• King Mohammed VI launched a $2.2 billion rail program in Casablanca, part of a $10.6 billion national mobility strategy.

• Casablanca-Sud station will serve 12 million passengers annually and act as a major intermodal hub.

• Hyundai Rotem will supply 48 new trains and build a plant in Morocco to support the domestic rail industry.

King Mohammed VI on September 24 launched a $2.2 billion railway infrastructure program in Casablanca, according to Morocco’s state news agency MAP. The program forms part of a national $10.6 billion mobility strategy aimed at boosting sustainable transport, connecting large cities, and supporting socio-economic growth.

The plan includes the construction of Casablanca-Sud station, designed to handle 12 million passengers a year. The hub will connect high-speed trains, regional lines, surface metro, and an airport express to Mohammed V Airport.

Two other next-generation stations will be built in Benslimane, near the Grand Stade Hassan II, and inside Casablanca Airport, together accommodating 17 million passengers annually.

The program also provides for 10 metropolitan train stations, upgrades of existing ones, new tracks and maintenance workshops, and 48 advanced train sets supplied by Hyundai Rotem. The South Korean company will establish a plant in Morocco to strengthen the local rail sector.

Funding will come 70% from the National Railways Office (ONCF) and 30% from regional authorities. Officials expect the investments to transform mobility in Casablanca and beyond.

Morocco has committed to a rail transformation strategy by 2040. The country aims to link 43 cities compared to 23 today, expand rail access to 87% of the population from 51%, and connect 12 international airports and 12 ports by rail, up from one airport and six ports currently.

Authorities expect the projects to enable high-frequency train services, support urban and economic growth, and enhance Morocco’s role as a regional leader in sustainable mobility.

This article was initially published in French by Charlène N’dimon

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum