France lends Morocco €781M to expand high-speed rail to Marrakech

Morocco is getting a major boost for its high-speed rail expansion, thanks to a €781 million loan from France. 

The loan, provided by the French Treasury, will help Morocco’s national railway company (ONCF) buy 18 new high-speed trains from the French manufacturer Alstom. 

This is part of Morocco’s plan to extend its high-speed rail network all the way to Marrakech.

The French Embassy in Rabat announced the funding, linking it to a financial cooperation agreement signed in October 2024. 

The deal was made in the presence of the leaders of both countries during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Morocco.

The new trains will be double-decker models with space for up to 640 passengers and a top speed of 320 km/h. 

The trains will be built by Alstom, a company that has been operating in Morocco for nearly 100 years. 

The trains will be manufactured in France before being shipped to Morocco for testing.

According to the French Embassy, this project is not just about faster travel—it’s also about sustainability. 

The new trains are expected to lower the carbon footprint of transportation in Morocco, aligning with the country’s push for greener mobility. 

Alstom’s factory in Fez will play a key role by producing electrical tanks and cable bundles for the trains, helping to grow Morocco’s local railway industry.

French Ambassador to Morocco, Christophe Lecourtier, described the loan as a sign of the strong partnership between the two countries. 

The ambassador pointed out that the existing high-speed rail line, which connects Tangier to Kenitra, was a huge success, carrying nearly five million passengers in 2024.

“France and its companies are once again standing with Morocco to make this ambitious rail expansion to Marrakech a reality,” Lecourtier said. 

Lecourtier said that beyond transportation, this project will be a major driver of economic growth, especially as Morocco prepares to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.