Transport in Morocco
Encyclopedia
Government policy
With billions of dollars committed to improving the country’s infrastructure, MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
aims to become a world player in terms of marine transport. The 2008-2012 investment plan aims to invest $16.3 billion and will contribute to major projects such as the combined port and industrial complex of the Tanger-Med and the construction of a high-speed train between Tangier and Casablanca. The plan will also improve and expand the existing highway system and expand the Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport. Morocco’s transport sector is one of the kingdom’s most dynamic, and will remain so for years to come. The improvements in infrastructure will boost other sectors and will also help the country in its goal of attracting 10 million tourists by 2010.
Railways
1907 km standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
, 1003 km electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
with 3 kV DC.
High-speed Lines
There are plans for several high-speed lines. Work by ONCFONCF
ONCF or ONCFM is Morocco's national railway operator. The Office employs around 9,767 employees and has a network of 1,907 km, all standard gauge...
began in September 2011 on a first section from Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
to Kenitra
Kenitra
Kenitra is a city in Morocco, formerly known as Port Lyautey. It is a port on the Sebou River, has a population in 2004 of 359,142 and is the capital of the Gharb-Chrarda-Béni Hssen region. During the Cold War Kenitra's U.S...
. There are plans to construct two core lines, one from Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
in the north via Marrakesh to Agadir
Agadir
Agadir is a major city in southwest Morocco, capital of the Agadir province and the Sous-Massa-Draa economic region .-Etymology:...
in the south, and a second from Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
on the Atlantic to Oujda
Oujda
Oujda is a city in eastern Morocco with an estimated population of 1 million. The city is located about 15 kilometers west of Algeria and about 60 kilometers south of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the Oriental Region of Morocco and the birthplace of the current Algerian president,...
on the Algerian border. If all of these plans will be approved, the 1,500 kilometres of track may take until 2030 to complete at a cost of around 25 billion dirhams ($3.37 billion).
Potential speed gains are large, with travel time from Casablanca to Marrakesh down from 3 hours to 1:20, and from the capital Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
to Tangier from 4:30 to 1:30.
Other new routes
A new railway connecting NadorNador
Nador is a city located in the northeastern Rif region of Morocco. The city is a Mediterranean port on the Bḥar Ameẓẓyan lagoon , and it is the major trading center in the region for fish, fruit, and livestock...
to the existing network at Taourirt
Taourirt, Morocco
Taourirt is a town in Taourirt Province in the northern part of Morocco. Situated in the Oriental region about 100 km west to the city of Oujda....
was finished in 2010, after it had been under construction since 2007.
Railway links to adjacent countries
AlgeriaTransport in Algeria
- Railways :There are a total of 3,973 km of railways: 2,888 km is standard gauge, with 283 km of that being electrified and 215 km of that being double tracked...
, but is closed since the '90s. - same gauge
Roads
As of 2006 there were around 57625 kilometres of roads (national, regional and provincial) in MoroccoMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, and an additional 1145 kilometers of highways( July 2010 ).
Highways
Principal highways:- A1 Rabat-TangerRabat-Tanger expresswayThe Rabat-Tangier expressway is an expressway in Morocco. It begins in Morocco's capital of Rabat, and connects to the northern port city of Tanger. The expressway's identity marker is "A1"....
(218 km) - A2 Rabat-FesRabat-Fes expresswayThe Rabat-Fes expressway is an expressway in Morocco; its designated identity marker is A2. Total length is 206 km.The Rabat-Fes expressway consists of a four-lane expressway of the non motorway-sort before the toll station at Sidi Allal El Bahraoui. It takes its origin at the interchange with the...
(167 km) - A3 Casablanca-RabatCasablanca-Rabat expresswayThe Casablanca-Rabat expressway, designated A3, was the first expressway to be built in Morocco, with construction starting in the 1970s. It was only completed in 1986 after a 7 year halt....
(95 km) - A4 Tanger-Port Tanger Med (52 km)
- A5 Casablanca bypass (37 km)
- A7 Casablanca-MarrakeshCasablanca-Marrakesh expresswayThe Casablanca–Marrakesh expressway is an expressway in Morocco. It has been designated A7 as its identity marker. Total length is 246 km: Casablanca bypass: 27 km, 57 km Casablanca-Settat and 162 km Setat-Marrakesh...
(197 km) - A7 extension to Agadir (233 km)
- A9 Fez-Oujda (321 km)
- A11 Berrechid-Benni MellalBerrechid- Beni Mellal expresswayThe Berrechid- Beni Mellal expressway under development is the most recent big project of the ADM, the company responsible for all Moroccan express-ways.-Start of building:...
(172 km) (Under construction)
- National Route 1 (Morocco)National Route 1 (Morocco)National Route 1 is a national highway of Morocco and Western Sahara. It connects Dakhla in the south of the Western Sahara near the border with Mauritania to Tangier on the northwest coast of Morocco. It is an important highway running along the western Atlantic coast of the country...
- National Route 2 (Morocco)
- National Route 3 (Morocco)
- National Route 4 (Morocco)
- National Route 5 (Morocco)
- National Route 6 (Morocco)National Route 6 (Morocco)National Route 6 is a national highway of Morocco. It is one of the most important road networks linking the west of the country to the east, connecting the capital Rabat and Salé on the west coast to Maghnia, Algeria on the border. It passes through many of Morocco's major cities such as Oujda, ...
- National Route 7 (Morocco)
- National Route 8 (Morocco)National Route 8 (Morocco)National Route 8 is a national highway of Morocco. It is one of the most important road networks running through mid-central Morocco. It links with National Route 1 in Inezgane, a southern suburb of Agadir near the Atlantic coast to the central mountainous area of the country...
- National Route 9 (Morocco)
- National Route 10 (Morocco)
- National Route 11 (Morocco)National Route 11 (Morocco)Route National N11 in Morocco runs from Berrechid to Beni-Mellal.To ease the load on this RN straight through the Atlas Mountains the Société Nationale des Autoroutes du Maroc started in 2010 the development of a toll-road/expressway: A11. This expressway will be 172 km. long and will be opened in...
- National Route 12 (Morocco)
- National Route 13 (Morocco)
- National Route 14 (Morocco)
- National Route 15 (Morocco)
- National Route 16 (Morocco)
Major Airports
- Agadir -- Al Massira AirportAl Massira AirportAgadir – Al Massira Airport is an international airport serving Agadir, a major city in southwest Morocco. Agadir is the capital of the province of Agadir and the region of Souss-Massa-Draâ....
: (AGA) Flights to most major European cities. - Al Hoceima -- Cherif Al Idrissi AirportCherif Al Idrissi AirportCherif Al Idrissi Airport is an airport serving Al Hoceima, Morocco, the capital city of the Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate region in northern Morocco.The airport is named after the 12th century CE Muslim geographer and cartographer Al-Idrisi.-Facilities:...
: (AHU) Flights to BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, CharleroiCharleroiCharleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
and AmsterdamAmsterdamAmsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population... - Casablanca -- Mohammed V International AirportMohammed V International AirportMohammed V International Airport is an airport operated by ONDA . Located in Province of Nouaceur, a suburb 30 km south-east of Casablanca, it is the busiest airport in Morocco with almost 7.25 million passengers passing through the airport in 2010...
: (CMN) Arrivals and departures to worldwide destinations. - Fez -- Saïss AirportSaïss AirportSaïss Airport or Fes-Saïss Airport is an airport serving Fes,, the capital city of the Fès-Boulemane region in Morocco.The airport handled nearly 410,000 passengers in 2008.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...
: (FEZ) Flights to Europe and Casablanca - Laayoune -- Hassan AirportHassan AirportHassan I Airport or Laâyoune Airport is an airport serving Laâyoune , a city in Western Sahara. The airport is named for Hassan I of Morocco. It is operated by the Moroccan state-owned company ONDA...
: (EUN) Flights to Agadir, Casablanca, Dakhla and Las Palmas. - Marrakech -- Menara International AirportMenara International AirportMarrakech-Menara Airport is an airport serving Marrakech, the capital city of the Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz region in Morocco. It is an international facility that receives some European flights as well as flights from Casablanca and some of the Arab world nations...
: (RAK) Flights all major international airports in Western Europe - Nador -- Nador International AirportNador International AirportNador International Airport is an airport serving Nador, a city in the Oriental region in Morocco. It is also known as Al Aroui International Airport or Arwi Airport....
: Flights to Amsterdam, Brussels, Casablanca, Cologne and Düsseldorf. - Oujda -- Angads AirportAngads AirportAngads Airport is an airport serving Oujda, a city in the Oriental region in Morocco. Also known as Oujda Angads Airport, it is located about north of Oujda and about northeast of Casablanca, near the Algerian border.-History:...
: (OUD) Flights to Amsterdam, Casablanca, Marseille and Paris. - Ouarzazate -- Ouarzazate AirportOuarzazate AirportOuarzazate Airport is an airport serving Ouarzazate, a city in the Souss-Massa-Draâ region in Morocco. The airport served over 95 thousand passengers in the year 2008.-Facilities:...
: (OZZ) Flights to Casablanca and Paris. - Rabat -- Sale Airport: (RBA) Flights to Paris and Tripoli.
- Tangier -- Ibn Batouta International AirportIbn Batouta International AirportTangier Ibn Battouta Airport is an airport serving Tangier , the capital city of the Tangier-Tétouan region in Morocco. The airport is named for Ibn Battouta , a Moroccan scholar and traveler who was born in Tangier...
: (TNG) Flights all major international airports in Western Europe
National airlines
- Air Arabia MarocAir Arabia MarocAir Arabia Maroc is a low-Cost airline set up as a joint venture between various Moroccan investors and Air Arabia. Its head office is located in the Arrivals Terminal of Mohammed V International Airport in Nouaceur Province, Morocco.-Fleet:...
- Atlas BlueAtlas BlueAtlas Blue was a low-cost airline with its head office on the grounds of Marrakech-Menara Airport in Marrakech, Morocco, operating out of Menara International Airport....
- Casa air serviceCasa air serviceCasa Air Service is a Moroccan airline. In 1995 it began to offer private air transport services. For 40 years prior to that, it was involved in agricultural air services.Its main base is Mohammed V International Airport, Casablanca.-Destinations:*Algeria...
- Jet4youJet4youJet4you is a low-cost airline based in Casablanca, Morocco. It operates services between Moroccan cities and destinations in France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland and Italy. Its main base is Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, with focus cities at Agadir, Nador, Paris and...
- Regional Air LinesRegional Air LinesRoyal Air Maroc Express is a private airline based in Casablanca, Morocco. It operates scheduled domestic services and scheduled regional flights to Spain and Portugal, as well as charter services for tour operators and corporate clients. Its main base is Mohammed V International Airport.- History...
- Royal Air MarocRoyal Air MarocRoyal Air Maroc is the flag carrier airline of Morocco, headquartered on the grounds of Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Casablanca...
- Royal Air Maroc Express
Merchant Marine
total: 35 ships ( or over) by type:- cargo shipCargo shipA cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
3, - chemical tankerChemical tankerA chemical tanker is a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk.Ocean-going chemical tankers generally range from to in size, which is considerably smaller than the average size of other tanker types due to the specialised nature of their cargoes and the size restrictions of the...
6, - container shipContainer shipContainer ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
8, - passenger/cargo shipCargo shipA cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
12, - petroleum tankerOil tankerAn oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a merchant ship designed for the bulk transport of oil. There are two basic types of oil tankers: the crude tanker and the product tanker. Crude tankers move large quantities of unrefined crude oil from its point of extraction to refineries...
1, - refrigerated cargo ship 1,
- roll-on/roll-off 4
Foreign-owned: 14 (France 13, Germany 1) (2007)
- Registered in other countries: 4 (GibraltarGibraltarGibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
)
Company maritime
- Ferrimaroc
- Tarifa-Tanger
- Comanav
- ComaritComaritComarit is a Moroccan ferry operator. The company operates ferries connecting Morocco with Spain and France.-History:Comarit was formed in 1984....
- IMTC
- BismillahBismillahThere are multiple uses of Bismillah :* Bismillah is first word of the Basmala phrase of Islam.* Bismillah , born in Oruzgan, Afghanistan, in 1952...
- Le rif-casablanca
- Ferrys Rapides du Sud
- Reduan Ferry