High speeed for Morocco

[John Ashworth]

If this goes ahead it will make South Africa's 160 kph "fast" Gautrain seem rather slow!

HIGH SPEED FOR MOROCCO

Posted on 23 April 2009 by Railways Africa Editor

Morocco and France have signed contracts worth 65 million dirhams ($US7.73 million) to build a high-speed railway linking Tangier with Casablanca, Mahgreb Arabe Presse reports. As the first part of a projected network extending 1,500km by 2035, speeds up to 320km/h are envisaged, slashing journey times from more than five hours to two hours and ten minutes. About 8 million passengers annually are foreseen. The contracts, signed between Office National des Chemins de fer (ONCF – the national railway of Morocco) and Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français (SNCF - the French national railway) also include the design, construction, rolling stock and the maintenance of the line.