Railway Operators in Morocco

ONCFM - Office National des Chemins de Fer du Maroc

Network length, gauge and electrification (2007):

Railway construction only began in 1916 in Morocco , with narrow-gauge lines built by the French Army. Later on, this network was rebuilt to standard gauge, extended and operated as from 1923 by 3 concessionaries: In the Spanish-led territory (North), a railway was also built on Tetuan-Ceuta in 1913-1918 by CEC (Compañía Española de Colonización), yet to iberic-gauge. It passed to state-run FF.CC.MM (Ferrocarrilles de Marruecos) in 1942 and closed down in the aftermath of independence (1956).
In 1963, the Kingdom of Morocco eventually took over the French concessions, and merged them into ONCF (Office National des Chemins de Fer Marocains), registered as an EPIC, i.e. an industrial and commercial state corporation.
Passenger traffic primarily consists in mainline services, ranking among the best in Africa. Loco-hauled Trains Nobles run a 2-hr regular-interval timetable on Fez-Rabat-Casablanca-Marrakech (with a few extensions to Tanger and Oujda), while semi-fast EMUs have been running shuttles (Train National Rapide) every 30-60min on Rabat-Casablanca since 1984. Freight traffic is primarily driven by phosphates.
There have been extensive track and catenary renewals since the early-1980s, while double-tracking of Fez-Marrakech is almost complete. Along with a cross-Straight tunnel to Spain (works due from 2008), ONCF also eyes a 350km/h HSL on Tanger-Marrakech-Agadir. The re-instatement of the "Transmagreb", which ran on Rabat-Alger-Tunis in 1972-1976, is also on the agenda.

In 2006, ONCFM passenger traffic grew by 12% to 23.5 million passengers. Freight traffic amounted 35 million tonnes.

Website: http://www.oncf.ma/

Stock Tables:
Last update: 01-06-2008