This article was accepted into the corpus but its outbound wikilinks were never NER-processed — typical at the deepest BFS hop or when the run's entity cap was reached. No expansion funnel to show.
| Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line |
| Locale | Morocco |
| Start | Tangier |
| End | Casablanca |
| Type | High-speed rail |
| Operator | ONCF |
| Open | 2018 |
Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line is a high-speed rail line in Morocco, connecting the cities of Tangier and Casablanca, with a possible extension to Rabat and Marrakech. The line is operated by ONCF, the national railway company of Morocco, in partnership with SNCF, the French national railway company, and Adif, the Spanish railway infrastructure manager. The project was supported by the European Union, the African Development Bank, and the World Bank, with funding from the European Investment Bank and the French Development Agency.
The Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line is part of the Moroccan railway network, which is being developed to improve transportation links between the major cities of Morocco, including Fez, Meknes, and Agadir. The line is designed to reduce travel times between Tangier and Casablanca to under two hours, making it a competitive alternative to Royal Air Maroc and other airlines operating in the region. The project has involved collaboration with international companies, including Alstom, Bombardier Transportation, and Siemens Mobility, as well as Moroccan National Railway Company and the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, and Logistics.
The Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line project was launched in 2007, with a feasibility study conducted by Systra and Ineco. The project was approved by the Moroccan government in 2010, with a budget of around $2.4 billion, funded by the Moroccan government, the European Union, and other international organizations, including the African Development Bank and the World Bank. Construction began in 2011, with the line opening to commercial traffic in 2018, following a series of tests and trials conducted by ONCF and its partners, including SNCF and Adif.
The Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line runs for approximately 320 kilometers, passing through the cities of Rabat and Kenitra, with a possible extension to Marrakech and other cities in Morocco. The line follows the Atlantic coast of Morocco, passing through the Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen region, with stops at Tangier-Ville and Casablanca-Voyageurs stations. The line is designed to be compatible with the European standard for high-speed rail, with a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour, making it one of the fastest rail lines in Africa, comparable to the Gautrain in South Africa and the Egyptian National Railways.
The Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line is operated by a fleet of Alstom TGV trains, which were manufactured in France and delivered to Morocco in 2015. The trains are powered by electric locomotives and have a maximum speed of 320 kilometers per hour, making them suitable for high-speed operation on the line. The trains are maintained by ONCF and its partners, including SNCF and Adif, at the Tangier and Casablanca maintenance depots, which are equipped with facilities and equipment from Bombardier Transportation and Siemens Mobility.
The Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line is operated by ONCF, with multiple daily departures from Tangier and Casablanca. The line is designed to be integrated with the Moroccan railway network, with connections to other cities in Morocco, including Fez, Meknes, and Agadir. The line is also connected to the Port of Tangier and the Port of Casablanca, making it an important transportation link for freight and passenger traffic, with potential connections to the Trans-Saharan Highway and the N1 road (Morocco).
The Tangier-Casablanca high-speed rail line has had a significant impact on the economy and transportation sector of Morocco, with increased mobility and connectivity between the major cities of the country. The line has also created jobs and stimulated economic growth in the regions through which it passes, including the Gharb-Chrarda-Beni Hssen region, with potential benefits for the Moroccan tourism industry and the Moroccan manufacturing sector. The project has been recognized as a model for high-speed rail development in Africa, with potential applications in other countries, including South Africa, Egypt, and Nigeria, with support from international organizations, including the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Category:Rail transport in Morocco