Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has approved a major $10.3 billion plan to improve the country’s rail system. The goal is to make travel faster and easier as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. According to France 24, the plan includes building a new high-speed rail line from Kenitra to Marrakesh, Morocco’s top tourist destination. The 430 kilometer line about 267 miles will also stop in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca. This new line will allow trains to travel up to 350 kilometers 217 miles per hour. It will reduce the travel time between Tangier and M

  Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has approved a major $10.3 billion plan to improve the country’s rail system. The goal is to make travel faster and easier as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal. According to France 24, the plan includes building a new high-speed rail line from Kenitra to Marrakesh, Morocco’s top tourist destination. The 430 kilometer line about 267 miles will also stop in the cities of Rabat and Casablanca. This new line will allow trains to travel up to 350 kilometers 217 miles per hour. It will reduce the travel time between Tangier and Marrakesh by two hours, making the full trip just 2 hours and 40 minutes. Travel from Rabat to Casablanca’s airport will also take only 35 minutes. The high-speed rail project will cost about $5.7 billion. The rest of the money will go toward buying new trains and improving train services across the country. Morocco’s national rail company, ONCF, said it has already signed deals to buy 168 new trains from France, Spain, and South Korea for $3.1 billion. This includes high-speed double-decker trains from France’s Alstom, which can carry 640 passengers and travel at 320 kilometers (199 miles) per hour. By 2040, Morocco plans to double the number of cities connected by train from 20 to 43 reaching 87% of the population. The plan also supports Morocco’s efforts to grow its local rail industry.

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