Rail transport in Morocco


Rail transport in Morocco is operated by the national railway operator ONCF. It was initially developed during the protectorate.

High speed rail

On 26 November 2018, the first high-speed rail line linking Casablanca and Tangier was launched. It is called Al Boraq in reference to the mythical creature that transported the Islamic prophets. This 323-kilometer-long high-speed rail service is operated by the ONCF. The first of its kind on the African continent, the line was inaugurated on 15 November 2018, by King Mohammed VI of Morocco following over a decade of planning and construction.
The line is constructed in two sections—a new route from Tangier to Kenitra and an upgrade of the existing route from Kenitra to Casablanca.
The Tangier-Kenitra line has a top speed of, while the Kenitra-Casablanca line was rated for when service began, with a planned upgrade to. The trackage from Kenitra to Casablanca is planned to be eventually replaced by a new high-speed right of way, with construction scheduled to begin in 2020.
At the launch of service in 2018, the travel time between Casablanca and Tangier was reduced from 4 hours and 45 minutes to 2 hours and 10 minutes. The completion of dedicated high-speed trackage into Casablanca would further reduce the end-to-end travel time to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Al Boraq trains are scheduled to depart Casablanca and Tangier every hour from 06:00 until 21:00.
RouteTravel time on the old classic railwayTravel time in 2018Travel time in 2020
Tangier–Kenitra3h15m0h50m0h47m
Tangier–Rabat3h45m1h20m1h00m
Tangier–Casablanca4h45m2h10m1h30m
Rabat–Casablanca0h55m0h50m0h30m

As of 2019, the rolling stock operating on the line consists of 12 Alstom Euroduplex trainsets, with each set comprising two power cars and eight bilevel passenger cars. The passenger capacity is 533 across two first-class cars, five second-class cars, and a food-service car.
The Tangier – Casablanca line is the first phase of what is planned to eventually be a 1,500 kilometers high-speed rail network in Morocco.

Main connections

The main network for passenger transport consists of a North–South link from Tangier via Rabat and Casablanca to Marrakesh and an East–West connection linking Oujda in the East via Fes to Rabat. The North–South and East–West links interconnect at Sidi-Kacem. Major destinations currently not linked by rail are usually served by Supratours, a bus company operated by the ONCF.
The most important long-distance train services are:
From:To: via / change at:traveltimeNumber of trains per day
CasablancaTangierAl-Boraq trains stop at Rabat-Agdal and Kenitra2h10m14 x
CasablancaFes–3h20m18 x
CasablancaOujdadirect or via Fes10h3 x
CasablancaNadordirect, via Fes or with transfer in Taourirt8h30m up to
10h		4 trains/day
of which 2 are night-trains
MarrakeshFes–7h10m8 x
MarrakeshTangiervia Casablanca Voyageurs9h30m6 x
one direct night-train
TangierOujdadirect link at daytime
night-train change at Sidi Kacem		10h20m
10h35m 		one day train, one night-train
NadorTaourirtgives connection to E–W mainline1h42m3 x
CasablancaOued Zem–3h1 x
CasablancaEl Jadida–1h258x
SafiBenguerirgives connection to N–S mainline2h2x

Night trains

The ONCF operates special night-trains on the long-distance main-line links. The following routes offer night-trains:
These long-distance trains operate with non-motorized passenger cars that have individual compartments. Second class compartments have two couches opposite each other, each couch offering 4 places. In first-class cars, each compartment offers 2 × 3 places and foldable arm-rests divides the places. In 1st class, each passenger has a reserved assigned seat.
Each compartment has its own door to the aisle and curtains can be drawn to keep the compartment dark. In the night-trains, passengers in a 2nd class compartment tend to draw the curtains, switch off the lights and close the sliding door, hoping that no passengers will enter their compartment so the existing cabin passengers might have more space. In 1st class, however, each seat is manually assigned. Thus, the system is not used.
When trains are not busy, couches are usually empty, so passengers can lie down at times.
Besides these 'normal' compartments they also offer sleeper-cars with bedrooms/compartments or couchettes. A bed or couchette has fixed price, regardless of the travelling route or distance. Beds and couchettes have to be reserved when tickets are brought.

Marrakesh–Tangier section

There is a daily train on the Marrakesh-Tangier section in each direction. On this route, standard 6 or 8-person compartments are available, as well as 4-person couchette compartments.
Timetable for this section:

Northbound: Marrakesh, Casablanca Voyageurs, Rabat-Ville, Kentira, Sidi-Kacem, Tangier.
Southbound: Tangier, Sidi-Kacem, Kentira, Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh.

Casablanca–Oujda section

Besides normal running trains, this section also runs a special [|hotel train] service. This train only offers reserved sleeping compartments, compared to other normal services. The train service opened on 29 June 2010. It featured in the James Bond film Spectre.
Timetable for this section:
Westbound: Oujda 21:00, Taourirt, Fez, Kentira, Rabat, Casablanca-Voyageurs
Eastbound: Casablanca-Voyageurs, Rabat, Kentira, Fez, Taourirt, Oujda.
Hotel train service timetable:

Northbound: 21:00 Oujda-Casablanca
Southbound: 21:15 Casablanca-Oujda

Casablanca–Nador section

Nador is not the start or terminus; trains run from/to nearby Bin Anşār or Nador Port.
The night-train on this route only offers 2 person sleeping compartments with full beds. No couchettes are available.
As the train does not go to Taourirt, there is no need to change driving-direction and thus no need to move the engine. The day trains all stop at Taourirt and as the link to Nador is actually before the station of Taourirt the direction of travel has to change, including moving the locomotive from one end to the other.
Timetable for this section:
Westbound: Nador, Fez, Casablanca.
Eastbound: Casablanca, Fez, Nador.

Tangier–Nador section

Trains on this section normally run to and from Bin Anşār or Nador Port.
Timetable for this section:
Northbound: Nador, Fes, Tangier
Southbound: Tangier, Fes, Nador.

Urban

Light rail

Heavy rail

Projects

The national railway-operator ONCF is working on several projects. The largest project is a high-speed railway from Tangier via Rabat and Casablanca to Marrakesh. Also a rail connection between Tangier and Tangier MED, the port on the Mediterranean near Tangier, will give passengers arriving by ferry a connection to the main lines. A train will operate every 2 hours between the port and Tangier city. A freight-line from the Renault factory at Tangier MED is already operational The Marrakesh to Agadir railway is also planned to be completed by 2025, becoming the first rail line to reach the southern Souss-Massa region.

Railway links to adjacent countries