Morocco’s National Office of Railways (ONCF) plans to invest around MAD 9.8 billion (USD 955 million) between 2025 and 2027, according to a report by Morocco’s Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The plan looks to improve Morocco’s overall rail transportation system in general and before the influx of travelers expected during the 2030 World Cup
The three-year investment outlined in the 2025 state budget Finance Bill will be spent in three tranches, MAD 2.97 billion (USD 299 million) in 2025, MAD 3.64 billion (USD 367 million) in 2026, and MAD 3.17 billion (USD 319 million) in 2027.
The funds will be used to acquire new trains, build maintenance facilities, and upgrade the country’s rail infrastructure.
In addition to these general improvements covered by ONCF’s investment program, ONCF has another massive railway development plan tied to Morocco’s preparation for the 2030 World Cup.
The separate initiative, estimated to cost MAD 87 billion (USD 8.5 billion), will extend the high-speed rail line (LGV) from Kenitra to Marrakech and develop a regional express network (RER) that connects Casablanca, Rabat, and Marrakech.
The government is expected to accelerate consultations with ONCF to establish a public-private funding model for the large-scale project.
In 2023, Morocco’s trains transported 7 million more passengers than in 2022, a 15% increase. The high-speed Al Boraq train from Casablanca to Tangier, which has now been in operation for five years, carried 5.2 million passengers in 2023, a 25% increase over the previous year.
Overall, 53 million passengers traveled by train in Morocco in 2023. Forecasts estimate that the number of passengers will grow by 4% in 2024, bringing the anticipated total to over 55 million passengers by the end of the year.
With respect to freight, ONCF moved more than 17 million tons of goods in 2023, half of that volume coming from phosphate shipments.
The company’s total revenue from freight for 2023 was more than MAD 4.35 billion (USD 438 million), up 7% from the previous year.
ONCF’s revenues from all segments were around MAD 4.9 billion (USD 494 million) in 2023, with growth attributed largely to the strength of its passenger segment.