The LGV - is up and running! Ticket costs announced

First-class tickets Tangier to Casablanca on the LGV (High Speed Train) will cost 243-364 Moroccan Dirhams, says the ONCF

Director General of the ONCF, Mohamed Rabie Khlie, said that ticket prices will vary according to the ticket class, date of purchase, date and time of trips, discount cards and whether the tickets are refundable or flexible. Tickets can be purchased up to 3 months prior to the trip.

Depending on three peak periods—low, normal, or high—second-class tickets cost MAD 93-139 for Tangier-Kenitra, MAD 115-172 for Tangier-Rabat, and MAD 149-224 for Tangier-Casablanca.

First-class tickets cost MAD 162-244 for Tangier-Kenitra; MAD 187-281 for Tangier-Rabat,

Passengers buying tickets on same day of the trip will have to pay 10 percent extra, and 20 percent extra for refundable tickets.

Children, young people, students, and the elderly have privileged discounts, with children under 4 travelling for free, but not automatically getting a seat. Children 4-15 years old will have to pay MAD 50 for second-class and MAD 80 for first-class for any distance.

Young people aged 16-26 and seniors over 60 get a 15 percent discount. Students under 26 also get a 30 percent discount for second-class tickets.

A group of 19 people or more can also get a 15 percent discount.

Twenty-six high speed trains are operating on the new line, but it is not clear whether the trains will serve Casablanca yet as the line is still to be finished.

The first train from Tangier leaves at 5:55 a.m. and the last train leaves at 8:55 p.m.

King Mohammed VI and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated Morocco’s first high speed train on Thursday, November 15, in Tangier. The LGV departed from Tangier to Rabat with King Mohammed VI and Macron taking the first ride.

The high speed train will link Tangier and Casablanca in two hours and 10 minutes instead of the normal five-hour train ride. The train will also make stops in Kenitra and Rabat.

The trip from Tangier to Kenitra will take 47 minutes while the trip from Tangier to Rabat will take 80 minutes.

The high speed train will eventually take 1 hour between Tangier and Rabat after work is completed on the rails between the two cities, allowing the train to travel at optimal speeds. Once completed, the trip between Kenitra and Rabat will take only 10 minutes.

Currently, the high speed train actually takes about 23 minutes between Kenitra and Rabat.


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New Airline Routes For Morocco and High Speed Rail to Open

Next April Royal Air Maroc (RAM) will launch three new routes from Casablanca to three capitals - Amman (Jordan), Abuja (Nigeria) and Vienna (Austria), says CEO of the company, Abdelhamid Addou.

"RAM is counting on the launch of these new links to target new Arab, European and African customers and thus strengthen the company's position as a key carrier particularly in Africa".

The reopening of the Casablanca-Amman line in parallel with the launch of the Casablanca-Miami "will have to consolidate our goal of expanding our Arab clientele and thus contribute to strengthening the tourist appeal of Morocco," said the CEO of the RAM.

Regarding Casablanca-Abuja, added Abdelhamid Addou, this connection aims to extend the African network of RAM and strengthen the positioning of the company on the continent.

At the same time, the RAM will proceed, between December and February, to the acquisition of 9 Boeing aircraft (787 and 737) to reinforce its fleet and support the growing dynamics of the company's activities on all fronts, he said.

According to the CEO of RAM, this operation is part of the strengthening of the place of RAM among the major aviation companies linking Africa to Europe, the Americas and Asia from the hub of Casablanca with no less than 85 destinations.

In addition, the Spanish low-cost airline Volotea, which operates largely in France on small regional flights, wants to establish itself in Morocco. From April 2019, it will offer a direct link between the Nantes-Atlantique airport in northwestern France and Tangier.

Tickets are already available from 9 euros. The company will operate two days a week: Tuesdays and Fridays.

Ryanair is preparing to open 53 new lines from Italy, including four to Marrakesh and Fez in April 2019 and for the entire summer season.

The city of Catania in Sicily and the city of Naples in southern Italy will be connected to Marrakech. Treviso Airport, near Venice, and Turin Airport will be connected to Fez. The details of the days and times of flights have not yet been communicated.

And rail news

Africa will soon have its first TGV line in service. Responding to the invitation of King Mohammed VI, Emmanuel Macron will travel to Morocco on November 15 to inaugurate the high-speed line between Casablanca and Tangiers. 200 km long, this high-speed line must connect Tangier to Rabat, the political capital of the country, in 1:20, instead of 3:40 now.

The Moroccan LGV, the first high-speed segment of the African continent, will take only 2:10 instead of 4:45 hours.

Officially launched in 2007 in the presence of Mohammed VI and Nicolas Sarkozy, the project saw its work begin in 2011. But they have fallen behind due to the expropriation procedures since the initial commissioning was scheduled for December 2015.

Numerous French companies took part in the project: Alstom for the supply of the trains, the Ansaldo-Ineo consortium (signaling and telecoms), Cegelec (electrical substations) and the Colas Rail-Egis Rail consortium (tracks and catenaries). SNCF also provides project management assistance to the Moroccan National Railways Office (ONCF), the national operator of the country's rail network.

Six million passengers expected after three years of operation

The construction of the high-speed line will have cost a total of 2 billion euros. The French State has committed to 51% financing through various loans, including one granted by the French development agency of 220 million euros. This cost represents an envelope approximately 15% higher than the initial estimate of 1.8 billion euros, calculated in 2007 at the launch of the project.

Six million passengers a year at cruising speed are expected after three years of commercial operation of the future LGV. This will be a doubling compared to the 3 million people currently transported on the traditional railway line.

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EMMANUEL MACRON TO VISIT MOROCCO

French President Emmanuel Macron is expected in Morocco though the precise date of the visit have not been fixed

French President Emmanuel Macron received by King Mohammed VI during his visit to Morocco in 2017

It is expected to be a short quick visit of not more than 48 hours and will coincide with the launch of the high speed ​​train line linking Tangier to Casablanca, a project in which many French companies are associated.

Discussions between Emmanuel Macron and King Mohammed VI will be dominated by the issue of the management of migratory flows, which has become a political priority for both countries.

Since June 2018, the High Speed ​​Line project has entered the pre-operation and break-in phase of the entire system so that it can be tested under actual operating conditions. The commercial commissioning will take place at the end of the pre-exploitation period and after certification of the line by a specialised international audit firm, in accordance with the procedures and standards recommended by the International Union of Railways (UIC).

At the same time, work on the new Tangier, Kenitra, Rabat-Agdal and Casa-Voyageurs high-speed line stations is currently in the completion stage.

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A Trans-Maghreb TGV ~ Feasibility Study

The possibility of taking a train journey across the Maghreb is back on the table. A TGV link between Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria could become one of the great train trips

Nothing is certain, but the project to rehabilitate the Trans-Maghreb train is underway. The Arab Maghreb Union (AMU) is holding the 3rd ordinary session of the commission to oversee the feasibility study of this ambitious project.

The four day session will be devoted to the evaluation of the technical and financial offers presented by consulting firms that participated in the invitation to tender. The study is financed to the tune of $1.7 million by the African Development Bank (ADB).


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Free Wi-Fi at Moroccan Railway Stations

The Moroccan National Office of Railways (ONCF) issued a statement this week announcing that it intends to install free Wi-Fi connections in all railway stations across the Kingdom

The Casa Port Station has free Wi-Fi now

For the last 5 years the ONCF has been running a test period of "Hot Spot ONCF".

However, while the new Wi-Fi Network is set to cover even the most remote train stations across the country, the introduction will be a "gradual process".

To connect: no software has to be downloaded, no password. Just select the network called "ONCF," fill out a short form and the connection is established automatically.

It is intended that internet connection will also be made available onboard trains on the main railway networks.

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The Hotel That Vanished

A hotel, described by many guests as "cheap and cheerful", has been demolished, much to the surprise of regular visitors to Casablanca

The Ibis Hotel at Casa Voyageur in Casablanca was never a grand establishment and over the years it had become a little seedy. Nevertheless, it was the first stop for thousands of visitors arriving in Morocco. Located one minute from the railway station it was convenient for jet-lagged travellers wanting to catch up on sleep before embarking on their Moroccan holiday. Now it is gone.

A great location, but now, no hotel

The Ibis hotel in Boulevard Bahmad, Place De La Gare Casa-Voyageur .has disappeared. The destruction was completed on Monday 17 October and now the site is being prepared for Morocco's TGV (high-speed train) as well as the redevelopment of the rather dilapidated railway station.

The hotel gives way to the TGV and a new station

While Ibis has another more modern hotel in the city centre, a spokesperson says that the Casa-Voyageur hotel will be rebuilt on another site.


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Morocco's TGV to Run on Wind Power

A few years ago the idea of a train powered by the wind would probably have been relegated to the realms of science fiction. Now the Moroccan national railway authority, ONCF, are intending to make the idea a reality, developing a project to produce green energy for its electric train network

The ONCF is proposing a project to ally with an IPP, an independent power producer, and setting up a wind farm with a capacity of 150 MW. ONCF would purchase the green energy under an exclusive buyer contract lasting 20 years. The project would cost around two hundred million euros, according to early forecasts, and according to French media, ONCF is at the stage of preparing tender applications for the project.

When the notion of a high speed train running from Tangier to Casablanca was first floated, few believed it would come to fruition. Now the sceptics have been proved wrong and the project is well underway The first of the 14 trains on order arrived in Morocco at the end of July and after reassembly will undergo a series of static and dynamic tests. It is expected that the train will also be tested on the existing conventional network from the last quarter of this year before being tested on the high speed line. Each train set will include two power cars and eight intermediate carriages, including two first class, five second class and one buffet vehicle. Each double-deck train will seat up to 533 passengers.

The first of the 14 TGVs arrives in Morocco

An ONCF spokesperson says that the work on the high speed line is "progressing at a very fast pace after solving all the constraints the project faces". Some areas of construction are nearing completion, while overall 70% of the project is complete.  The remaining work is expected to be finished by the end of 2016.  Parallel work on railway equipment such as signalling and services is also progressing, with the first of the railway platforms  ready by the end of 2015

The completed  high-speed line will be delivered in 2017 to undergo a series of systems integration testing and approval before commercial operation.

But there is more. Morocco is already thinking about a high-speed network of 1500 km by 2030. This  would involve two rail openings; one north Europe and the other to the Maghreb in the east.

The line currently under construction, called 'the Atlantic line,'  linking Tangier to Casablanca, will be developed simultaneously to the south and north. To the south the line will extend 900 km to the city of Agadir. And to the north, the Atlantic line will connect to the European network via a tunnel under the Strait of Gibraltar.

When completed Rabat will be four hours from Madrid and eight hours from Paris. Morocco also plans a route named 'online Maghreb' 'of 600 km, linking Casablanca, Rabat and Oujda. Finally the Maghreb line could extend further and reach Algiers and Tunis.

The Moroccan TGV will run at an operating speed of 320 km per hour. Leaving every hour it is intended they will travel from Tangier to Kenitra in 47 minutes instead of 3:15 today, to Rabat in 1 hour 20 minutes against 3:45 today and in Casablanca in 2:10 against 4:45 now. It is expected that the first section of the TGV Tangier - Casablanca, will carry between 6 and 8 million passengers every year as against 3.5 million today.

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Accident on Casablanca to Fez Rail Line

News reaching The View from Fez confirms that an accident took place at 1.35pm on the Casablanca to Fez railway line. Early reports are unclear as to the cause but we can confirm there have been injuries and at least one fatality

At three pm the ONCF (the railway authority) issued the following statement :

"On August 27, 2014, to 1:35 p.m., train No. 125 Casa ensuring liaison - Fez has emergency stopped at the entrance of the station Zenatta following its derailment.

A device was immediately set up by the ONCF for taking care of passengers, all of which are free.
Humans and technical resources have also been mobilized to restore normal movement of trains and an investigation was opened to determine the causes of this incident. ONCF provides its apologize to customers for any inconvenience caused." - ONCF statement

The statement suggests that all the passengers were rescued, yet photographs and video on social media contradicts this. The French language magazine TelQuel tried to contact the ONCF but reports that they were "unable to do so".

The causes of the accident are not yet known, but according to a technician employed by ONCF and quoted by the news site Rue20, poor rails including bolts, "that were too loose" would be a probable cause of the derailment of the train.

UPDATES:
The latest information is that the cause of the derailment was a collision between the passenger train and a freight train carrying coal. Media sources say that one person is dead and that between 20 and 100 people may have been injured.

Later reports bring the injury toll down to between 15 and 20.

There was at least one fatality

We will update the information as it comes to hand.

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Moroccan Rail Celebrates 50 Years with a Gift to Itself

ONCF, the body that runs Morocco's rail system, is celebrating 50 years of rail travel in Morocco with a big spending upgrade

The board of Moroccan National Railways (ONCF) has approved a draft investment budget of Dirhams 8bn ( $US 970m) for this year, which will fund construction of the 183km Tangiers – Kénitra high-speed line, enhancements on the conventional lines, and the modernisation of the train fleet.

The budget allocates Dirhams 5 billion to the high-speed project, while the remaining Dirhams 3 billion will be invested in the existing network, including the construction of a third track on the Casablanca – Rabat – Kenitra line and track-doubling between Settat and Marrakech, as well as safety improvements, and the refurbishment of rolling stock.

ONCF is expected to place an order soon for 50 new locomotive-hauled coaches, including 30 second-class vehicles, 10 first-class coaches, five sleeping cars and five restaurant cars.


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Casablanca Light Rail ~ The First Two Months

After the first assessment of the new light rail system in Casablanca, Light Rail officials say things are on track, but not yet at at the standard they are aiming for and a further traffic reduction is hoped for

State of the art trams are now running in Casa (Photo Sandy McCutcheon)

Though the passenger figures seem impressive the officials say they can be bettered. The Casa Tramway carried 1.2 million passengers and estimates 40,000 to 45,000 have travelled daily since it opened on December 12th, but that volume is well below the fleet's target of 250,000. However, once the fleet expands to 37 trams in March, the system will be at full capacity and hopefully there will be reduced delays and a speeding up of the service, operators said.

The 5.9 billion dirham (528 million euros) project aimed to ease traffic congestion in Casa. It is hoped that since light rail makes it easier to reach downtown Casablanca, many commuters may decide not to drive.

The project also directly created 2,000 jobs and generated another 2,000, including jobs for women who make up 12% of the tramway's drivers.

But Casablanca's new light rail system has also raised some concerns, and motorists who fail to yield to trams are causing gridlock and crashes, system operators said. Officials with both Casa Tramway and Casablanca Transport said they recognised problems and were working to solve them and gradually improve service. "Many vehicles are not complying with the Highway Code, and then there is the lack of public spirit and vigilance on the part of road users and the failure to give way to trams," said Casablanca Transport Chief Executive Youssef Draiss.

"It has to be recognised that these things are always complicated at the beginning and adjustments have to be made on an on-going basis in order to move forward," Casa Tramway Chief Executive Khalid Rahmani said.

During its nearly two months in service, the tramway has become an essential means of transport for students, public-sector workers, housewives, the elderly and visitors to Casablanca. Salim Morafiq, a banker who works for an agency in the city's centre, no longer drives to work. "Even though there are delays from time to time, the tram is perfectly convenient for me," he said.

The View from Fez writer, Suzanna Clarke, reported on her first Casa Light Rail Experience. "It is a perfect way to get around without traffic hassles and the trams are just as good as those in Bordeaux or other European cities. And, at only seven dirhams a ride, they are considerable cheaper."

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Train Derailment Near Fez ~ 46 Injured

Forty-six people were injured in the derailment of a train just northeast of  Fez on Thursday night.  Fortunately nobody was killed and the injured were evacuated to hospitals in Fez to receive the necessary treatment. The injuries were described as relatively minor.

LATEST UPDATE REPORTS ONE DEATH

The train involved in the accident was making the journey from Oujda to Marrakech. The accident happened at 6.45 pm, just prior to the time when passengers were preparing to break their Ramadan fast. The train was due to arrive in Fez at 7pm.

According to news reports the accident  took place on a straight section of the line and involved three carriages. First reports say it was caused by the poor condition of the railway lines and lack of maintenance. Passengers on the train expressed their anger at the state of the Moroccan railways.

An investigation has been initiated by the Moroccan National Railways (ONCF).



MOROCCO WORLD NEWS has a further report...

MWN has been so close to the incident of the train composed of nine wagons which deviated from its railway of Oujda-Fez line. Four wagons in the middle were capsized, while the second and the eighth stayed full but outside the railway.

The incident that occurred a few minutes before Sunset prayers shocked the inhabitants of the region. The first snippet of news pointed that the incident was caused when the train deviated from its way whilst going in a dangerous zig in Dhar Mehraz forest nearby the American restaurant of fast food (MacDonalds). The victims were immediately transferred to Hassan II hospital in Fez.

People had different views vis-à-vis the dreadful incident. Some of them ascribed it to the bad situation of the railway in this area known for eroded soil due to floods. Others believed that the driver was going at a high speed in the dangerous narrow zig.

As it has heard of the derailment, the local authorities hastened to the site of the incident and prevented the families of the victims from approaching due to safety and security reasons.

The Office National des Chemins de Fer (National Office of Railways) attributed the incident to unknown people who might have damaged the railway.

According to the office, these unknown people might have stolen some bars from the railway, a fact which brought about the deviation of the train. The office condemned such irresponsible act and promised to chase the evil doers.

The same source interviewed added that the security staff working for the ONCF, supported by the local authorities rushed to the site to rescue give the victims.

Investigations are still ongoing to unravel the mystery of the incident.


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Morocco's Transport Minister Steps up to the Challenges

At a time when several of the new government's ministers are causing concern  due to controversial statements, it is good to report that another minister is behaving in a responsible manner.  Unlike the Communications Minister, or the Justice Minister, who have both been criticised for overt Islamist stances rather than public interest, the new transportation minister, Abdelaziz Rebbah, is receiving praise for his level headed approach in the face of strong criticism over a proposed high-speed rail link between Tangier and Casablanca. 

Unveiled by King Mohammed VI and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in September, the line between the port of Tangiers and the commercial capital of Casablanca, a distance of about 300 kilometers (185 miles). Critics had called it wasteful and it was feared the new government would drop the project.

“The high speed train is one of the best ways to improve Morocco’s competitiveness.” - Transport Minister Abdelaziz Rebbah

After walking out of a debate over the merits of $3 billion planned high speed rail network, Morocco’s transportation minister defended the project Saturday as vital to the country’s development.Transport Minister Abdelaziz Rebbah and the head of the railroad Rabie Khlii had originally agreed to debate the merits of the project on Thursday with an organization of critics known as Stop TGV, for the French acronym for high speed train. He stormed out of the meeting after he said the critics were distributing insulting literature.

“The debate has to be civilized,” he told reporters.

“We are no longer speaking just about the competitiveness of companies, but also the competitivity of states,” he said. “The high speed train is one of the best ways to improve Morocco’s competitiveness.”

The no-bid project was awarded to France, which will be funding 38 percent of the project with the rest covered by loans from oil-rich Arab countries of the Gulf.

The 200-mph (320-kph) train will cut travel time between the North African kingdom’s two commercial hubs from nearly five hours to just over two hours and is expected to be completed by 2015.

Criticism over the project is centred on claims that Morocco can not afford a new rail network when much of Morocco still isn’t served by the railways. The website of the Stop TGV campaign lists dozens of other ways the money could have been spent, particularly on Morocco’s ailing health and education sectors, such as 25 new university teaching hospitals or 100 new engineering schools. They certainly have a case.

Critics also charge that the motivation behind the project is more about good relations with France rather than Morocco’s economic need. Others point out that the two stances are not incompatible and that the economic value of the Franco-Moroccan relationship is massive.

Omar el-Hyani, a member of the anti-high speed train collective, pointed out that the national train company’s finances are also in bad shape, especially with the expected withdrawal of business from its most important customer.

“With the withdrawal of the Office of Phosphates as its main client, the situation will get worse,” he said, explaining that phosphates will soon be carried via pipeline instead of by train. “The state will have to inject even more money in the company after work on the line is finished.”

Half of the railways’ revenues, some $180 million, currently comes from hauling phosphates, Morocco’s chief export.


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Casablanca - the Light Rail System is Coming

The View from Fez team visited Casablanca this week, to inspect progress on the new Casablanca light rail project. We are pleased to report that work is well underway and continuing around the clock. Although the bold prediction was that the system would be up and running by the end of 2012, we are told that 2013 is a more realistic date. Here is our updated report on a project that will change the face of Casablanca.

Construction is underway 24 hours a day. (Photo: Sandy McCutcheon)

Construction of the first of four light rail lines began in 2010 with a planned completion in 2012. The first line will be 29 km long. A contract with train providers Alsthom was signed for delivery of the first cars in 2011.

Casablanca tram development company Casa Transports has appointed the consortium of Systra and Moroccan firm CID Engineering: Development Consultants as project manager for the city's light rail scheme.

Systra drew up preliminary designs in 2008. As consortium leader it will now be responsible for management of the 6·4 bn dirham project, including detailed design work, organising the tendering and supervising construction.

The first stage route plan

The 29 km Y-shaped first phase will run from Grand Stade to Hay Hassani and Facultés, with 50 stops and 38 trams. Traffic and utility diversion is causing problems in the city, with local drivers reporting that, "everybody is angry with the disruption at the moment". Water, electricity, sewage, public lighting and telecom deviation is underway in six corridors in the city. “The deviation works in the boulevard Mekka and the first part of the boulevard Okba-Bnou-Nafi (2 km each), which began last September have been completed, they have started on the boulevards Ba-Hmad, Panoramic, Abdelmoumen and Okba “ said Mr Youssef Draiss, CEO of Casa Transport S.A., the Tramway General Contractor.

Some people wonder why they entire area was not closed to allow for the work to go faster, but the CEO of Casa Transport said that studies have previously shown that the best way to minimize traffic disruption is to work on alternate stretches of 200 or 300 meters on each side of the road.

Now the construction work has reached Mohammed V Boulevard in the city centre, starting from the train station Casa Voyageurs. The approach is to start work from the suburbs and converge toward the center, and as such, Boulevard Hassan II will be the last affected for to maximise traffic flow.

The opening was planned for December 12, 2012 but insiders told The View from Fez that it will certainly now be well into 2013. However, residents are confident that the final outcome will enhance economic opportunities and benefit both locals and tourists in Casablanca.

Longer term plans include four lines totalling 76 km.

The end is in sight - but another year at least before completion. (Photo: Sandy McCutcheon) 

Casablanca Transports SA was founded in 2008 specifically to own and manage the tramway. Its shareholders are the Moroccan state, the Greater Casablanca Region, local authorities, Hassan II Fund for Economic & Social Development, as well as the State Pension Fund, national railway ONCFM, and Banque Centrale Populaire.

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Handy Hints - Arriving in Casablanca

For many people Casablanca is the city they fly into when visiting Morocco. If you have come from the USA, Australia or New Zealand, jet lag it can make the first few hours little difficult. So here are a few hints from people who have done the journey to Casablanca and onwards many times.

The Mohammed V International Airport is operated by ONDA (National Airports Office). 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. There are now three terminals and the general condition of the airport is much improved, although it is reported that HM King Mohammed VI was less than impressed with renovations and improvements when last he did an inspection.

(1) Money
Make sure you withdraw Moroccan dirhams from an ATM before you leave the airport building. Because of credit card charges on overseas withdrawals, it is wise to get out the maximum daily limit. This is usually 3000 to 4000 Moroccan Dirhams.

(2) Transport
Decide in advance of your arrival as to your mode of transport into the city. Rail is inexpensive and takes around forty-five minutes to an hour. There are 36 trains, one departure every hour in each direction. If you take the train you should disembark at Casa Voyageurs station. The downside of the train is that if you have just missed one you will have an hour's wait. The train is also not the finest in the country by a long way and can often be very crowded and many people experience difficulty with lack of luggage space.

There are alternatives to the train. The taxi service operated by "grand taxis"will get you to your hotel or the Casa Voyageurs railway station for a supposed set fare. You must agree on this before getting in the car as they do not have meters.

The easiest (and our preferred) method is to book an English speaking driver before you leave your home country. An email to contact@aeroporttransport.com will save any confusion.  You can check them out online at Aeroport Transfer.  The charge between the airport and downtown Casablanca is 250 dirhams, cheaper than most quotes we could get from drivers of grand taxis. Note: in the city taxis are the small red taxis and carry a maximum of three people. Do insist they use the meter.

Hassan II Mosque

Photo: Suzanna Clarke

(3) Staying in Casablanca?
 Make a decision about whether or not to stay at least one night in Casablanca before you leave home. After a long-haul flight and the problem of jet lag, it is often preferable to have a night to recover. There is much more to see and do in Casablanca than is first apparent. Staying overnight will give you a chance to visit the Hassan II Mosque, find a really decent restaurant and get a feel for the city before moving on. There are hotels for every budget but the location of the "cheap and cheerful" Ibis chain (located right beside the main Casa Voyageurs railway station and also in the city centre), are the ones to pick if convenience is more important than luxury.

(4) Eating out in Casablanca.
Port de Pêche - Casablanca Harbour. If "eat where the locals do" is any guide, then Port de Pêche is a winner. Seafood tagines as well as fried and baked dishes are on offer. Go for the fresh fish. The setting and style is delightfully informal with none of the "French restaurant" nonsense seen in some of the cities eateries. Dinner costs about $30. They bring the fish to the table to make sure it's what you ordered. Go early as by 9 pm the queue outside will be growing longer by the minute. This is a favourite with the crew from The View from Fez.

Rick's Cafe is a must and another of our favourite places. "Come to Casablanca and live the dream", says Kathy Kriger, owner of Rick's Cafe in Casablanca. And if you're a fan of the film, it's a wonderful way to spend an evening the atmosphere is stunning and the food ranges from good to great. They also know how to make fabulous cocktails. See our review HERE

Find Rick's Cafe at 248 Boulevard Sour Jdid in Casablanca's Medina. Ph 0522 27 42 07/08
Rick's Cafe Website

(5) Other things to do in Casablanca.
Visit the Hassan II Mosque. The Hassan II Mosque is the largest mosque in the country and the 7th largest mosque in the world. Its minaret is the world's tallest at 210 m (689 ft). It stands on a promontory looking out to the Atlantic. A total of 105,000 worshippers can gather for prayer at the mosque simultaneously, 25,000 inside the mosque and another 80,000 on the mosque's ground outside. Built on reclaimed land, almost half of the surface of the mosque lies above sea water of the Atlantic. This was inspired by the verse of the Qur'an that states "the throne of Allah was built on water." Part of the floor is glass and offers a view down at the sea.

Visit the Jewish Museum. It is certainly worth a visit and for those who know little or nothing of its history and the history of Jews in Morocco, then you will probably find the article "Curating Casablanca" by Eric Trager (2006-2007 Islamic Civilisations Fulbright grantee based in Cairo) worth a read.

MUSEUM OF MOROCCAN JUDAISM OF CASABLANCA
81 Rue Chasseur Jules Gros
Casablanca-Oasis
Director: Simon Levy
Curator – Zhor Rehihil
Telephone: (212) 22 9949 40
e-mail: museejudaismemaroc@wanadoo.net.ma

Visit a shopping mall? Yes, why not? Morocco Mall is said to be the fifth largest mall in the world, and is expected to receive more than fifteen million visitors a year with sales approaching five billion Dirham (600 million US dollars). Just ask any taxi driver.

A walking tour of Casablanca architecture is truly interesting. The style of colonial architecture found in abundance in Casablanca is known as Mauresque and came into being during General Lyautey's term of office as Resident Governor of Morocco between 1912 and 1924. See our suggested route here.

(6) Leaving Casablanca.
Trains depart from Casa Voyageurs station for most Moroccan destinations. The prices are very reasonable and a first class seat to Fez, for example, is only 165 dirhams. Do ask for a window seat. If possible, book at least the day before you intend to travel. You will find all the train details on the ONCF Website. You can also get an app for your smartphone that has all the latest train times. TRAIN APP HERE

A car and English speaking driver is a superb way to see the country, stop for coffee or to take a photograph when you want and travel in comfort. As an example, an English speaking driver for up to three people going from Casablanca to Fez will cost 1500 dirhams with some transport firms. Others will cost up to 2000 dirhams.

Once again, we suggest you book a driver before arriving in Morocco. Here are our suggested options:

Website: Chrif Trans or email chriftrans@gmail.com or phone Michele Reeves (212) 642 704 601.

Website:  Aeroport Transfer or email contact@aeroporttransport.com or phone Mohamed Bahraoui on
(212) 676768189.

(7) General Information about Morocco
Make sure you read our page of basic information about Morocco. Morocco Basics
Also check out our: suggested reading list


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Tourist Warning ~ Beware the Man on the Train !

From time to time The View from Fez receives warnings about scams on Moroccan trains. Although we have published a story on this before, we have been asked by a group of businessmen in Fez to repeat the warning as they believe the situation has not improved. It may well have become worse, with American and Australian visitors being targeted.

The Train Scam

If you have just arrived in Morocco by air and are about to take the train from Casablanca to Fez, you may be approached by a very "friendly" man. After chatting for a while, he will ask you where you are staying in Fez. It is often the case that he will suggest you change as the place you have booked "is not very good".

This friendly individual will also "kindly" offer to provide you with a guide and a car and driver.

Once in Fez, he hands over to the guide who will take you to "the best carpet shop in the Fez Medina".

In the carpet shop you will be encouraged to buy carpets at inflated prices.

In amidst the confusion, culture shock and exchange rate bewilderment, you may find you have spent a great deal more money than you intended. In a recent case, an American couple were devastated to discover they had spent almost US$100,000 on six carpets worth a fraction of that amount. An Australian mother and son had a similar experience to the tune of US$26,000 USD. They also found themselves paying for a car and driver they did not use, as they were holidaying in the Fez Medina.

According to our informants from the Fez business community, there are up to ten individuals who board trains at Casablanca, Rabat or Meknes on the lookout for newly arrived visitors. While we would encourage you to be friendly and courteous, do not let anyone persuade you to change your existing plans, or to hire a guide or car and driver. If you need a car and driver, the reputable riads and guest houses will be happy to offer the services of people they trust and have worked with before. They will also book a guide for you who is government registered.

This warning aside, Moroccan people can be warm and generous to a fault. On a recent trip, a Moroccan on a train befriended some acquaintances who were going to Tangier and on to Spain. He not only paid for the taxi from the train station to the ferry, but then assisted them in buying tickets. He left them in Spain after making sure they had found the bus company for their onward travel. It would be a pity if a small minority of crooks should jeopardise Morocco's otherwise friendly reputation.


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Morocco Train Times App is a Winner

A new app for iPad and iPhone uses should prove very handy for travellers in Morocco. The app, Train Times Morocco, provides offline journey planning for trains and coaches throughout the country using the ONCF (the national rail network) timetables.

It is particularly handy for those in remote areas where access to the Internet is not possible.

The View from Fez Team road-tested (or should that be "rail-tested"?) the app on a trip from Fez to Tangier.

The interface is easy and intuitive.  The first screen is the journey planner and allows you to choose your station of departure and arrival. You select the stations from the comprehensive list and then press the "Get Times" button. It is fast and accurate. The creator of the app, promises that it will be updated regularly to include any changes to the schedules.

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Another good feature is the map which shows the train stations as red pins and the places where it is necessary to take a bus, with green pins. By touching a pin that is the starting point, you can then touch your destination pin and the train times are displayed.  If you make a mistake, there is a handy reset button.

While timetables are not always available for smaller bus destinations, the majority of places are covered.

One possible improvement would be to display intermediate stations on a journey, particularly where a change of trains is needed.

One last bit of good news - for the moment the app is free from the iTunes store - see details here MOROCCO TRAIN TIMES.

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Morocco

French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrives in Tangier today (Thursday) to be present at the inauguration of work on Africa’s first high-speed rail line. His prescence is intended to highlight France’s role in delivering the project.

An agreement on the construction and operation of a 350-kilometer (219-mile) high-speed rail line linking Tangiers and Casablanca via the capital Rabat was signed during Sarkozy’s 2007 visit to Morocco. He vowed then that he would return to the country to help lay down the first stone when building work began.

Rabat says it expects the first leg of the rail-line to cost three billion euros ($4.1 billion), for which France has extended a 920 million euro loan.

The Tangiers-Casablanca line, scheduled to enter service in 2015, will eventually be extended to Marrakesh and Agadir, Moroccan officials have said.

The balance of the rail project is being funded largely by Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. According to Karim Tazi, a sociologist, the rest of the borrowed money will have to be paid for by future generations.

Some analysts question whether or not it is really worth Morocco going into further debt in order to reduce the train time between Tangiers to Casablanca from five hours, to two hours and 10 minutes.

In December, the French group Alstom inked a 400 million euro deal to provide Morocco with 14 high speed trains, a contract seen as a boost for the company after it was snubbed by Eurostar, which had elected to buy trains from Germany’s Siemens.

France is Morocco’s top trading partner, absorbing 25 percent of exports.

Sarkozy, in his scheduled four-hour trip to the North African kingdom, also plans to meet King Mohammed VI.

Travel Writing about Morocco #31

Many times The View from Fez has been critical of travel writing about Morocco. However, today we give the thumbs up to Steve McKenna from the Australian newspaper, the Sydney Morning Herald. As he discovers, train travel in Morocco is a brand new experience. Here is an edited extract:

I'D HALF expected Tangier's railway station to resemble an old-fashioned Indian terminus: air rife with spicy smells, frantic ticket kiosks and nearly every open space covered in blankets, on which generations of families would sit amid bulging piles of baggage.

However, with its shiny marble floors, small, orderly queues and almost clinically sedate atmosphere, Tanger Ville seems almost too spick and span for a place with as much culture-shock potential as Morocco.

But this gleaming new edge-of-town transport hub is a symbol of the renaissance gripping the country's previously neglected rail system. A multimillion-dollar cash injection has sparked the construction, or refurbishment, of more than 40 stations, while new track and rolling stock is leading to faster, more comfortable journeys.

Fez Railway Station

The investment has clearly charmed the public. Last year, network operator ONCF carried an estimated 30 million passengers – up from 14 million in 2002. A jolt of caffeine (and of excitement) hits me as I sip a cafe au lait and survey Tanger Ville's electronic departures board, which, in French and Arabic, flaunts a series of exotic destinations.

I'm catching the train bound for Marrakesh, a city that bathes in its own magical allure. I head onto the platform alongside a microcosm of 21st-century Morocco – men, women and children in a mix of Western-style clobber and traditional Moroccan attire (headscarves, colourful tunics and hooded djellabas) – and I find myself humming the words to Crosby, Stills & Nash's 1969 classic folksy tune Marrakesh Express.

 "Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes, travelling the train through clear Moroccan skies, ducks and pigs and chickens call, animal carpet wall to wall . . ." - Crosby, Stills & Nash

A few things have changed. It's a bright, sunny day – as it was back then – but there are no ducks, pigs or chickens aboard and animal skin plays no part in the décor. Today's train is clean, workman-like and split into two classes, both air-conditioned, with an aisle running down one side. As the cost difference is negligible, I've plumped for first class, which is more comfortable.

First Class Moroccan style

I've also decided that going to Marrakesh in one fell swoop – 8 hours – would be exhausting, so I'm splitting the journey by having lunch in the capital, Rabat, then boarding another train later.

Rabat Railway Station

Several places that aren't covered by ONCF – including gorgeous towns such as Chefchaouen and Essaouira – are linked to the network by Supratours' deluxe coaches, yet hundreds of towns and villages remain well off the beaten track as speed, rather than connectivity, tops the agenda. For example, a new two-track line, with double-decker trains, has cut journey times between Casablanca and Fez to three hours, 20 minutes, a 70-minute reduction.

By 2015, French-built TGV Duplex trains, running at up to 320km/h, will link Tangier and Casablanca in just two hours, 10 minutes and in the most ambitious scheme, by 2030 the 700 kilometres from Tangier to Agadir will be traversed in just four hours.

Purists and nostalgic types might be dismayed that a previously gritty old network has embraced modernity so enthusiastically but, for most, Morocco is on the right track.

Getting around


Sample first-class fares: Tangier to Rabat, 145 dirham; Rabat to Marrakesh, 185 dirham; Casablanca to Fez, 165 dirham. For timetables, oncf.ma.

Read the whole story:  Sydney Morning Herald

See all The View from Fez travel writing stories here: Travel Writing

Photos: The View from Fez (click images to enlarge).

ONCF -Moroccan Railway - Environmental Awareness.

Morocco’s national railway carrier, ONCF operates around 1,150 miles of train tracks throughout Morocco and carries some 30 million passengers annually. So anything it does to lessen environmental impacts can have a huge effect. A recent news release from Axiom International announced the completion of its first project with ONCF as part of Morocco’s efforts to use cleaner energy for larger projects across the country.

According to the statement, Axiom was paid some $100,000 by ONCF for the patented recycled plastic composite crossties, or sleepers.

“Today’s announcement signifies a major win for Axion as we complete this initial contract with Morocco’s national railway,” said Steve Silverman, Axion’s President and Chief Operating Officer, at a press conference.

“Not only does the completion of our initial contract with ONCF represent an opportunity to expand our relationship with the railway in Morocco, it provides a key validator for Axion as we look to expand the sales initiatives for our innovative thermoplastic technology to international markets around the globe,” he added. “We have reached the point where customers have completed various projects and tested our plastic building materials and railroad ties, seeing for themselves the value our products offer. We’re grateful for our relationship with the ONCF and to be able to provide a product that is tailored to their exact specifications. We look forward to expanding upon this relationship and working with our clients to develop superior rail and building products.”

Tangier to Casablanca in Two Hours by Train

Morocco's high speed rail ambitions have moved a step closer with the signing of agreements. In the ceremony, which was held in Tangier and attended by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, two loan and fund guarantee agreements, both estimated at around Dh367.3 million (about US$ 100 million), were signed.

The loan agreement was signed by Mr. Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Acting Director General of ADFD, and Mr. Mohammed Rabie' AL Khalie', Director General of the National Railway Bureau in Morocco. Meanwhile, Mr. Al Suwaidi and Salaheddine Mezouar, the Moroccan Minister of Economy and Finance, signed the guarantee agreement.

Commenting on the event, Al Suwaidi said that the high speed railway project would make a huge qualitative stride in the transport field in Morocco by providing a highly competitive means of transportation in terms of safety, quality and speed. "The project will meet the expected increase in demand on this type of transportation after the operation of Tangier Mediterranean port, which was financed with Dh 734.6 million contribution from ADFD and which is expected to witness excessive activities in 2012", he said.

Al Suwaidi noted that the high speed railway could cut travel times between the main cities of Casablanca and Tangier from 5 hours to just two, positively reflecting on the economic development pace by doubling number of containers and raising number of passengers from 6 to 10 million starting from 2015 every year.

The high speed railway project includes the construction of the first phase 200 km high speed track (320km/h) between Tangier and Kenitra and connecting it to the existing railway network. It also involves civil works, equipment supply for the existing accesses and facilities in Tangier and Kenitra stations, purchase of self-propelled coaches for high speed trains and construction of train maintenance station in Tangier.


France has finalised a 400-million-euro deal to supply Morocco with the high-speed TGV trains. The French group Alstom is to provide the north African country with 14 high speed train sets that will enter service in December 2015 on the Tangiers-Casablanca route.

“It’s a great contract to start off with,” says Philippe Mellier, head of Alstom Transport, adding that other contracts were possible in the future

“This contract is symbolic because it shows Morocco’s capacity to acquire very high tech equipment,” says Mellier, “Morocco is the first African country to embrace high speed rail transport.”

With the new trains in service, it should take passengers two hours and ten minutes to travel from Tangiers to Casablanca instead of the current four hours.

The signing of the contract follows an earlier agreement reached between France and Morocco during a visit from French President Nicolas Sarkozy in October 2007.