Significant Progress on the Rabat-Kénitra-Marrakech High-Speed Train Tunnel
Underneath the city of Rabat, the construction of the future high-speed train line connecting Kénitra to Marrakech has reached a pivotal stage. A 3.3-kilometer railway tunnel is set to traverse part of the capital, facilitating high-speed trains to connect to Rabat-Agdal without disrupting surface traffic. The Société générale des travaux du Maroc (SGTM), in collaboration with the Chinese company Sinohydro Bureau 5, has confirmed that the construction of the Rabat tunnel has entered a new phase of development.
This tunnel is among the most complex components of the future high-speed rail line from Kénitra to Marrakech, designed to connect the Bouregreg valley to the Rabat-Agdal station over a total length of 3,300 meters. In a recent communication detailing the project, SGTM highlighted that progress is being made on this strategic segment and reminded stakeholders that the overall contractual timeline is set at 42 months.
The tunnel will not consist of a uniform structure throughout its length; the main section will feature a dual-track monotube tunnel measuring 2,750 meters, followed by a 50-meter open area, and a 500-meter covered trench with four tracks as it approaches Rabat-Agdal. This configuration is intended to seamlessly integrate the new high-speed tracks into an already densely populated urban environment while preserving existing railway infrastructures.
Investment in Infrastructure Exceeds 1.4 Billion Dirhams
The project was awarded by the ONCF to a consortium comprising SGTM and Sinohydro Bureau 5, with the contract valued at approximately 1.4 billion dirhams, as per the bidding results published in 2024. The tender documents had initially outlined this underground passage of 3.3 kilometers between the Bouregreg and Rabat-Agdal.
Major construction work on the tunnel commenced in 2025 after several months dedicated to preparatory installations and managing a project complicated by its location in the heart of the capital. The passage beneath Rabat is crucial for extending the high-speed network towards Casablanca and then Marrakech, aimed at enhancing railway capacity while further separating different train flows approaching the Rabat-Agdal station.
The tunnel is part of the massive Kénitra-Marrakech high-speed rail project initiated by Morocco, especially in anticipation of the 2030 World Cup. This new line will extend the Al Boraq network, which currently connects Tangier to Casablanca via Kénitra and Rabat. The crossing under the capital represents one of the main technical challenges of this extension, as teams must operate beneath a densely urbanized area while being in close proximity to existing, operational railway infrastructures.
Upon completion, the tunnel will allow future high-speed trains to travel nearly three kilometers underground beneath Rabat before reaching Agdal station, making this underground structure one of the most remarkable features of the new line to Marrakech.
As reported by bladi.net.
