ONCF
Encyclopedia
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
. 1,003 km electrified (2006).
The railways have been state-owned since 1963. ONCFM is now expected to be replaced by SMCF, a limited company.
and Casablanca
to Marrakech
. This line connects all major cities along or close to the Atlantic coast.
The other main link is the Northern East to West link from Oujda
via Fes
and Meknes
to Rabat connecting to the N-S tracks in Kentira.
A major investment program upgrades and extends the network. In 2009, a branch-line of the E-W link was finished, running from Taourirt
for 100 km to Nador
. This track runs down from the Rif mountains to sealevel at Nador. Most of the route from Taourirt follows the same route as the current national road. The tracks through Nador are underground and after Nador-Ville
the track continues to the Port of Nador
in Bin Anşār
overground again. This new branch-line is used for both passanger and freight trains.
Another project under construction is a short-cut between Rabat and Tanger. When completed trains can run directly to Rabat and Casablanca without having to use the longer route via Meknes. Also in the North a new track is built between Tanger and Ras R'Mel.
Other routes under construction are:
Not yet under construction, but planned are:
Railway Station is the last station for passengers on the East-West link. The lines south of Oudja are for freight only.
, but the latter is closed since the '90s. - same gauge Melilla
, Spain
- train terminates at Nador Port
, on walking distance of Melilla
connecting Tangier
to Marrakech
which will reduce the time of the journey from around 10 hours to only 2 and half hours.
This service, if approved, may not be in operation until 2030.
In 2007 Systra
was appointed to design a 350 km/h alignment between Settat and Marrakech.
This first part of the Atlantique high-speed link will open in 2015. When operational trains with a capacity of 500 passengers will run every hour and even every 30 minutes in the rush-hour. The CEO of the ONCF, Mohammed Rabie Khlie, expects to carry 8 million passengers per year. The high-speed network should be available for the average Moroccan citizen.
In December 2010, a contract was signed with Alstom
to provide 14 trainsets based on the TGV Duplex.
(aprox.US$
2,5 bln.). Half of this money is needed to construct the track. From the other half 5,6 bln.dirham is needed for technology around the tracks and the remaining 4,4 bln. is needed for the rolling stock
.
The funding of this project is coming from the state (4,8 bln. dirham), one billion from the Hasan II fund for social and economic development. France and the rest of Europe will donate some 2 billion dirham. The remaining 12,3 billion dirham is funded via loans under favourable conditions
. One of the new links recently being constructed is a branch line from Taourirt
to Nador
. On 10 July 2009 king Mohammed VI of Morocco
opened the two new railway stations in Nador
and the line to Taourirt
Morocco
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...
's national railway operator. The Office employs around 9,767 employees and has a network of 1,907 km, all standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. 1,003 km electrified (2006).
History
ONCF was created January 1, 1963 as a merger of- Railways of Morocco (CFM) (French Compagnie des chemins de fer du Maroc)
- Railway of Eastern Morocco (CMO) (French Compagnie du chemin de fer du Maroc oriental)
- Franco-Spanish company of Tanger-Fès (TF) (French Compagnie franco-espagnole du Tanger-Fès)
- Mediterranean-Niger-Railway (MN) (French Chemins de Fer de la Méditerranée au Niger)
The railways have been state-owned since 1963. ONCFM is now expected to be replaced by SMCF, a limited company.
Network
The network has a North-South track from Tanger via RabatRabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
and 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...
to Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
. This line connects all major cities along or close to the Atlantic coast.
The other main link is the Northern East to West link from 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,...
via Fes
Fes, Morocco
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
and Meknes
Meknes
Meknes is a city in northern Morocco, located from the capital Rabat and from Fes. It is served by the A2 expressway between those two cities and by the corresponding railway. Meknes was the capital of Morocco under the reign of Moulay Ismail , before it was relocated to Marrakech. The...
to Rabat connecting to the N-S tracks in Kentira.
Extension
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....
for 100 km to Nador
Nador Railway stations
The city of Nador in Morocco has two railway-stations: Nador Ville and Nador South. Further on the line there is also a station at The city of [[Nador]] in [[Morocco]] has two railway-stations: Nador Ville and Nador South...
. This track runs down from the Rif mountains to sealevel at Nador. Most of the route from Taourirt follows the same route as the current national road. The tracks through Nador are underground and after Nador-Ville
Nador Railway stations
The city of Nador in Morocco has two railway-stations: Nador Ville and Nador South. Further on the line there is also a station at The city of [[Nador]] in [[Morocco]] has two railway-stations: Nador Ville and Nador South...
the track continues to the Port of Nador
Nador Port
The port of Nador is a commercial port on the Mediterranean Sea servicing the Rif area of Northern Morocco.The port is officially in Bin Anşār and shares it piers and entrance with the port of the Spanish enclave Melilla...
in Bin Anşār
Bin Anşār
Beni Ansar or Aït Nsar is a town in Nador Province, Oriental, Morocco, located 12 km north of the City of Nador. It is bordered on the north by the autonomous Spanish city of Melilla...
overground again. This new branch-line is used for both passanger and freight trains.
Another project under construction is a short-cut between Rabat and Tanger. When completed trains can run directly to Rabat and Casablanca without having to use the longer route via Meknes. Also in the North a new track is built between Tanger and Ras R'Mel.
Other routes under construction are:
- Casablanca to El-Jadida
- Bypass Meknes, on the Rabat-Fes route
Not yet under construction, but planned are:
- Marrakech - Agadir, and further South to Laayoune
- Oued Zem - Beni Mellal
Freight only
OujdaOujda
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,...
Railway Station is the last station for passengers on the East-West link. The lines south of Oudja are for freight only.
Railway links to adjacent countries
AlgeriaRail transport in Algeria
Rail transport in Algeria is operated by the SNTF , the official railway of Algeria.- Railway links to adjacent countries :...
, but the latter is closed since the '90s. - same gauge Melilla
Melilla
Melilla is a autonomous city of Spain and an exclave on the north coast of Morocco. Melilla, along with the Spanish exclave Ceuta, is one of the two Spanish territories located in mainland Africa...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
- train terminates at Nador Port
Nador Port
The port of Nador is a commercial port on the Mediterranean Sea servicing the Rif area of Northern Morocco.The port is officially in Bin Anşār and shares it piers and entrance with the port of the Spanish enclave Melilla...
, on walking distance of Melilla
Operations
ONCF operates in three main sectors:- Passenger transportation; 29.6 million passenger-journeys (2009)
- Goods transportation; 35 million tonnes (2009)
- including phosphates transportation.
Key figures
The turnover of the ONCF was growing, both in passengers and freight, until the decline of the economy in 2007. The number of passengers is still growing but freight figures are down. The total income on passengers (sold train tickets) and freight was in 2009 2,7 billion dirham.| item | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger kilometers in million kilometers |
4190 | 3820 | 3658 | 3333 | 2987 | 2645 | 2374 |
| Passengers million |
29,6 | 27.5 | 26,1 | 23,6 | 21,0 | 18,5 | 16,5 |
| Freight tons |
25.000 | 30.703 | 35.859 | 34.851 | 34.911 | 32.901 | 30.552 |
| Freight million ton kilometers |
4110 | 4986 | 5794 | 5827 | 5919 | 5563 | 5146 |
Planned high speed line
On September 2006 ONCF proposed a high-speed railHigh-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
connecting 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 Marrakech
Marrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
which will reduce the time of the journey from around 10 hours to only 2 and half hours.
This service, if approved, may not be in operation until 2030.
In 2007 Systra
Systra
SYSTRA is an international engineering and consulting group specializing in rail and public transport. SYSTRA is known worldwide for its work in transport modes that offer a sustainable alternative to cars and trucks...
was appointed to design a 350 km/h alignment between Settat and Marrakech.
This first part of the Atlantique high-speed link will open in 2015. When operational trains with a capacity of 500 passengers will run every hour and even every 30 minutes in the rush-hour. The CEO of the ONCF, Mohammed Rabie Khlie, expects to carry 8 million passengers per year. The high-speed network should be available for the average Moroccan citizen.
In December 2010, a contract was signed with Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
to provide 14 trainsets based on the TGV Duplex.
Electrified
The network that will carry the high-speed-network, from Tanger via Fes to Rabat and Marrakesh are currently already electrified. The lines to the East of Fes are diesel powered only and the majority of the track is single: opposite trains pass each other at selected train-stations.Investments
For the Tanger-Casablanca line the ONCF will invest 20 billion Moroccan dirhamMoroccan dirham
The dirham is the currency of Morocco. The plural form is pronounced darahim, although in French and English "dirhams" is commonly used. Its ISO 4217 code is "MAD". It is subdivided into 100 santimat . The dirham is issued by the Bank Al-Maghrib, the central bank of Morocco...
(aprox.US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2,5 bln.). Half of this money is needed to construct the track. From the other half 5,6 bln.dirham is needed for technology around the tracks and the remaining 4,4 bln. is needed for the rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
.
The funding of this project is coming from the state (4,8 bln. dirham), one billion from the Hasan II fund for social and economic development. France and the rest of Europe will donate some 2 billion dirham. The remaining 12,3 billion dirham is funded via loans under favourable conditions
Other projects
Besides the high-speed link discussed above, the company is also developing other projects, including new rail links and extending the network's reach southwards of MarrakechMarrakech
Marrakech or Marrakesh , known as the "Ochre city", is the most important former imperial city in Morocco's history...
. One of the new links recently being constructed is a branch line from Taourirt
Taourirt
Taourirt is a village in northern Algeria. It is located in Bouïra Province.Nearby towns and villages include Tassift , M'Chedallah, Chorfa , Boudjellil and Sidi Brahim .....
to Nador
Nador
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...
. On 10 July 2009 king Mohammed VI of Morocco
Mohammed VI of Morocco
Mohammed VI is the present King of Morocco and Amir al-Mu'minin . He ascended to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the death of his father.-Education:...
opened the two new railway stations in Nador
Nador
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...
and the line to Taourirt
Taourirt
Taourirt is a village in northern Algeria. It is located in Bouïra Province.Nearby towns and villages include Tassift , M'Chedallah, Chorfa , Boudjellil and Sidi Brahim .....
Affiliations
ONCF is a member of the following organizations:- International Union of RailwaysInternational Union of RailwaysThe UIC , or International Union of Railways, is an international rail transport industry body.- Brief history :The railways of Europe originated as separate concerns. There were many border changes after World War I and the Treaty of Versailles. Colonial railways were the responsibility of the...
(UIC) - Arab Union of Railways
- Comité du Transport Ferroviaire Maghrebin (CTFM).
See also
- Rail transport in MoroccoRail transport in MoroccoRail transport in Morocco is operated by the ONCF. It is the continent's second most developed rail transport system, after South Africa's.-Main connections:...
- Transport in Morocco
- Strait of Gibraltar crossingStrait of Gibraltar crossingA Strait of Gibraltar crossing is a hypothetical bridge or tunnel spanning the Strait of Gibraltar that would connect Europe to Africa.The Spanish and Moroccan governments appointed a a to investigate the feasibility of linking the two continents...
- List of stock used by ONCF