Morocco’s national railway operator, ONCF has launched a tender for the acquisition of 168 new trains.
This is part of ONCF’s ongoing development plan to strengthen the rail network and promote it as the preferred choice for sustainable and inclusive mobility.
This project will also better prepare Morocco to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The call for competition covers the supply of 150 trains for Intercity, Rapid Shuttle and Mass Transit services, as well as 18 high-speed trains.
These trains will partly replace ONCF’s ageing rolling stock fleet. In addition, they will be used to extend Mass Rapid services to Casablanca and Rabat.
Meanwhile, the new high-speed trains will operate on the upcoming extension of the first Moroccan and African high-speed line, Al Boraq, which commenced service five years ago between Casablanca and Tangier and will now be extended to Marrakech.
This investment in new rolling stock is valued at around 16 billion AED (4 billion EUR).
ONCF initially launched an international Expression of Interest (EOI) in September 2022 for this acquisition. It received 10 expressions of interest from rolling stock manufacturers. It is now further advancing the process by launching the call for competition.
This call is based on three components:
- The purchase of trains, with the delivery schedule spread between 2027 and 2030
- A partnership for maintenance
- Industrial development through the construction of a manufacturing unit and the development of a railway ecosystem of suppliers
