The plan includes the purchase of 168 new trains. 150 are intended for intercity services, rapid shuttles, and commuter trains, while 18 will be high-speed trains for expanding high-speed lines.
This acquisition aims to address the rising demand for passenger travel, replace older trains nearing the end of their service life, and support the forthcoming high-speed line extension to Marrakech. It also focuses on improving local services in the Casablanca and Rabat regions.
In September 2022, ONCF initiated an international Expression of Interest for this project to identify potential participants and foster competition. This EOI received responses from ten major global rolling stock manufacturers.
The current Call for Competition comprises three key components: the purchase of trains with a delivery timeline spanning 2027 to 2030, a maintenance partnership between ONCF and the selected manufacturer, and an industrial development commitment. The latter involves constructing a manufacturing unit and developing a railway ecosystem with an export-oriented approach, emulating successes in the automotive and aerospace sectors.
This 1.5 billion EUR project also prepares Morocco for the 2030 FIFA World Cup event that the country will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
