Macron Celebrates Morocco’s Kénitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Initiative

Saturday 26 April 2025 - 08:15

By: Dakir Madiha

Macron Celebrates Morocco’s Kénitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Initiative

French President Emmanuel Macron has commended Morocco for its ambitious launch of the Kénitra-Marrakech high-speed rail line (LGV), a significant infrastructure project inaugurated by King Mohammed VI at the Rabat-Agdal train station.

“Franco-Moroccan cooperation is advancing at high speed! His Majesty King Mohammed VI launched yesterday the works on the new high-speed rail line between Kénitra and Marrakech,” Macron stated on social media platform X. He emphasized that this initiative is the direct outcome of partnerships formed during his state visit to Morocco last October, adding, “Long live the friendship between Morocco and France!”

The 430-kilometer rail line represents an investment of MAD 53 billion (approximately $5.3 billion), excluding rolling stock. This project is part of a broader MAD 96 billion ($9.6 billion) program that includes the acquisition of 168 new trains for MAD 29 billion ($2.9 billion).

Khalid Khairane, director of high-speed rail projects at Morocco’s National Railways Office (ONCF), confirmed that construction is on track to meet the timeline for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

“In 2029, we will begin testing on this line to start operations at the end of the same year,” Khairane informed the press, revealing that studies for the project commenced in 2022 and that three-quarters of the necessary land has already been secured.

This new rail line promises to significantly reduce travel times along Morocco’s key economic corridor. Trips between Tangier and Rabat will take just one hour, while journeys between Casablanca and Marrakech will be completed in one hour and 15 minutes.

Travel between Tangier and Casablanca, as well as Rabat and Marrakech, will be shortened to one hour and 40 minutes, with the full stretch from Tangier to Marrakech taking only two hours and 40 minutes, saving over two hours compared to current travel times.

Moreover, the LGV will connect Rabat to Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport in just 35 minutes and will serve the new Benslimane stadium. High-speed service between Fez and Marrakech will take three hours and 40 minutes.

Luciano Borges, director of equipment at ONCF, disclosed that the project will also feature 18 new-generation high-speed trains (capable of 320 km/h) with a seating capacity of 641 each, supplied by French manufacturer Alstom. This expansion will increase Morocco’s fleet from twelve to thirty trains.

“Beyond the high recyclability criteria required for these trains (over 97%), the selection process of manufacturers has established judicious partnerships for controlled maintenance through the development of suitable industrial tools,” Borges explained.

The high-speed line will serve 59% of Morocco’s population and connect economic regions that account for more than 67% of the national GDP. It is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, stimulating various sectors, including industry, services, and tourism.

The international press has extensively covered the project launch, with Business Insider Africa noting that it “reinforces Morocco’s position as a continental leader in infrastructure development,” highlighting the nation’s status as the operator of Africa’s only functional high-speed rail network.

This initiative reflects Morocco's strategic vision for sustainable development, particularly in promoting collective mobility solutions with a low carbon footprint, while establishing its high-speed rail system as a technological model for African countries seeking rapid and sustainable transportation options.