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Rabat — Morocco’s National Railway Office (ONCF) has stressed the importance of Morocco’s skilled workforce working on the recently launched Kenitra-Marrakech High Speed Line project.
Khalid Khairane, the director of the high-speed line projects division at ONCF, said on Thursday that the new line will be carried out according to the established schedule to be ready for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
Khairane welcomed the national skills capable of carrying out this type of structuring of the project, explaining that the new high-speed line will reduce the travel time between Tangier and Rabat, as well as between Tangier and Casablanca.
Travel time between Tangier and Rabat will take only one hour, while travel time between Tangier and Casablanca will be reduced to only 1 hour and 49 minutes.
A trip between Marrakech and Tangier will take only 2 hours and 40 minutes.
Mohammed Smouni, Assistant Director General at ONCF, also celebrated the launch of the project, noting that the new line will enable the achievement of territorial equity.
He said the new project will ensure connectivity between many regions, cities, airports, and major stadiums, noting that it will also strengthen the country’s high-speed train network spanning a distance of over 600 kilometers.
These new developments place Morocco among the top countries that possess this technology.
Luciano Borges, director of the rolling stock division at ONCF, has also given remarks on the importance of the project, noting that it will feature trains with cutting-edge technologies that offer the highest standards in terms of safety and comfort.
He recalled that ONCF launched a program to acquire 18 latest-generation high-speed trains with a capacity of 641 seats. The trains will be supplied by French manufacturer ALSTOM.
King Mohammed VI launched the construction work of the new line at the Rabat-Agdal train station yesterday.
The project is part of a $9.6 billion railway development program aimed at improving the country’s transportation network.
The Kenitra-Marrakech LGV or TGV is budgeted at $5.3 billion, excluding rolling stock.
Minister of Transport Abdelsamad Kayouh said on Thursday that the launch of the project’s construction will be a “new cornerstone and a fundamental support for the national economy.”
He also said that the structuring project will shorten distances between several cities by up to 70% compared to the current situation, facilitating the movement of citizens and connectivity between major urban centers — particularly Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech.
