New Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line, Project of Major Socio-Economic Significance
The Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line, launched on Thursday by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is a project of considerable economic and social importance that will further enhance the national transportation system.
This new Line forms part of the ongoing expansion of the Kingdom's rail infrastructure under the impetus of HM the King. Building on the success of Al-Boraq, it confirms high-speed rail as the most efficient and sustainable mode of passenger transport over medium and long distances, with numerous positive impacts.
With this new project, travel times will be significantly reduced: 1 hour between Tangier and Rabat, 1 hour 15 minutes between Casablanca and Marrakech, 1 hour 40 minutes between Tangier and Casablanca and between Rabat and Marrakech, and just 2 hours 40 minutes between Tangier and Marrakech, a time saving of over two hours.
The project will also connect Rabat to Casablanca Airport in just 35 minutes and will serve the future Benslimane stadium. A high-speed service is also planned between Fez and Marrakech, with a travel time of 3 hours 40 minutes.
The future High-Speed Rail Line will serve 59% of the national population and link economic regions accounting for more than 67% of the national GDP. It will also create thousands of direct and indirect jobs and stimulate various sectors, including industry, services, and tourism.
Extending the High-Speed Rail Line to Marrakech will enhance the city's tourism appeal by improving access from the north. By directly connecting Tangier, Morocco's maritime gateway, to Marrakech, the Kingdom's premier tourist destination, this line will boost both domestic and international tourist flows while providing a faster, more comfortable, and modern travel experience.
It will also support regional planning and development by strengthening connections between major economic hubs, while promoting environmental sustainability in line with national development goals, through a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The Kenitra-Marrakech High Speed Rail Line extension will free up capacity on the conventional network, enabling the development of a major local metropolitan train service to meet part of the public transport needs of the inhabitants of the Rabat, Casablanca and Marrakech conurbations. This new service is a genuine response to the challenges of urban mobility in these three metropolitan areas, and offers a number of advantages in terms of punctuality, service quality and sustainability.
As an innovative solution, the High-Speed Rail Line is a natural choice that reinforces the momentum of the national transport sector in supporting the Kingdom's economic and social development.
MAP: 25 avril 2025
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