Freight traffic between Casablanca-Marrakesh. Photo credit: Moroccan national railway operator ONCF

Double track for railway Casablanca-Marrakesh

Freight traffic between Casablanca-Marrakesh. Photo credit: Moroccan national railway operator ONCF

The Moroccan government has started the construction of a second track on part of the Casablanca-Marrakesh railway line, after the African Development Bank (AfDB) had granted it a 95.2 million Euros loan in 2016. The cities are situated on of the main economic axis of the country, Rabat-Casablanca-Marrakesh. Marrakesh is the main industrial Moroccan hub and Atlantic port.

Bigger project

The project is part of a more ambitious one approved in 2012: the doubling of the track on the 142 kilometer line from Settat, 84 kimometer south of Casablanca, to Sidi Ghanem, near Marrakesh. This project also includes the electrification renewal of the line. Track doubling was already completed on the Skhour-Benguerir and Sidi Ghanem-Marrakesh sections of the line, a total distance of forty kilometer.

According to the AfDB, the improvement provides for an increase in the number of cargo trains and goods shipment between the two major cities. The number of freight trains is expected to jump from five to twelve per day. Consequently, freight will increase from 207,000 to 504,000 tonnes per year.

Author: Jose Gutierrez

Jose Gutierrez is RailFreight's correspondent in Spain.

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Double track for railway Casablanca-Marrakesh | RailFreight.com
Freight traffic between Casablanca-Marrakesh. Photo credit: Moroccan national railway operator ONCF

Double track for railway Casablanca-Marrakesh

Freight traffic between Casablanca-Marrakesh. Photo credit: Moroccan national railway operator ONCF

The Moroccan government has started the construction of a second track on part of the Casablanca-Marrakesh railway line, after the African Development Bank (AfDB) had granted it a 95.2 million Euros loan in 2016. The cities are situated on of the main economic axis of the country, Rabat-Casablanca-Marrakesh. Marrakesh is the main industrial Moroccan hub and Atlantic port.

Bigger project

The project is part of a more ambitious one approved in 2012: the doubling of the track on the 142 kilometer line from Settat, 84 kimometer south of Casablanca, to Sidi Ghanem, near Marrakesh. This project also includes the electrification renewal of the line. Track doubling was already completed on the Skhour-Benguerir and Sidi Ghanem-Marrakesh sections of the line, a total distance of forty kilometer.

According to the AfDB, the improvement provides for an increase in the number of cargo trains and goods shipment between the two major cities. The number of freight trains is expected to jump from five to twelve per day. Consequently, freight will increase from 207,000 to 504,000 tonnes per year.

Author: Jose Gutierrez

Jose Gutierrez is RailFreight's correspondent in Spain.

Add your comment

characters remaining.

Log in through one of the following social media partners to comment.