Morocco 2018: Albouraq – High Speed Train
On November 15, 2018, King Mohammad VI of Morocco inaugurated the first high speed train (TGV) in Africa. The train which was named Al-bouraq connects the city of Tangier in the north of the kingdom with the city of Casablanca in the center passing through the city of Kenitra and the capital Rabat.
The train travels at a speed of 320 km / h between Tangier and Kenitra, crossing the 206 km that separate the two cities in 47 minutes instead of the 3:15 needed for an ordinary train. The train then runs at 160 km / h between Kenitra and Casablanca.
With this new train, Tangier is only an hour and a half from Casablanca, instead of almost 5 hours on a conventional train. The ticket on this train costs only US $ 15 to $19.
This line is called the “Atlantic Line”. Morocco plans to extend this line to eventually reach Marrakech and then Agadir. Another high-speed line will pass through Fez to connect western Morocco with the region of the Eastern Rif. Il will arrive at Nador and Oujda.
The Moroccan High velocity train project has cost more than 2.2 billion dollars financed up to 50% by French donations and loans and up to 20% by different Arab development funds such as Saudi, Kuwaiti and Abu Dhabi funds for development or the Arab fund for economic and social development.
The Moroccan post office has issued a stamp to commemorate this inauguration. Face value: 9 MAD .. ـ
