Settat Viaduct: Inside Morocco’s 900 Million Dirham High-Speed Rail Project

Yesterday 12:30

Morocco’s high-speed rail expansion is taking shape through a series of major infrastructure projects, including the Settat Viaduct, a 1.4-kilometre structure being built as part of the future high-speed railway linking Kenitra to Marrakech. Led by the National Office of Railways (ONCF), the project represents a significant investment in the engineering infrastructure required to extend the country’s high-speed network.

With a construction budget estimated at 900 million dirhams, the viaduct is designed to support the new railway corridor and accommodate the technical demands of high-speed operations. Its scale reflects the complexity of building a modern rail line across varied terrain while maintaining the structural standards required for sustained performance.

Concrete, steel and deep foundations

The viaduct’s dimensions illustrate the scale of the engineering work. Stretching 1,400 metres, the structure is supported by 29 piers and comprises 28 spans, each measuring 50 metres. The spans rise between six and 36 metres, depending on the elevation required along the route.

Construction involves approximately 7,700 tonnes of structural steel and 62,500 cubic metres of concrete. Beneath the structure, a network of piles extending over a combined length of 9.5 kilometres provides the foundations needed to ensure stability.

These quantities underline the technical demands of the project, which requires coordination between foundation works, concrete construction and the installation of the steel framework. The viaduct is one of the structures being developed to support the wider railway expansion.

A 430-kilometre extension of the Al Boraq network

The Settat project forms part of Morocco’s planned high-speed rail connection between Kenitra and Marrakech. Launched by King Mohammed VI on April 24, 2025, during a ceremony at Rabat-Agdal railway station, the programme is intended to extend the existing Al Boraq service beyond its current Tangier–Kenitra corridor.

The new line will cover approximately 430 kilometres, serving Rabat and Casablanca before continuing towards Marrakech. Once completed, it will expand high-speed rail coverage across some of Morocco’s principal urban and economic centres.

The infrastructure is being designed for speeds of up to 350 km/h. The project’s estimated cost stands at 53 billion dirhams, excluding rolling stock, making it one of the country’s major transport investments.

A broader 96-billion-dirham railway programme

The Kenitra–Marrakech line is part of a wider railway development programme valued at 96 billion dirhams. Beyond the construction of new infrastructure, the investment includes 29 billion dirhams for the acquisition of 168 trains and another 14 billion dirhams dedicated to maintaining the network’s performance.

The programme combines network expansion with investment in rolling stock and existing railway infrastructure. Its overall objective is to increase the capacity and quality of rail services while preparing the system to accommodate future passenger demand.

Delivery targeted for September 2029

On May 25, 2026, Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh reported that progress on the high-speed rail project had reached 30%. Delivery was scheduled for September 2029, setting a multi-year timetable for the completion of the new corridor.

The Settat Viaduct remains one of the major engineering components of this undertaking. Its completion will contribute to the infrastructure needed for the planned connection between Kenitra and Marrakech, although the overall opening of the line will depend on progress across the wider project.

As Morocco continues to develop its high-speed rail network, the viaduct illustrates the scale of the civil engineering works required to turn the planned expansion into an operational railway service.