh and Tangier by two hours, reducing the journey to 2 hours and 40 minutes.
It will also shorten travel time between Rabat and Casablanca’s main airport to just 35 minutes. In February, Morocco’s state rail operator ONCF declared agreements to acquire 168 trains from France, Spain, and South Korea for 29 billion dirhams, the equivalent of $3 billion.
France’s Alstom ALSO.PA will provide Avelia Horizon double-decker high-speed trains to ONCF. These trains can carry 640 passengers and travel at a speed of 320 kilometers in an hour.
The rail expansion will also include intercity and urban routes. ONCF plans to expand its reach to 43 cities which coves 87% of the population, by 2040.
Middle East Monitor via Reuters
